PREFACE. 
I HAVE nothing to add to the prefatory remarks in the pre- 
vious volumes, and am only too pleased to find that I liavc 
no heterodox views to defend, nor any criticisms to reply to. 
It only remains, therefore, to thank my kind friends who 
have helped me in the preparation of the present volume. 
*■ heen a somewhat tedious task, as the general habits of 
leading Birds are so much alike, that it is difficult to find 
^nything to say about them that has not been excellently done 
the late Mr. Henry Seebohm or by Mr. Howard Saunders, 
"^‘iny of the descriptions of the Waders are taken from my rc- 
-nt work on the group in the “ Catalogue of Birds,” and I hope 
‘at these will be found instructive to the numbers of ornitholo- 
S'sls who are interested in Shore-Birds and Waders generally, 
have also endeavoured to quote works on natural history not 
‘arly known in this country ; and the notes on the habits 
^^some of the North American species, taken from the writings 
be h'lr. D. G. Elliot, will be found to 
of some interest, and the latter’s recent book on North 
^^^°'^*^‘hh'ds has frequently been laid under con- 
'on in the following pages. 
26, 1896. 
R. BOWDI.ER SHARBE. 
