200 Rev. J. Sibree^ Jr., on the 



country are carefully noted ; and as many of these are very 

 significant and descriptive, pointing out some habit or pecu- 

 liarity, I shall give translations of such names, for they 

 frequently illustrate the native power of seizing the salient 

 features of the living creatures which come under their notice. 

 In some cases, also, a native proverb points out some marked 

 peculiarity of a bird ; while other birds are closely connected 

 with the native superstitions and beliefs. 



It will be seen in the following pages that I am indebted 

 to other observers and to eminent naturalists for much of 

 the information here brought together, and that I have 

 freely used facts derived from every available source; in 

 short, that these papers are only to a limited extent the 

 result of original observation. But I think that this will in 

 no way decrease, but rather add to, whatever interest and 

 value they may be found to possess. For several years I 

 have resided in the high interior province of Imerina, either 

 in the capital, Antananarivo, or its neighbourhood ; and, as 

 already shown (on the preceding page) by quotations from 

 M. Grandidier, that bare highland region is very devoid of 

 woods, and the avifauna is therefore very scanty. I have, 

 however, made several long journeys into other parts of the 

 island, and have frequently stayed near the edge of the upper 

 forest, where birds are, of course, more abundant ; and I 

 have tried to utilize all such opportunities of gaining ac- 

 quaintance with the animal life of the country. Only those 

 ■who, like M. Grandidier and M. Pollen, have travelled ex- 

 tensively in the lower forest-region and the wooded coast- 

 plains, can speak from personal knowledge of the more 

 varied and abundant avifauna which is there to be met with. 

 I am glad therefore to be able to translate and quote from 

 their works ; and I am under great obligations to my friend 

 M. Grandidier for kindly giving me much information on 

 numerous points as to which I was in uncertainty. 



Each of the Natural Orders in which the Madagascar birds 

 are arranged will be now noticed separately, and any points 

 of interest with regard to individual species, genera, or families 

 will be pointed out. 



