INTRODUCTION, 
In the olden time when the wolf and the wild boar roamed over the primitive forests of Great Britain, when 
the beaver held its own in our silent and undisturbed streams and lakes, when the red deer followed our 
mountain-tracks in all the vigour of its pristine condition, when our marshes and great sedge-covered watery 
Avastes were yearly visited by the Crane and the Spoonbill, the earliest dawn of natural history which Avas to 
herald the light of future ages had not yet broken upon the untutored Celt, who alone shared with those 
animals the possession of our islands. With the progress of civilization that obscurity has been gradually 
dispelled ; and, happily for our country, from the time when Gilbert White wrote his charming account of 
Selborne, the study of natural history, more particularly with reference to our native birds, has gradually 
Increased, until its pleasures have become Avidel^ known to both young and old. The talented Bewick 
rendered the subject still further attractive by his inimitable and truthful dravvings ; then folloAved in the 
same path Selby, Macgillivray, Thompson, and Yarrell, whose writings have made this branch of science so 
popular that it now engrosses the minds of thousands. Of the truth of this statement ample evidence is 
afforded by the numerous Avorks (both great and small) Avhich have been recently ])ublished, by the many 
local faunas which have lately appeared, and by the establishment of naturalists’ clidjs and associations in 
many parts of the country. Such has been the impetus given by these means to the study of natural history 
that it will scarcely be presumptuous in me to foretell that a period is not far distant when our native birds 
Avlll be far more familiarly knoAvn to the people than they uoav are. For, although it may appear surprising 
to many of my readers, I assert that at the present time there are but fcAv persons who could enumerate 
by name even a fourth part of the birds by which we are surrounded. Country people are familiar enough 
with the call of the Wryneck, the voice of the Cuckoo, and the crake of the Landrail ; but few, very feAv, 
would recognize those birds if placed before them. Will it not, then, be well to encourage the formation 
B 
