Vlll 



PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION 



The illustrations, which speak for themselves, are absolutely true to 

 nature, having, in the great majority of instances, been photographed 

 under the personal superintendence of 'Sir. Rowland Ward from 

 specimens mounted at his studios in Piccadilly for this particular 

 purpose. A considerable number of these specimens have been pre- 

 sented by 'Sir. Ward to the Natural History Museum, where they are 

 exhibited in the l^ritish Saloon at the end of the Bird Galler)\ 



A novel feature is the omission of the names of authorities and 

 observers of the facts recorded in this volume, many of whom are 

 unknown to the general public. This is justified by the circum- 

 stance that when a statement has once been published it becomes 

 public property. 



In certain books on the same subject it has been attempted 

 to draw a distinction between birds which can properly be regarded 

 as British and those which cannot lay a claim to such a privilege. 

 Any such distinction is, however, manifestly an impossibility, and 

 all the species are accordingly treated in serial order, although 

 such as are mere stragglers are not accorded insets of their own 

 in the text. 



The introduction of a certain number of technical terms relating 

 to the plumage, such as wing-coverts, primary and secondary quills, 

 etc., is unavoidable. The meaning of these — as well as of other 

 terms used in scientific ornithology — will, however, be made apparent 

 at a glance by the diagrammatic sketch of the topography of a 

 bird's plumage on page xviii. 



In future editions, should such be called for, it will be the special 

 aim of both the publisher and author to keep the work up to date. 



R. LYDKKKKR. 



HARPENDiiN Lodge, Herts, 

 August 1908. 



