4 INTRODUCTION. 



Mackenzie, Ticehurst, Donald and other?. There are many local 

 catalogues, and, finally, Harington's work on the Timaliidce, in 

 which the writer had the pleasure of co-operating. 



Anatomy has not been treated at the length it deserves, but 

 those who intend to take up this much neglected but most im- 

 portant branch of ornithology should refer to the well-known 

 works of Dr. Hans Gadow, Huxley, Garrod, Bronn, Eiirbringer, 

 Forbes, Nitzsch and Parker, and to the more recent Avriters such 

 as Pycraft, Beddard and Lucas. 



The would-be Ornithologist in India must also remember that 

 it is not only the drv skins of birds which are required by the 

 systematist who, though he may have the good fortune to work 

 in big museums and other centres where masses of material are 

 available for comparison and where good libraries are at hand for 

 reference, yet urgently needs specimens, especially of the rarer 

 forms in spirit, not only for anatomical purposes but for the 

 study of Pterylosis etc. Again, poor skins of moulting birds are 

 often more valuable than those in the finest condition of plumage, 

 while the nestlings and young of many of the most common birds 

 are still desiderata in the British Museum and other institutions. 



As regards nidification, it will be seen that I have devoted con- 

 siderable space and detail to this portion of a bird's life-history. 

 It is true that birds cannot be classified according to the eggs 

 they produce, but at the same time it is equally true that a bird's 

 egg may be a valuable clue to show us where we should expect to 

 find its nearest allies or, on the other hand, may cause us to 

 suspect that it should be removed from amongst those with which 

 it is now placed. 



E. C. STUART BAKER. 



4th February, 1922. 



