PREFACE. 



The first volume by Mr. Gates on the Birds of British 

 India was published in 1889 under the editorship of Dr. 

 W. T. Blanford and it was then estimated that in this 

 and the three succeeding- volumes the number, of species 

 dealt with would exceed those enumerated in Jerdon's 

 classical " Birds of India " by more than one half. Mr. 

 Gates had been able to come to England on furlouoh and 

 was thus able to utilize the collection of Indian birds in 

 the British Museum, which included amongst other large 

 collections Mr. Hume's collection of GO, 000 skins. The 

 second of the volumes written by Mr. Gates appeared the 

 following year but as he was unable to obtain an extension 

 of his two years' furlough he had to be content with issuing 

 a somewhat smaller volume than usual. Still, he succeeded 

 in covering the whole of the Passerine birds, the largest 

 and most difficult of all the great orders. 



The two reuiainiiig volumes on Birds were written by 

 Dr. W. T. Blanford and published respectively in 189.5 and 

 1898. 



These volumes on Birds have been for many years out of 

 print, iind there has been a constant demand for a re-issue of 

 them. It is therefore with great pleasure that with the 

 sanction of the authorities of the India Office I have been 

 able to secure the services of Mr. E. 0. Stuart Baker in 

 preparing this much needed new edition. 



