PEEFACE. 
F any apology be deemed' necessary for the 
appearance of a new edition of one of the 
most delightful books in the English lan- 
guage, the reader need only be reminded of 
the physical changes which have taken place 
since Gilbert White's day in the district of which he wrote, 
and of the vast additions which are daily being made to 
our knowledge in almost every branch of natural history. 
Wolmer Forest, which eighty years ago was without one 
standing tree in the whole extenf (p. 18), is now partly 
enclosed, and planted to the extent of several hundred acres 
with oak, larch, and Scotch fir. Bin's Pond, a consider- 
able lake,'' which at one time ^' afforded a safe and pleasing^ 
shelter to wild ducks^ teals, and snipe" (p. 26), has long 
since been drained, and cattle now graze on its bed. The 
covert in which foxes and pheasants formerly abounded 
(p. 27) has almost entirely disappeared. 
The village church at various times having undergone 
repairs, has sustained in consequence considerable altera- 
tion. Ancient tombs have disappeared (p. 413), and the 
interior of the edifice has been entirely remodelled. 
The curious bridge at Oakhanger, " of considerable anti- 
quity and peculiar shape " (p. 504) , has given place to a more 
modern structure of greater convenience though of less 
interest, while of the ancient manor-house, called Temple, 
"with its massive thick walls and narrow windows" (p. 
439), not a vestige now remains. 
No less remarkable are the changes which hav^e taken 
