PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 



This is more a popular than a scientific book, as it is 

 specially written with a view to increasing the love for 

 bird study in South Africa. At the present time the 

 country's inhabitants show a considerable lack of know- 

 ledge where their own flora and fauna are concerned, and 

 there are but few Colonial-bom ornithologists in South 

 Africa. The want of a work such as this has been 

 frequently expressed, and we have, therefore, attempted 

 to fill the gap. 



Although essentially a fopular work, it embodies the 

 results of many years of patient study by the authors, in 

 consequence of which we hope that other students of 

 bird-life will find in it something original and of interest. 

 Our chief difficulty has been to know where to stop ; what 

 to include, and what to omit. In this matter we had 

 perforce to be guided, to a considerable extent, by the 

 illustrations we possessed. We have tried to be short 

 and concise, yet accurate. We are, however, fully aware 

 that fault may be found with our method of treatment, 

 which is based largely on the habits of the birds. 



By referring to the Systematic Index the relative 

 position of a bird in ornithological classification can be 

 easily determined. 



We have included a few personal experiences, with the 

 object of making the book, from a ■popular standpoint, 

 more interesting. 



