PREFACE. Ill 



V 



occurring in Beloochistan and Persia must only be calculated 

 as being generally a diffusion of species along the coast line 

 during winter. It is much to be regretted that statistics of 

 the occurrence of species in Cashmere are wanting, and that 

 Nepaul has been only partially worked up. In course of time, 

 when the British Museum authorities have completed their 

 catalogue of Mr. Allan Hume's valuable contribution to the 

 National collection, we may learn more of the distribution of 

 species in those regions, as well as of the distance of their 

 migration. 



In the Introduction (Vol. I.) mention has been made of the 

 authors from whose works information has been collated, and 

 in many instances original descriptions also. Here I must 

 now refer to the illustrations. In the first place, for many 

 reasons, they are not as numerous as was at first contem- 

 plated, but of the manner in which the majority have been 

 done, I can speak with perfect satisfaction. Of the full page } 

 plates, some are original, and others have been taken from 

 either the Zoological Society's Journal, The Ibis, Blanford's 

 Zoology of Persia, my work on the Vertebrate Zoology of 

 Sind, and from the British Museum Catalogues. The coloured 

 plates have been done by Mintern Brothers, and the manner in 

 which these have been finished reflects much credit on the firm. 



It now remains for me to mention the names of those 

 Naturalist -Collectors who have very kindly assisted me in 

 making the work full of more recent information, especially in 

 regard to the distribution of species and nidification. Mr. 

 Mahon Daly of the Shevaroy Hills has been good enough to 

 send information and specimens from the locality he worked 

 in ; Mr. P. W. MacKinnon of Mussoorie also, as well as Mr. 

 Charles Wilkinson of Darjeeling, Mr. Beckwith in the Sikkim 



