INTRODUCTION IX. 



Order 12. GALLING (Gamebirds, Guineafowl, -Francolin, 

 Quail). 



13. HEMIPODII (Three-toed or Button-quails). 



,, 14. FULICARI^E (Coots, Moorhens, Rails and Fin- 

 foot). 



,, 15. ALECTORIDES (Cranes and Bustards). 



16. LIMICOL^: (Thickheads, Coursers, Plovers, 

 Sandpipers, Snipe and Jacanas). 



,, 17. GAVI^E (Skuas, Gulls and Terns). 



,, 18. TUBINARES (Albatrosses, Shearwaters and 

 Petrels). 



,, 19. PYGOPODES (Divers and Grebes). 



,, 20. IMPENNES (Penguins). 



Sub-class RatitcB (Sternum without a keel). 

 ,, 21. STRUTHIONES (Ostriches). 



We have heard Europeans assert that there are few 

 birds in South Africa ! Did these individuals go to any 

 trouble to prove or disprove their allegations? As a 

 matter of fact South Africa teams with bird-life of a 

 varied and interesting nature ; even the most uninviting 

 stretches of flat, dreary-looking veld have their share, 

 for here we find larks, pipits, chats, bustards, lapwings 

 and coursers, besides an occasional owl or hawk. 



South Africa is a large country whose topographical 

 and climatic aspects are greatly diversified, and bird-life 

 is accordingly often very " localised " in distribution and 

 variety. A bird may be common in one district, yet 

 twenty or thirty miles away this same species may be 

 quite] scarce. 



Ornithology and indeed most sciences excepting en- 

 gineering, mineralogy and one or two more have been 

 neglected in South Africa, and it is only during recent 

 years that any real interest has been evinced in this 



