PREFACE. 



The completion of this volume has been inordinately 

 delayed, front circumstances entirely beyond the Editor's 

 control. 



When the first-half of this last number had been printed off, 

 the Editor found himself suddenly translated to a new official 

 sphere, involving a wholly new set of duties. A medical man who 

 for a dozen years had been practising exclusively as a consulting 

 surgeon would fiud it a little perplexing to have to take up 

 suddenly an enormous practice of a brother physician. The 

 change in the Editor's case was even greater, and consequently 

 for the first few months it was impossible for him to find 

 even a moment's time for any thing outside his official work. 



As soon as the new work had been mastered, he put through 

 the Press the second volume of " The Game Birds,^'' and this 

 disposed of was able at last to attend to Stray Feathers. 



This irregularity of publication is a great drawback to 

 Stray Feathers, and no one regrets it more than the Editor, 

 but no one can command all circumstances ; and, if all were 

 known, the real matter for surprise would be, not that Stray 

 Feathers is at times, as now, behind time, but that it is ever 

 published at all. 



ALLAN HUME. 



March 23rd, 1880. 



