ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks for help in locating, viewing and interpreting source material to: the Bodleian Library, Oxford; June Chatfield and the Gilbert White Museum, Selborne; the Hampshire Record Office; the Hertfordshire County Library Service; Melanie Wisner and the Houghton Library, Harvard University; Oriel College Library, Oxford; Mrs Parry-Jones and Magdalen College Archives, Oxford; and Ian Lyle, Librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons, in whose keeping the working manuscript of the Natural History is currently resting.

Thanks also to those who helped with ideas, information and guidance during the preparation of the text: David Elliston Allen; Tara Heinemann; Chris Mead of the British Trust for Ornithology; Richard North; Max Nicholson; Philip Oswald; David Standing, curator of the Wakes’ garden; and Dafydd Stephens. A special thank you to Anne Mallinson of the Selborne Bookshop, who was an unfailing source of support, contacts and local information.

I am grateful to the Leverhulme Trust for a research award that greatly facilitated my work in Oxford and Selborne, and to Wilfrid Knapp and the Fellows of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, for their hospitality. Vicky and Ian Thomson were also generous with hospitality in Hampshire.

Sandra Raphael, Francesca Greenoak, Richard Simon and Isabella Forbes made valuable comments on various drafts. My assistant, Robin McIntosh, worked tirelessly, as usual, especially in the final stages.

Finally, I must express my warmest gratitude to Charles Clark, for suggesting that I write this biography in the first instance, and for his support and faith during its protracted progress; and to Ronald Blythe, whose advice, example and encouragement were a constant inspiration.