Vlll 
PREFACE. 
lawful husbands, as soon as the bans shall have 
been duly published in the parish church. Thus 
they tell you, that rooks destroy young turnips ; 
that carrion crows are always stealing eggs; and 
that hedgehogs suck the cows. The landlady 
" of a little inn in the village" knew that poor 
Lefevre would not get better, for she had 
" heard the death-watch all night long." In 
fine, every body knows that there is to be an 
immediate wedding in the neighbourhood, when 
he sees three magpies all together. 
One of my objects in writing for Mr. Lou- 
don's Magazine has been to try to do away the 
many accusations which ignorance and prejudice 
have brought forward to injure the character 
of our feathered tribes ; and I would fain hope 
to obtain mercy for my favourites at the hands 
of those who have hitherto ordered them to be 
destroyed. The task has by no means been 
diflScult, for I possess the very best opportuni- 
ties of observing the birds whose habits I have 
described. 
I have only now to add, that Mr. Loudon, at 
his own expense, has ventured to collect and 
