PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 



This is more in the nature of a popular than a scientific 

 book, as it is specially written with a view to increasing the 

 love for bird study in South Africa. At the present time 

 the country's inhabitants show a considerable lack of 

 knowledge where their own flora and fauna are concerned, 

 and there are but few ornithologists in South Africa. The 

 want of a work such as this has been frequently ex- 

 pressed, and we have, therefore, attempted to fill the gap. 



Although essentially a popular work, it embodies the 

 results of many years of patient study by the authors, in 

 consequence of which we hope that other students of 

 bird-life will find in it something original and of interest. 

 Our chief difficulty has been to know where to stop ; what 

 to include, and what to omit. In this matter we had 

 perforce to be guided, to a considerable extent, by the 

 illustrations we possessed. We have tried to be short and 

 concise, yet accurate. We are, however, fully aware that 

 fault may be found with our method of treatment, which 

 is based largely on the habits of the birds. 



By referring to the systematic index the relative position 

 of a bird in ornithological classification can be easily 

 determined. 



We have included a few personal experiences, with the 

 object of making the book, from a popular standpoint, more 

 interesting. 



