IXTRODUCTIOX. XV 



ill Devonshire from the earliest records to the present day, and 

 chapter and verse have been nearly always given for any statement 

 not made on the Authors' own responsibility. It may be thought 

 that the particulars relating to some species are too minute, and 

 that more instances of occurrences have been supplied than were 

 necessary ; but to naturalists wishing to trace the first appearance 

 or the disappearance of a species, its increase or decrease, or its 

 extension of range to east or west, north or soiith, it is of little 

 service to simply place Avords such as " common " or " rare " against 

 its name. Dates, too^ are of great importance, and often enable 

 an investigator to trace a wave of migration across the kingdom. 

 In a large county like Devonshire, with so vai'ied a surface, some 

 species are common on one side, though rare on the other, and in 

 one portion appear in winter and in another in summer. Such 

 difierences can only be made apparent by carefully recording the 

 dates of occurrence as well as the localities. By such means 

 unlooked-for facts may be brought to light. It should never be 

 forgotten that local catalogues ought to furnish the materials for 

 generalizers to work upon, so that there is every reason to believe 

 that the references which have been given, and which have been 

 carefully verified, will be found useful to students. 



Some species, such as the Purple Sandpiper and Black Redstart, 

 arc common in the south-western part of Devon, but are rare in the 

 eastern portion. Others, like the Common Redstart, Turtle Dove, 

 and Sanderling, are more frequently met with in Eastern Dsvon 

 than in the soutli and west. Again, the Pied Flycatcher. Twite, 

 and Wood-Sandpiper are almost unknown in the south, but are 

 not unfrequent in the north of the county, and some, as the" 

 Oyster-catcher and Puflin, are far more plentiful on the north coast 

 than on the south; whilst, on the other hand. Geese, some kinds 

 of Ducks, and Terns appear more frequently on the south coast 

 than in the northern part of Devon. About thirty-four sjiecies, 

 mostly accidental wanderers from the Continent of Europe, have 

 occurred in South Devon which have not yet been recorded from 

 North Devon, and eight species, mostly American, — i;erhaps nine, 

 if we include what was possibly a Vlreo seen on Lundy, — iiave l)een 

 observed in tin; ncu'thern part of the county which have not been 

 ])rocured in the s(jutli. 



