PUBLISHER'S NOTE 



The series of plates included in the present volume were originally 

 intended to illustrate the second and third volumes of the " Birds of South 

 America," of which only the first vol, comprising "A List of the Birds of 

 South America," was published. This work as projected by the late Lord 

 Brabourne, in conjunction with Mr. Chubb, was to have comprised 16 vols, 

 with 400 hand-coloured plates. The first volume mentioned above had only 

 appeared, however, when further progress was delayed by Lord Brabourne's 

 last visit to South America, while his return to the Army when War broke 

 out, and his subsequent death at Neuve-Chapelle in 1915, put an abrupt stop 

 to the work. So little text had then been completed, and the work as 

 projected was so extensive and costly, that nothing could be done in the way 

 of completing even a second volume, but feeling that the fine series of plates 

 already finished by Mr. Gronvold (and partly printed) merited publication, 1 

 made arrangements to issue them in the present way, and I have added 

 short notes on most of the species as compensation for the absence of any 

 other text. 



H. KIRKE SWANN. 



London, Dec. 1916. 



