( 3 ) 



Similar results may reasonably be here expected ; and so far 

 from our grand old Journal (hallowed to every scientific man in 

 India by a hundred honoured memories) being in any degree 

 interfered with by Stray Feathers, it will assuredly draw 

 fresh vigour from its youthful and humble follower. 



The missions of the two are as distinct as those of the Mon- 

 soon clouds and the garden engine. 



Embracing the vast scope it does, — " whatever is performed 

 by man or produced by nature within the geographical 

 limits of Asia" — the Journal of the Asiatic Society can allot 

 but a very small fraction of its pages to any one science. On 

 the other hand, field naturalists cannot drag about with them 

 thousands of pages with which they have no peculiar concern 

 for the sake of fifty germane to their special pursuit. 



To supply Indian ornithologists with all available information 

 in regard to their favourite science, and that only, and in as 

 compact and portable a form as possible, is the mission of Stray 

 Feathers, and the sole source of regret is, not that it can 

 thereby possibly weaken the Journal of the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal, which on the contrary it will certainly help to 

 strengthen, but that its special mission is still so imperfectly 

 performed, aud that its guidance and continuance seem to 

 depend too absolutely on a single individual. 



All this, however, was foreseen from the first ; it was only 

 from the skull of a Jove that a fully realized conception could 

 spring forth in perfect development. In all things mundane 

 some brief space of immaturity must be accepted. 



Next year's Journal, with a slightly enlarged size of page, 

 will afford room for additional matter that this year, thouo-h. 

 far exceeding our concerted limits, we have been compelled to 

 exclude, and will make one more step in the right direction in 

 the matter of furnishing some few illustrations of new and unfi- 

 gured species. Here, likewise, too much must not be expected, 

 and deficiences must at first be leniently viewed. Here we have 

 yet to find our artists, and to make our lithographists and our 

 colorists. Up to this present date no presentable colored plate 

 of any bird has been produced on this side of India, and it 

 will probably be years before we can in this matter claim any 

 sort of equality with our more favored European and American 

 brethren. 



The difficulty is great, but solvitur eundo, and I have oreat 

 faith in what the future has in store for Indian ornithology and 

 Stray Feathers. 



