xv i INTRODUCTION. 



Ornithology of Rurmah, and his valuable papers have also been 

 published as a posthumous work, edited by Captain R. G. Wardlaw- 

 Kamsay, who explored a considerable portion of Pegu. 



The following are other particulars given by Mr. Gates of the 

 work done in Pegu. He says: " Turning now (1883) to those who 

 are engaged in active work in connection with Burmese Ornithology, 

 1 come to a small band of hardworking fie-ld naturalists. Mr. A. 

 O. Hume in his study and Mr. W. Davison in the field have for 

 many years past actively worked Tennaserim*" The notes of these 

 Naturalists enrich the pages of Oates' work, as well as of this, culled 

 from both sources. 



Other workers in the field of Burmese Ornithology are Mr. W. 

 T. Blanford, Captain Fielden, Dr. Armstrong, Captain Bingham, 

 the late Colonel Lloyd, the late Captain Beavan, Mr. Oliver and 

 Mr. DeWet; also Mr. Hough and Mr. Shopland. The contributions 

 of all these gentlemen are to be found in the pages of ft Stray 

 Feathers." 



British Burmah, according to Oates, is an irregular, narrow, 

 maritime country, hardly any portion being more than 200 miles 

 from the sea. It lies entirely within the tropics, the most northern 

 portion of Arrakan being at a short distance from the Northern 

 tropic, and the most Southern point of Tennasserim lying on the 

 loth degree of North Latitude. The general character of the coun- 

 try may be said to be mountainous, the only flat portions being 

 strips of land along the banks of the larger rivers, and considerable 

 areas at the mouths of these rivers. 



The whole of British Burmah where not cultivated is covered 

 with dense growth of vegetation. On the elevated portions, the 

 vegetation is composed of large forest trees and bamboos, and on 

 the low alluvial plains, elephant grass of great height. The climate, 

 owing to a heavy rain-fall, is said to be humid, and its effects, to 

 cause the plumage of birds to be of great brilliancy. The same 

 may be said of that portion of the Zoological region which comprises 

 the Himalayas, also Eastern Bengal, and Malabar. 



