Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/36

4 Mackenzie, Ticehurst, Donald and others. There are many local catalogues, and, finally, Harington's work on the Timaliidœ, in which the writer had the pleasure of co-operating.

Anatomy has not been treated at the length it deserves, but those who intend to take up this much neglected but most important branch of ornithology should refer to the well-known works of Dr. Hans Gadow, Huxley, Garrod, Bronn, Fürbringer, Forbes, Nitzsch and Parker, and to the more recent writers such as Pycraft, Beddard and Lucas.

The would-be Ornithologist in India must also remember that it is not only the dry skins of birds which are required by the systematist who, though he may have the good fortune to work in big museums and other centres where masses of material are available for comparison and where good libraries are at hand for reference, yet urgently needs specimens, especially of the rarer forms in spirit, not only for anatomical purposes but for the study of Pterylosis etc. Again, poor skins of moulting birds are often more valuable than those in the finest condition of plumage, while the nestlings and young of many of the most common birds are still desiderata in the British Museum and other institutions.

As regards nidification, it will be seen that I have devoted considerable space and detail to this portion of a bird's life-history. It is true that birds cannot be classified according to the eggs they produce, but at the same time it is equally true that a bird's egg may be a valuable clue to show us where we should expect to find its nearest allies or, on the other hand, may cause us to suspect that it should be removed from amongst those with which it is now placed!.

E. C. STUART BAKER.

4th February, 1922.