INTRODUCTION. 



What has been done for Birds in the volume referred to 

 is effected for Animals in this. The writers concerned 

 are not only authorities on the particular subjects with 

 which they deal, but their knowledge of agriculture makes 

 the treatment fuller, and adds to the correctness of their 

 judgment. Miscreants, judged from one standpoint only, 

 get, as a rule, but scant justice, and it is believed that no 

 special pleading will be found in the following pages. 



One objection which may be lodged against this 

 little work is that it is not of a sufficiently technical 

 character. But this is part of the design. The book is 

 intended to be readable as well as helpful, which it might 

 not have been (seeing that it is written primarily for 

 agriculturists) had, for instance, that little red mouser been 

 written down M^istela vulgaris instead of Common Weasel. 



The illustrations which have been appended will, it is 

 hoped, tend to make the volume more useful and interesting. 

 For the Fox, Rabbit, Red Deer, Squirrel, Hedgehog, and 

 Common Bat I have to thank Messrs. Gurney & Jackson ; 

 and for permission to use the illustrations of the Short- 

 tailed Field Vole, Long-tailed Field Mouse, Stoat, Weasel, 

 Kestrel, and Long-eared Owl — the Controller of Her 

 Majesty's Stationery Office, these being taken from the 

 Report of the Departmental Committee on the plague of 

 Field Voles. 



It will be noted that whilst the work treats strictly of 

 animals, two of the illustrations are of birds. The reason 

 for this Hes in the fact that the best remedy for staying 

 incursions like that of the recent Vole Plague in Scotland 

 is to be found in birds of prey. 



J. W, 



