THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 501 



game, they might endeavour, with more effect, to induce native 

 gentlemen to keep shikarees to destroy vermin, making their 

 pay depend upon the "heads" or "tails" produced. This 

 would harm nobody and do immense good ; but if, while game 

 goes on decreasing, vermin and other enemies are allowed to 

 multiply and increase at their u own sweet will/' as they do 

 at present, Ave shall soon have a rather curious example of the 

 fi survival of the fittest." 



But enough of this ; it is time that the birds, the special 

 subject of this paper, were dealt with. The following list, 

 though possibly less exhaustive* than I believe it to be, contains 

 at least every species at all common in the Division. The 

 number, to follow Dr. Jerdon's somewhat obsolete classification, 

 belonging to each order, is as follows :— 



Raptores — 



Diurnal 

 Nocturnal 



Insessores — 



Fissirostres 

 Scansores . 

 Tenuirostres ... ... 



Dentirostres ... 



Conirostres 



Gemitores 

 Rasores 

 Grallatores 

 Natatores 



Total 



of which seventeen are not described in that naturalist's "Birds 

 of India." 



At the outside some forty or fifty species may have to be 

 added ; but as these for the most part will prove to be exceed- 

 ingly rare permanent residents, seasonal visitors, birds of passage, 

 or stragglers far from the confines of their geographical dis- 

 tribution, some time must necessarily elapse before their enu- 

 meration, based on unmistakable identification, can be completed. 



* [Note. — No doubt the preparation of an absolutely exhaustive list would be much faci- 

 litated if sportsmen and others in a position to assist would only interest themselves 

 in the matter. Many birds annually shot out of mere curiosity and left to perish in 

 the fields if sent to me would be useful in various ways, besides the chance there 

 would always be of their turning out rare and valuable specimens. To facilitate any 

 assistance in this way, which those who take no interest in ornithology mav be inclined 

 to give, I have purposely given the " trivial" in addition to the scientific name of 

 almost every speciea in the list, and in many instances the native name as well. — Q, R.] 



64 



