PREFACE 



Several years previous to his death, Colonel Wardlaw 

 Ramsay, realising that a concise pocket " Guide to the Birds of 

 Europe and North Africa" was a great desideratum, devoted 

 much time to the preparation of such a work, and on many 

 occasions consulted me on various matters as it progressed. 

 A few days before he passed away he had premonitions that 

 his end was near and said to me as I sat beside him, "If 

 I do not pull through this illness, I leave my unfinished 

 book to you quite unconditionally : publish it or not as 

 you think best." On examination, the draft manuscript was 

 found to be practically complete so far as the descriptions of 

 the various species and racial forms, and their geographical 

 distribution, were concerned ; but otherwise much remained 

 to be done before the work would be in a state to send to the 

 Press. Being engaged on other ornithological work at the 

 moment, it was unfortunately impossible for me to give 

 the necessary attention to the " Guide," but on mentioning 

 the situation to my friend Surgeon-Rear-Admiral Stenhouse, 

 M.B.O.U., he at once kindly volunteered to help me, and 

 it is entirely due to his valued co-operation that this work 

 has so promptly appeared. 



Most of the measurements given have been taken by 

 l)r Stenhouse from specimens in the Royal Scottish Museum : 

 when sufficient material was not available, the measurements 

 have been copied from the works of Dr Hartert ( Vogel der 

 paldarktischen Fauna\ and Mr VVitherby {^Handbook of 

 British Birds), and are acknowledged by " H." and " \\'." 



