John Legg (ornithologist)

John Legg (c. 1765 – 1802) was an amateur ornithologist and early researcher into migration. He has been identified by A C Smith (and this view was supported by Alfred Newton) as the true author of A discourse on the emigration of British Birds, a work which is perhaps the first to accurately and with some detail outline the modern theory of migration. Bircham (2007) tells us that there is little known about his life but provides some details. He was born around 1765 and never married. He lived on his estate near Market Lavington on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire and wrote. In addition to his more scientific work he also wrote articles for the Lady's Magazine.