Opinions on the "Avifauna of British India.' 1 



The Times of India of March 18 says : 



Since Jerclon wrote his work on *' The Birds of India," no nat' 

 ambition to give to the world, in a concise form, a work 01 

 based on a more natural arrangement, and including all tl. 

 occur in India during the past quarter of a century. Hume, with 



Mid '' Stray Feathers/' at one time intended, it is believi < , h a 



work, but, having liberally given his collection to the National M 

 no longer possible. * * * The author deserves all th 



hie from scientists, and it behoves the Government, too, to help . -king 



which must have cost the author immense labour, besides a large expend 



he least, there is no work on Indian ornithology which can be compared with the 

 work now before the public. Mr. Murray has laid all ornithologists und- 

 him. To any one taking up the study of ornithology the work is to be recomrm . 

 and it is to be hoped that it will receive from Indian ornithologists the su 

 emphatically deserves. 



The Bombay Gazette also says ; 



The first instalment of Mr. Murray's new work, which was long a desideratum. 

 ji.'st been published. The late Dr. Jerdon wrote his work on the <; Birds of Ind ,. 

 1862. Since then the journals of scientific societies, both in India and in Englanc'.. 

 " Stray Feathers" too, have brought to light numerous new and interesting forms from 

 almost untrodden lands in India and Burma, which were unknown to Jerdon and to 

 science, and till now no one but Mr. Murray would undertake the arduo 

 consulting the multitude of scattered papers for the additions which were 

 time to time, of blending all previously published materials into one harmonious whole, 

 and thus rendering greater facilities to the future student of the oniis of British India. 

 * * * * * As a standard work, with a revised classification, arranged accord- 

 ing to the most modern, natural and generally accepted system, there is not another 

 work on Indian Ornithology which could be so well recommended as deserving of public 

 support. Students, faunistic workers, and all ornithologists, Indian and Conti:. 

 should supply themselves with a copy of it, for it cannot fail to be of the g: 

 vice to them. It has also to be borne in mind, as the author says, that the number 

 of coloured and other illustrations will depend very materially on the amount of support 

 which may be given to the work. 



Professor WURTZ, of Florence, says : 



" k is something Ornithologists in this part were long looking for. It will be i: 

 able to our working Ornithologists." 



Dr. A. C. L. G. GUNTHER, of the British Museum, in cpist. says : 

 " A book of this scope and plan will be a great boon to Indian Orn'thole. 



PART III. 



IT is little short of nine months since the first part of this most useful manual of Indian 

 ornithology made its appearance. Part III., completing the 1st volume 

 issued, and it is to be noted that, while the work continues to maintain uniformity 

 of the arrangement of the matter it contains, the plates are as excellent 

 previously issued parts and the wood-cuts representing the generic i 

 numerous. This part is without doubt an index of the author's i 

 learning, and reflects the highest credit on Mr. Murray, wh- 

 through the 1st volume of the arduous task he has undertaken. V 

 will probably be the most laborious and comprehensive work on Indian Ornithc 

 has yet been produced. As a work of reference it will be simply invaluable. 

 India, $lst Dec. 1887. 



The third part of this work one of the most important and valuable < 

 the scientific survey and record of that vast multitude of win;., 

 demand our attention, and in which many take m< 

 just been issued, and completes the first volume. To how many m. 

 is to be extended it is not known, but all interested in the Ornith- 



and especially the student will find it a magazin< 



by the beautiful coloured illustrations ex. 

 numerous woodcuts which enrich tlv 

 be an addition to our standard works in Natural 

 Its character, scope, and purpose mark it as one whi, 



large or small, Indian or Continental. -don 



his achievements thus far. Bombay Gazette. 4 -*8. 



PRICE, Part III., Rs. 8 ; Vol. I., complete, Rs. . 



