PREFACE. 
xix 
thefe I ejieem no Part of the propofed Work; neverthelefs, I have been equally careful to 
be exaSl in them both as to the Drawing and Colouring. Great Part of the Birds, de¬ 
ferred in this Work, were living when I drew them ; others were in Cafes well preferved 
and dry, and fome were kept in Spirits, which is the better Way to pre ferve them, tho ’ 
they cannot be fo well drawn in Spirits, by reafon the Forms of the Glaffes alter the appa¬ 
rent Shapes of the Birds •, therefore I took fuch Birds out of the Spirits. 
In the following Defcriptions I had a View, particularly in deferibing the Colours, to 
exprefs 7 nyfelf in fuch Perms as the Prints might be tolerably colour'dfor the future by any 
curious obferving Perf on from the Defcriptions only -, for in that refpeSl I have been as 
careful as I could, always comparing the Colours I mention to fome well-known thing when 
I could do it; and where I could not, I have ufed compound Perms, fuch as yellowijh 
Brown, redijh Brown, dirty Brown, and the like', and to other Colours I have added 
faint, dark, middling , inclining to this, that , or the other Colour: All which things are 
very neceffary in Natural Hiftory; for the fimple Perms Red, Blue, Yellow, &c. fgnify 
a vaft Number of different Colours. 
IJhall prefently conclude this Preface, and hope the Reader will excufe its Length. As 
I never till very lately had any Defgn to appear in Print, I have negleSled to fudy the 
Art of writing correctly, and am fenfble of the many Faults that may be found in this 
Book; but hope the candid Reader will overlook them, fnce my chief Aim was rather to 
be underfood, than to write correctly. 
G. E. 
A B' 
