INTRODUCTION, 3) 
field notes, which it is hoped will add to the value of the work 
both for field naturalists and the non-scientific lover of birds, for 
whom they are principally written. 
As regards the classification, this is founded mainly on 
Gadow’s work, but I have also had the valuable assistance of 
W. P. Pyeraft, and the results.of his personal work will be found 
in almost every order, family and genus. I must, however, take 
upon my own shoulders any criticisms which may be made on the 
minor divisions in the Passeres, though, here again, my constant 
object has been to disturb as little as possible the careful work of 
Blanford and Oates. 
Ornithological work in India has hitherto been divisible into 
very definite periods. The first period was that prior to the 
publication of Jerdon’s ‘ Birds of India’ in 1862 and the sub- 
sequent eight or ten years when the leading figures were Jerdon 
himself, Hodgson and Blyth, who may be considered the fathers 
of Indian Ornithology. 
An account of the chief writers on Indian birds up to 1862 
was given by Jerdon in the Introduction to the first volume of 
the ‘ Birds of India.’ ‘The principal authors mentioned were 
Franklin, Tickell, Sykes, McClelland, Burgess, Adams, Tytler, 
Kelaart, Layard and Hutton, in addition to the three already 
mentioned. 
The next period, from about 1872 to 1898, may be termed 
Hume's period, the other most notable workers being Tweeddale, 
Wardlaw-Ramsay, Biddulph, Anderson, Elwes, Beavan, Scully, 
Sharpe, Stoliczka, Godwin-Austen, Brooks, Ball, King, Vidal, 
McMaster, Blanford, Legge, Oates and Barnes, with many other 
minor writers. 
The third period is that of Blanford and Oates, both leading 
Ornithologists in the preceding period but completely dominating 
the position on the publication of the ‘ Avifauna of British 
India.’ Since these volumes saw the light no big work has been 
published on Indian birds but Harington’s ‘Birds of Burma,’ 
Oates’ ‘Game-Birds of India,’ many popular works by Dewar, 
Finn and others, and the present writer’s different works on Indian 
Ducks, Pigeous and Game-Birds have appeared. In addition to 
these the ‘Journalof the Bombay Naturai History Society ’ contains 
amass of details on field ornithology by Harington, Osmaston, 
Davidson, Bell, Barnes, Inglis, Bailey, Whistler, Jones, Hopwood, 
»”) 
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