X INTRODUCTION. 



That the raison (Vetre ^vas a good one was shown by the 

 immediate receipt by the Editors of the ' Journal ' of numerous 

 notes, giving both information that was new and correcting 

 part that was old. 



The present book aims at being a corrected, up-to-date 

 edition of these papers, and incorporates, as far as possible, 

 the additional information received since they were brought 

 out. 



There is still very ample room for further matter of interest, 



and still much about which w^e require confirmation or 



correction, notably in regard to the Geese to be found in 



India ; and it is hoped that the readers of this volume will all 



try and add their quota to our knowledge. 



The classification I have adopted is that of Salvadori, as 

 given in volume xxvii. of the ' Catalogue of Birds in the British 

 Museum ' ; and the keys to suborders, families, subfamilies, and 

 genera, &c. are generally taken from that book, merely changed, 

 so far as is necessary for Indian Ducks, by eliminating such 

 matter as does not refer to them, with a few other minor 

 alterations. The references made are principally to books 

 which refer to the birds as Indian Birds, as a complete reference 

 to synonyms and publications would not only have taken too 

 much time, but would have proved of little interest to the 

 general i-eader. 



