From September 22nd 1951 until April 19th 1952 I stayed, with my wife as a good companion and technical assistant, in the Netherlands Antilles to make an ornithological survey of these islands. This work, which included both making a collection of studyskins and gathering field data and distributional records, was done under the auspices of the Foundation for Scientific Research in Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles (“Natuurwetenschappelijke Studiekring voor Suriname en de Nederlandse Antillen”) and was financed by the Government of the Netherlands Antilles. I am greatly indebted, therefore, to the Government officials of the Netherlands Antilles, particularly to Mr. J. H. Sprockel, minister of Education, and to the staff of the Department of Education. My thanks are also due to the members of the board of the “Studiekring”, among whom I should not forget to mention in deep appreciation the names of Dr P. Wagenaar Hummelinck and Dr J. H. Westermann. The trustees of the University of Amsterdam and the director of the Zoological Museum kindly granted me 8 months study-leave and released me from my responsibilities as curator of the Zoological Museum during this period. Sincere thanks are also due to board and members of the Natural Sciences Study Group Netherlands Antilles (“Natuurwetenschappelijke Werkgroep Nederlandse Antillen”), who never failed to help us magnificently, making our stay on the islands a most exillerating experience. This first part of the scientific reporting on our voyage deals with the birds of St. Martin, Saba, and St. Eustatius. These small islands are among the most northerly of the group known as the Lesser Antilles (fig. 1).