VI 



respects to the arrangement of my work on the Birds, which 

 I am writing, side by side, with this work. The classifica- 

 tion I have elaborated for my purpose is totally different to 

 that employed by Jerdon and familiar to Indian ornitho- 

 logists ; but a departure from Jerdon's arrangement was 

 merely a question of time, and no better opportunity than 

 the present for readjusting the classification of Indian birds 

 appeared likely to present itself. I have therefore adopted 

 a new system, which I have fully set forth in my other 

 work. 



I take this opportunity to present the readers of 

 Mr. Hume's work with portraits of Mr. Hume himself, of 

 Mr. Brian Hodgson, the late Dr. Jerdon, and the late 

 Colonel Tickell. 



EUGENE W. GATES. 



