vi PREFACE 



find favour with the critics may perhaps be inferred 

 by the exception many of them took to the title of my 

 last book — Bombay Ducks. 



While commending my view to their consideration, 

 I have on this occasion endeavoured to meet them by 

 resorting to a more orthodox designation. I am, doubt- 

 less, pursuing a risky policy. Most of the reviewers 

 were kind enough to say that Bovibay Ducks was a 

 good book with a bad title. When criticising the 

 present work they may reverse the adjectives. Who 

 knows? Y) D 



