PB oRy BR: Al CRS xix 
thefe I efteem no Part of the propofed Work; neverthele/s, I have been equally careful to . 
be exact in them both as to the Drawing and Colouring. Great Part of the Birds, de- 
feribed in this Work, were living when I drew them; others were in Cafes well preferved 
and dry, and fame were kept in Spirits, which is the better W. ay to preferve 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 defcribing the Colours, to 
exprefs myfelf in fuch Terms as the Prints might be tolerably colour'd for the future by any 
curious obferving Perfon from the Defcriptions only; for in that refpect 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 Terms, fuch as yellowifh 
Brown, redifh Brown, dirty Brown, and the lke; and to other Colours I have added 
faint, dark, middling, inchning to this, that, or the other Colour: All which things are 
very necefjary in Natural Hiftory; for the fimple Terms Red, Blue, Yellow, Sc. fignify 
a vaft Number of different Colours. : 
I fhall prefently conclude this Preface, and hope the Reader will excufe its Length. As 
T never till very lately had any Defign to appear in Print, I have neglected to ftudy the 
Art of writing correétly, and am fenfible of the many Faults that may be found in this 
Book ; but hope the candid Reader will overlook them, fince my chief dim was rather to 
be underftood, than to write correétly. : 
é G. E. 
A De 
