INTRODUCTION 



colours. About two-thirds of the nests and eggs described 

 were collected by myself in various parts of Cape Colony, 

 Natal, and the Transvaal between 1892 and 1898 ; the 

 remainder are described from thoroughly authenticated speci- 

 mens in the extensive collection in the South African 

 Museum, unless it is otherwise stated. 



Under " Habits " I have endeavoured to give a short and 

 concise account of the general habits, food, notes and nidifica- 

 tion of each species. When not otherwise stated the infor- 

 mation has been taken and generally much condensed from 

 field-notes made by myself between 1892 and 1898 at various 

 localities on the coast between the mouths of the Orange and 

 Zambesi Rivers, and during the course of several expeditions 

 through the inland districts of Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange 

 Free State and the Transvaal. For information regarding the 

 Birds of Damara Land I have drawn freely from the late Mr. 

 J. H. Gurney's edition of Andersson's " Birds of Damara 

 Land ; " I have also culled much valuable information regard- 

 ing the birds of Natal and the Transvaal from the excellent 

 field-notes of Mr. Thomas Ayres, of Potchefstroom, published 

 in " The Ibis," as well as from the valuable contributions of 

 Dr. Sharpe and Captain Shelley to the same periodical and to 

 " The Proceedings of the Zoological Society." In addition, 

 frequent extracts have been made from the classical pages of 

 Le Vaillant, Sir Andrew Smith and Layard and Sharpe, and 

 from papers contributed to " The Ibis," " The Proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society," and "The Zoologist" by various 

 field naturalists and students of ornithology. 



With two exceptions all the figures in this volume are 

 from original drawings by Mr. H. Gronvold, of the Natural 

 History Museum at South Kensington, and I feel greatly 

 indebted to that gentleman for the care and unwearied 

 patience with which he has endeavoured, and succeeded, in 

 meeting my wishes. 



To Mr. W. L. Sclater, the Director of the South African 

 Museum at Cape Town, I am greatly indebted for allowing 

 me every facility for studying the collections under his charge. 

 My thanks are due to Dr. Sharpe, of the British Museum, to 

 Dr. Schonland, of the Albany Museum, and to Mr. Quekett, 



