viii PREFACE.
(who has carried out most of the publication arrangements
on behalf of the Club), and to Mr. J. E. Harting (who,
beside other help, has kindly supplied the chapter on " Hawks
and Hawking in Essex"). I have also to thank many of
the professional naturalists throughout the county, especially
Mr. Travis of Saffron Walden, Mr. Crick of Chelmsford, Mr.
Ambrose of Colchester, his successor in business, Mr. John
Pettitt, the late Mr. Scruby of Ongar, and Mr. Stacey of
Dunmow. In short, there is scarcely any one in the county,
having any pretensions to a knowledge of birds, who has not
rendered me cordial assistance.
I have also to thank those subscribers (whose names, fol-
lowing a somewhat antiquated custom, I have printed at the
end of the book) who by kindly ordering copies in advance
have relieved me of much of the loss which usually attends
the publication of works of this class.
The system of references I have used so copiously through
the work will, I believe, be found convenient. The numbers
enclosed within parentheses refer to the works named in
Appendix B, and to the volume (where more than one) and
page of the particular work referred to. Where the Field,
the Essex County Chronicle, or other newspaper is referred to
without the year being given, it is to be understood that the
year of the occurrence in question is implied.
The word " here," must be understood to mean the district
around my home at Chignal St. James, Chelmsford.
I shall always be pleased to hear of the occurrence of rare
birds, or of anything notable connected with bird-life, in the
county, and until the issue of a second edition (if such be
called for) it is my intention to record such occurrences in
the pages of the Essex Naturalist.
MILLER CHRISTY.
Chignal St. James,
Chelmsford,
March, 1890.