PREFACE 



SECOND PART OF SECOND VOLUME. 



The author has at last the gratification of concluding 

 his ' Birds of India/ the compilation of which has occu- 

 pied him incessantly for upwards of two years. The 

 second part of this Volume has been delayed by the 

 illness of the author, as well as by other causes beyond 

 his control ; and he is rejoiced to find, by the impatience 

 of many of his correspond'ints and others, that the study 

 of Ornithology is on the increase, and that the utility 

 of the present work is already apparent. The number 

 of species recorded is above one thousand, about double 

 that of the Avi-fauna of Europe. The author mentions 

 this to show that he has not been unnecessarily long 

 over his task, about two years and one month ; and 

 that those who expected more were somewhat unrea- 

 sonable in their views. Indeed, had he not been work- 

 ing under Government, and against time as it were, 

 he certainly would have taken more time over the work, 

 and the imperfections would have been fewer. None 

 can be better aware than the author himself of the 

 numerous imperfections and blemishes throughout the 

 work, some of which have been kindly brought to his 

 notice, and all of which he hopes to correct if a second 

 edition be called for ; and with this view, the author 

 most earnestly begs for information from all interested 



