Birds of the Plains

BIRDS OF THE PLAINSBY DOUGLAS DEWAR, F. Z. S., I. C. S. WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS OF LIVING BIRDS BY CAPTAIN F. D. S. FAYRERPREFACEIT is easy enough to write a book. The difficulty is to sell the production when it is finished. That, however, is not the author's business. Nevertheless, the labours of the writer are not over when he has completed the last paragraph of his book. He has, then, in most cases, to find a title for it. This, I maintain, should be a matter of little difficulty. I regard a title as a mere distinguishing mark, a brand, a label, a something by which the book may be called when spoken of nothing more. According to this view, the value of a title lies, not in its appropriateness to the subject-matter, but in its distinctiveness. To illustrate : some years ago a lady entered a bookseller's shop and asked for "Drummond's latest book Nux Vomica" The bookseller without a word handed her Lux Mundi. To my way of thinking Lux Mundi is a good title inasmuch as no other popular book has one like it. So distinctive is it that even when different words were substituted the bookseller at once knew what was intended. That the view here put forward does notfind favour with the critics may perhaps be inferred by the exception many of them took to the title of my last book Bombay Ducks. While commending my view to their consideration, I have on this occasion endeavoured to meet them by resorting to a more orthodox designation. I am, doubtless, pursuing a risky policy. Most of the reviewers were kind enough to say that Bombay Ducks was a good book with a bad title. When criticising the present work they may reverse the adjectives. Who knows? -. CONTENTS: BRITISH BIRDS IN THE PLAINS OF INDIA THE BIRD IN BLUE. SPARROWS IN THE NURSERY THE CARE OF YOUNG BIRDS AFTER THEY LEAVE THE NEST THE ADJUTANT BIRD . THE SARUS THE STABILITY OF SPECIES . THK AMADAVAT THE NUTMEG BIRD COBBLER OR TAILOR? A CROW IN COLOURS UP-TO-DATE SPECIES MAKING HONEYSUCKKRS A HEWER OF WOOD A FEATHERED SPRINTER A BIRD or CHARACTER SWIFTS. BIRDS AS AUTOMATA PLAYING CUCKOO THE KOEL THE COMMON DOVES OF INDIA DOVES IN A VERANDAH THE GOLDEN ORIOLE THE BARN OWL. A TREE-TOP TRAGEDY . Two LITTLE BIRDS THE PARADISE FLYCATCHER BUTCHER BIRDS DUCKS A DETHRONED MONARCH BIRDS IN THE RAIN THE WEAVER BIRD GREEN PARROTS THE ROOSTING OF THE SPARROWS . A GAY DECEIVER THE EMERALD MEROPS DO ANIMALS THINK? A COUPLE OF NEGLECTED CRAFTSMEN BIRDS IN THEIR NESTS THE INDIAN COKIIY ILLUSTRATIONS: THE GREY PELICAN A BIRD OF THE PLAINS THE WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER THE REDSHANK ONE OF THE BRITISH BIRDS FOUND IN INDIA THE INDIAN ROLLER, OR "BLUE JAY" THE INDIAN ADJUTANT LOTEN'S SUNBIRD THE YELLOW SUNBIRD LOTEN'S SUNBIRD LOTEN'S SUNBIRD ABOUT TO ENTER NEST THE INDIAN SPOTTED OWLET THE INDIAN PADDY BIRD THE COMMON KINGFIHHKR ONE OF THE BRITISH BIRDS FOUND IN INDIA THE INDIAN KITE THE GREY-NECKED CROW