931 



AN APPEAL. 



May I make an appeal through the Journal to the members of the Society to 

 help me in an investigation of a hitherto quite neglected branch of Indian Orni- 

 thology, and that is the study of nestling birds. I have for many years made a 

 study of this subject and described for the first time this stage in many of our 

 common European birds, and whilst recently in India I made a start on Indian 

 birds A^-ith the kind help of Messrs. H. Whistler and A. E. Jones, but time and 

 opportunities did not carry me very far. 



It is an important subject, particularly in India, as I think it may give us a 

 clue to the relationships of various birds, or groups of birds, whose affinities are 

 doubtfully, or not at all knoAvn. As an example of this I might quote that extra- 

 ordinar,y assemblage which in the "Fauna " is called the Crateropodidce, Babblers, 

 Laughing Thrushes, etc. ? Again, most of the European Sylviidce lack down 

 entirely, but the Phylloscopi have it; what obtains in Indian genera such as Su.ya, 

 Prinia, Franklinia. Horornis, etc. Again how do the various genera of Flycatchers 

 compare vnih. the European Muscicapa ? Or again, European finches are fairly well 

 clothed AA-ith doAvn, except SjiarroAvs {Passer), how does the YelloAV-throated 

 SjiarroAV {Gymnorhis) compare? and so on — one might go through the entire Fauna. 



To make my meaning quite clear I must state that a nestling bird is one that 

 is just hatched and up to the time feathers sprout ; some are entirely clothed 

 with down such as Waders, Game Birds, etc., others have a varying amount of 

 down or none at all. 



1. Every sort of bird is required, hoAvever common, and whether it has any 

 dotvn on it or not. 



2. One specimen suffices ; it should be taken as soon after hatching as possible. 



3. The only knowledge required is the knoAvledge of the specimen, so that 

 nearly all can help. 



4. The specimen mvsi be labelled icith name and locality (in pencil), AA'rapt in 

 Avool or linen and dropped into spirit : chicks of large birds should be opened 

 doAvn the abdomen. Several can be put into one bottle but // so the spirit must 

 be changed once a week. 



5. Anj^ time after i weeks in spirit they can be taken out, Avi'apped in 

 cotton damped in spirit, packed in a tin and despatched to the Honorary 

 Secretary of the Society. 



The results of this investigation, Avliich will extend over many years, Avill be 

 pubhshed in the Journal from time to time. I hope to give soon a resume of 

 AA'hab I ha\^e already done. 



Lowestoft, England, C. B. TlCEHLliST. 



April 2Cth, 1921. 



36 



