T O T H E 



READER. 



THAT which greatly encouraged me to undertake 

 this Hijiory of Birds ^ was the univerfal Approbation 

 which my Natural Hijiory of Infers met with amongft 

 the moft skilful and curious in Natural Knowledge, fo as 

 to bear a Tranflation into Latin ; but indeed it is a Task 

 which fome of the prime Vertuofo's of the Age have put 

 me upon, and have given me their Affiftance, fome by 

 furnilhing me with Birds, others with curious Obfervations, 

 relating to their Nature, Qualities, length of Age, Food, 

 Habitation, Infl:in6b, Ufes, ^c. All which Particulars I 

 have taken notice of my felf, and given an Account of as 

 I had Occaiion in the Defcriptions. 



And as for the Defcriptions, I have done thofe with all 

 the Accuracy I could from the very Birds themfelves^ 

 which I had always by me at that Time ; and particularly 

 I took care to defcribe their Char act erijiick Notes and Spe-- 

 cifick Differences ; and to impofe on them the mofl: received 

 and proper Names both Englifh and Latin-, m all which 

 I had the Affiftance of the beft Ornithologijis, particularly 

 of the juftly famous Mr. JVilloughhfs Ornithology^ and 

 Mr. Ray's Improvements thereof in his Synopfa methodic a 



AviuMj 



