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PREFACE.

F any apology be deemed necessary for the appearance of a new edition of one of the most delightful books in the English language, the reader need only be reminded of the physical changes which have taken place since Gilbert White's day in the district of which he wrote, and of the vast additions which are daily being made to our knowledge in almost every branch of natural history.

Wolmer Forest, which eighty years ago was "without one standing tree in the whole extent" (p. 18), is now partly enclosed, and planted to the extent of several hundred acres with oak, larch, and Scotch fir. Bin's Pond, a "considerable lake," which at one time " afforded a safe and pleasing shelter to wild ducks, teals, and snipe" (p. 26), has long since been drained, and cattle now graze on its bed. The covert in which foxes and pheasants formerly abounded. (p. 27) has almost entirely disappeared.

The village church at various times having undergone repairs, has sustained in consequence considerable alteration. Ancient tombs have disappeared (p. 413), and the interior of the edifice has been entirely remodelled.

The curious bridge at Oakhanger, "of considerable antiquity and peculiar shape" (p. 504), has given place to a more modern structure of greater convenience though of less interest, while of the ancient manor-house, called Temple, "with its massive thick walls and narrow windows" (p. 439), not a vestige now remains.

No less remarkable are the changes which have taken Ն

place in the fauna and flora of the district. The Red-deer, which once roamed the Forest of Wolmer, and which were driven "along the vale" in a herd of 500 for the amusement of Queen Anne (pp. 21-22), have long since become extinct. Black game, which “ abounded much before shooting flying became so common" (p. 20), though thought by Gilbert White to have been exterminated, have yet maintained their footing, and are now to be found in not inconsiderable numbers.

Those noble birds the Bustards, which once frequented the downs (pp. 143, 156), and which when seen in flocks at a distance were thought to resemble Fallow-deer (p. 156, note 2), have entirely vanished as denizens of England. The Honey-buzzard has deserted Selborne Hanger (p. 130), and the Raven is extinct on Blackmoor (p. 6). The Chough, which formerly bred on Beachy Head and on all the cliffs of the Sussex coast (p. 117), has long since disappeared.

On the other hand, birds which were unknown to Gilbert White, or were possibly overlooked by him, have since been met with in the neighbourhood of Selborne; while others, which he regarded as rare, or at least as accidental visitants to his parish, have since been found to be not uncommon there. In the former class may be instanced the Cirl bunting (p. 47, note 3) and the Garden warbler (p. 59, note); in the latter, the Landrail (p. 328) and the Teal (p. 177). Woodcocks, which in his day were not supposed to breed in England (pp. 159, 161), now do so regularly in Hants and Sussex, to say nothing of other localities.

In regard to the botany of the district, allusion has already been made to the changes which have taken place since White's day in the aspect of the forest-land. To this may be added that while some few plants of interest have been included in the " Flora Selborniensis" since Gilbert White described it, others, as the Toothwort, Lathræa squamaria, and the Marsh Cinquefoil, Comarum palustre, have never since been met with in the neighbourhood. Under these circumstances, and having regard to the time which has elapsed since any edition of White's "Selborne"

nas appeared, it need be no matter of surprise that steps should once more be taken to add, if possible, to the popularity of a favourite author, and render his work still more instructive by bringing the information which he has imparted so agreeably to a par with the knowledge of the present day.

Of the many editions of this work which have been published since 1789, when the original quarto appeared, it will only be necessary to refer to one.

Messrs. Sonnenschein & Co. having acquired the copyright of what has long been admitted to be the standard edition of the work, namely, that which was prepared by the late Mr. Edward Turner Bennett, a well-known naturalist and former secretary to the Zoological Society, an opportunity presented itself for thoroughly revising his notes, which, written in 1837, had grown somewhat out of date; while the unexpected acquisition of a number of Bewick's engravings suggested the happy idea of illustrating the work of a favourite author with the designs of an equally renowned engraver. With this object in view, they invited my cooperation as editor, and I need hardly say that I acceded to their request with a considerable degree of pleasure.

The book is one in which I have long delighted; the neighbourhood of Selborne I know well; and Gilbert White's favourite theme, ornithology, I have made my special study for years. The task, therefore, has been undertaken con amore; how far I have succeeded I must leave to critics to determine. Suffice it to say that my aim has been two-fold; to present the reader with the original text as issued by White himself (to which end the proof sheets have been carefully collated with the first quarto), and to supply such editorial notes only as are necessary to bring the subject matter on a level with our information at the present day.

In this respect I have ventured to differ materially from my worthy predecessor, Mr. Bennett, whose notes, though generally of interest and value, are occasionally somewhat irrelevant and ofttimes unpardonably long.

Commencing with four pages of notes on the geological

features of Selborne, notwithstanding a chapter on the subject by the author, we find the same number of pages devoted to a note on bats, and as many more to the subject of migration. The author had only to allude to the infraorbital cavities in the heads of deer to suggest to his editor a dissertation upon deer and antelopes, illustrated by an engraving of two heads of an Indian species to which, it is needless to say, no reference is made by the historian of Selborne. An equally long note, concluding with a description and figure (p. 178) of a bird which Gilbert White never saw and does not even mention, is quite as irrelevant and out of place.

But if four pages of notes be considered an unduly long commentary upon a single passage, what is to be thought of fifteen pages (pp. 119-213), the majority of them appended to only two lines of text, upon the treatment of birds in confinement, and suggested, apparently, by a casual remark of the author that a blackcap and sedge bird "would require more nice and curious management in a cage than he should be able to give them"? These cannot but be regarded as errors of judgment. However entertaining a note may be, it should never be introduced at the expense of the author. Long notes, moreover, weary the reader, distract his attention, and ofttimes cause him to lose sight of his author altogether. While I have retained, therefore, in the present edition, many valuable notes by Mr. Bennett and his coadjutors, the late Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert and Professor Rennie, it has seemed desirable, for the reasons stated, to eliminate much that they have supplied, and either to refrain altogether from dwelling on passages which in point of fact require no comment, or to substitute, where such is needed, a more modern interpretation than was offered to the reader five and thirty years ago.

The original foot-notes by Gilbert White have been scrupulously reproduced, and are in every case distinguished by the initials, "G. W."

As the reader may expect, not unnaturally, to have presented to him some brief memoir of the author, it may be

well to reproduce here the "few Biographical Records" which have been handed down to us by his nephew John; at the same time it may be desirable to add some little account of the eminent naturalists as well those to whom his letters were addressed, as those who have furnished a worthy supplement to his work in the "Observations" and "Calendar."

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BACK VIEW OF THE RESIDENCE, AT SELBORNE, OF THE REV. GILBERT WHITE.

"GILBERT WHITE was the eldest son of John White, of Selborne, Esq., and of Anne the daughter of Thomas Holt, rector of Streatham in Surrey. He was born at Selborne on July 18, 1720; and received his school-education at Basingstoke, under the Rev. Thomas Warton, vicar of that place, and father of those two distinguished literary characters, Dr. Joseph Warton, master of Winchester School; and Mr. Thomas Warton, poetry-professor at Oxford. He was admitted at Oriel College, Oxford, in December, 1739, and took his degree of bachelor of arts in June, 1743. In March, 1744, he was elected fellow of his college. He became master of arts in October, 1746, and was admitted one of the senior proctors of the University in April, 1752. Being of an unambitious temper, and

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