4 PREFACE. 



extend their usefulness by rendering their purpose, in a less 

 expanded form, available to that numerous class of enquirers, 

 adventurers and sportsmen whose incomes are much affected 

 by the rate of exchange ; also to even District Officers and 

 those Indian Princes and Chiefs who are ever seeking hunting 

 or sporting grounds in newly opened-up regions, as a pocket 

 guide, in the hope that they will find it not altogether un- 

 worthy of their kind patronage. 



It will be found not without some valuable characteristics 

 of its own which is not comprised in its predecessors. First, 

 is the detailed description of each species and of their nests 

 and eggs ; next its more recent information, and in generally 

 giving — after the accessions of country during the past six 

 years — the additions to the Game fauna of those new regions ; 

 again the important Breeding Calendar and table of the 

 distribution of each species ; and lastly, the condensed 

 abridgements of the more elaborate writings of many acknow- 

 ledged authorities (all essential details being added), as it 

 seemed indispensable that there should be an exclusion of all 

 lengthy repetitive disquisitions, notes and notices which form 

 the bulk of the works now extant. 



Of the 245 birds described in this work, 133 only have been 

 hitherto classed as Game Birds. These are represented as 

 under : — 



PterocUdse 8 Perdicinae 34 



Pavoninae 4 Scolopacidae 7 



Megapodidse. i Rallinae 8 



Gallinse 6 Parridse 3 



Otitidae 6 Cygnidae i 



Phasianinae 16 Anseridae 5 



Gruidae 4 Anatidae 30 



