3G0 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



tion must relate to Britisli Birds as such. Secoudly, it nuist relate to 

 British Birds exclusively. Thirdly, it must relate to liritish Birds of 

 more thau one species, geuus or family. For, tirst, a i)ublicatiou ou, 

 say, LaruH (jlaucus and Tringa canutus as observed in Greenland does 

 not belong- here, though both these species are British Birds. For, sec- 

 ondly, a work on the Birds of Europe does not belong here, though 

 including all British Birds. For, thirdly, a paper on the occurrence of 

 Ph(daro])us lujpcrhoreus in Great Britain, or one on the habits of Lar/ojms 

 scoticus, does not belong here, as the scheme of the whole work carries 

 one of these to Fhalaroiwdidcv, the other to Tdraonkla\\\\ the "system- 

 atic" department of the whole Bibliography; though a paper on Pha- 

 Jaropits liyperhoreus and Lagopus scoticus as observed in Great Britain 

 would belong here, being a "faunal" publication, and a "British" one. 



This instalment, like (hose which have preceded it. is to be considered 

 only in the light of published proof-sheets, to be canceled on the final 

 appearance of the whole work. They are thus published in advance for 

 several reasons — among others, both to render available certain depart- 

 ments of the Bibliography which approach completion, and are therefore 

 useful as far as they go, and to invite suggestions and criticisms for the 

 bettering of the whole work. This British list is prepared with the 

 «ame great care to secure good results which was bestowed upon previous 

 instalments, and it is hoped that the severe tests to which it will doubt- 

 less be subjected will prove it to be no less accurate than its predecessors 

 have been found to be. Accurate, as far as it goes, I believe it to be; 

 but I know it to be very incomplete. I do not think that it contains 

 more than one-half as many titles as belong to this department of the 

 Bibliography. I earnestly hope that the omissions, as well as any other 

 defects that publication of my manusciipt discloses,. may be brought to 

 my notice by those interested in the completion of the work. 



There are numberless historical, statistical, geographical, agricultural, 

 even political publications, which contain lists or other notices of British 

 Birds, no hint of the fact being given in their respective titles; and it 

 is my aim to include everything that claims to be ornithological by a 

 formal heading of any sort. Very few of these "by-ways of bibliog- 

 raphy " have been accessible to me in America. Xor have [ ever been 

 able to lay hands on a file of The Fidd, nor have 1 indexed certain peri- 

 odicals past 1874. These sources, to say nothing of others I could men- 

 tion, should yield upwards of a thousand titles not here given. I am so 

 fully aware of the deficiencies of this instalment that criticism on this 

 score would l)e futile. My manner of arranging the titles, moreover, is 

 accoixling to the plan of the whole work, scarcely to be appreciated as 

 yet. But these two points aside, I ask for, and hope to receive, the 

 severest criticism to which such literary work can be subjected. I should 

 esteem it a great favor to receive back this i^amphlet from ibs possessor 

 with any errors corrected, any omissions supi)lied, or any bettering of 

 my comments on the publications the titles of which are here given; 



