Popular Handbook Of Indian Birds Hugh Whistler Author - new book

POPULAR HANDBOOK - OF INDIAN BIRDS POPULAR HANDBOOK OF INDIAN BIRDS BY HUGH WHISTLER, F. Z. S. LATE INDIAN IMPERIAL POLICE FOURTH EDITION REVISED AND ENLARGED BY NORMAN B. KINNEAR BRITISH MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY LONDON llustrated with twenty-four full-page plates of which seven . are coloured, and one hundred and eight figures in the text, from drawings by H. Gronvold and Roland Green GURNEY AND JACKSON LONDON 98 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, W. C. EDINBURGH TWEEDDALE COURT 1949 PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION THE Popular Handbook of Indian Birds was first published in 1928, followed by a second edition in 1935, and a third in 1941. This last edition was becoming exhausted when the author died, and Mrs Whistler asked me to prepare this new edition. Mr B. B. Osmaston, who has such a wide knowledge of Indian birds and their habits, has given very great assistance and, in addition, several ornithologists in India, Mr Salim Ali, Mr C. M. Inglis, Mr W. H. Mathews, and the Rev. F. S. Briggs, sent to Mrs Whistler their notes and suggestions which, as far as possible, have been incorporated. In the original edition 250 birds were described, and in each succeeding issue the number was increased. In the present edition 7 more species have been added, and 12 referred to in the text. There is also one new coloured plate and five text figures all of which are the work of Mr Roland Green. When the author of this work was preparing a new edition he was taken ill, and died on 7th July 1943. By his death, ornithology, and Indian ornithology in particular, has suffered a grievous loss. Hugh Whistler was in his prime and had become the recognised authority on everything connected with birds in India. During hisseventeen years service in the Indian Police he had made himself thoroughly acquainted with Indian birds, about which he has written so delight fully in this book. He had a happy knack of putting into words the salient characters of a species which enables them to be readily recognised in the field. Their habits too, he described in vivid word pictures, so helpful to the beginner. Hugh Whistler was a scientific ornithologist and his name will be handed down as one of the most careful and-teriscigntious workers. He had amassed copious notes on every aspect of Indian bird-life which were always at the disposal of other ornithologists. But the real purpose of these notes was to form a basis for a Handbook of the Birds of the Indian Empire, which he and his great friend and brother-ornithologist, the late Dr C. B. Ticehurst, had planned and, indeed, commenced to write. After the lamented death of Dr Ticehurst, Whistler had intended to carry on alone, but increasing war-work hindered this. He never let his great love of ornithology interfere with his official work, and in India those in authority did not discourage his hobby since the search for birds took him into out-of-the-way places seldom visited in the ordinary routine of duty, v az vi PREFACE At his home near Battle, Whistler had brought together a wonderful collection of bird skins, for the most part beautifully prepared by his own hands, and nothing pleased him more than to show his collection. He was ready to help others, and his many correspondents in India will miss him, since he was the authority to whom they turned for advice and guidance. Much of the recent work done there was initiated by him, and many casual observers becamegood ornithologists through his enthusiasm. Whatever work he undertook he did with the same thoroughness and enthusiasm with which he studied birds, and the high standard aimed at made him loved and rfespected by all who knew him. N. B. KINNEAR CONTENTS Order PASSERES Family CORVIOSE PAGE Corvus corax Linnaeus. Raven i macrorhynchos Wagler. Jungle Crow . . . . . . 3 splendens Vieillot. Common House Crow ..... 5 monedula Linnaeus. Jackdaw ....... 8 Urocissa flavirostris Blyth. Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie . . .10 Dendrocitt a vagabunda Latham. Indian Tree-Pie v-. ...