Notices of New Books. 4149 



' The Natural History of the Birds of Ireland, indigenous and 

 migratory, containing Descriptions of the Habits, Migrations, 

 Occurrence, and Economy, of the two hundred and sixty-one 

 Species comprised in the Fauna? By John J. Watters, 

 Associate Member of the University Zoological Association. 

 Dublin : John M'Glashan. London : W. S. Orr & Co. 1853. 

 300 pages, 12mo. ; no illustrations. Price 5s. 



We believe that we shall be doing the author of this work the most 

 acceptable service by quoting entire his explanatory Preface. We 

 can only add that we rejoice in every attempt to make known the 

 Natural- History riches of Ireland. 



" The present ' Natural History of the Birds of Ireland ' has been 

 the result of many years' observation of their habits. Collecting and 

 arranging that information, I have ventured, with considerable diffi- 

 dence, to place it before the public. The late William Thompson, 

 Esq., of Belfast, whose friendship I for many years enjoyed, on vari- 

 ous occasions expressed a desire to see a cheap work on the subject 

 published, regretting at the same time the unavoidable expense at- 

 tending his own, which had prevented its circulation to the extent 

 expected. 



" For the purpose of making this book as popular and comprehen- 

 sive as possible, many scientific technicalities have been left out, as 

 tending to confuse the general reader without conferring any addi- 

 tional information, whilst such generic or specific names, essential to 

 the subject, have in every instance their English signification attached. 

 Intended to be within the comprehension of the general reader, it is 

 hoped at the same time to be as available to students, and particularly 

 to persons commencing or pursuing this branch of Natural History : 

 for that purpose many details will be found through the work, record- 

 ing the occurrence of the rarer visitants to our island, and in every 

 instance specifying the habitat or country they are indigenous to. 

 This arrangement might have been difficult were it not for the assist- 

 ance afforded by the works of Temminck, Degland, and Schlegel, 

 together with those of other distinguished naturalists, whose informa- 

 tion is acknowledged in the text. Mr. Thompson's work has afforded 

 me considerable facility in referring to notices of species which I had 

 previously transmitted to him, which was fortunate, as in many cases 

 I had no copy except what occurred in my correspondence with that 

 gentleman, and which he has so amply acknowledged in his work. 



