T1 
PREFACE. 
that a complete work upon the Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and 
Fishes of Leicestershire and Rutland would be of service to the 
naturalists of both counties, — a suggestion which has led to the 
publication of this book. 
With the exception of Natterer’s Bat, which is original, the 
plates have been copied from that splendid work, ‘ History of the 
Birds of Europe,’ by kind permission of my friend, Mr. H. E. 
Dresser, F.Z.S., etc., etc. I have also to record my indebtedness, 
in the compilation of my notes, to my good friends, the Rev. A. 
Matthews, M.A., of Gumley; Messrs. T. Macaulay, of Kibworth ; 
H. S. Davenport, of Skeffington ; W. Ingram, of Belvoir ; the 
late R. Widdowson, of Melton Mowbray; to many members of 
the Ellis family and of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical 
Society (especially of “ Section E ” ) for Leicestershire notes, and 
for those of Rutland to the Right Honourable the Earl of 
Gainsborough, and to Mr. W. J. Horn, late of Uppingham and 
now of Peterborough. 
The taxonomy of the Vertebrata in the following pages is 
that approved by the most modern authorities, my indebtedness to 
whom has been great, and will be found acknowledged throughout. 
The scheme in each class is from highest to lowest form. 
Although, from causes explained in the text, I have had to 
* 
eliminate many species— especially of birds — erroneously published 
in other lists, I have nevertheless been enabled to add many 
forms — both living and extinct — not hitherto recorded for the 
counties, the most notable being four Bats, one Vole, several 
fossil Mammalia, numerous Birds ; amongst fossil Reptiles a 
paddle of an Ichthyosaurus exhibiting an appearance which is 
