PREFACE 



In the presenting of these volumes on the birds of 

 South Africa, it has been my endeavour to create in 

 the minds of my readers a love and a keen appreciation 

 of our beautiful and useful allies. 



From my earliest youth I have made an intimate 

 study of the creatures of mountain, veld, forest, and 

 stream in their native haunts. The results of some 

 of these studies have already been published in book 

 form in the " Natural History of South Africa " and 

 " Snakes of South Africa." My intention was to 

 have published these volumes at an earlier date, but, 

 owing to unforeseen circumstances, their publication 

 has been held over. 



The results of several years of research and study 

 of the birds of South Africa were recorded in a number 

 of diaries. These records were lent to a naturalist 

 friend with permission to take notes from them. Alas ! 

 he lost them all. It was a sad loss to me, resulting in 

 further years of investigation. 



The first volume deals chiefly with the economic 

 side of bird life. There is much spade work and 

 great battles yet to be fought by the human race 

 against the adverse forces of Nature which retard the 



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