PREFACE. 



In concluding the sixth and last volume of the present 

 Series of ' The Ibis,' the Editor has to acknowledge with 

 unfeigned gratitude the kind support he has met with 

 from the many Naturalists who have honoured him with 

 contributions to its pages. The result has been that six 

 volumes have been produced, which, as the Editor be- 

 lieves, contain an amount of information as regards nearly 

 every branch of Ornithology such as has never been 

 before brought together in one work, and at the same 

 time form a tolerably complete record of the progress of 

 this science during the last six years. 



It is not without sincere regret that the Editor finds 

 himself compelled, by the heavy pressure of other duties, to 

 resign his office at the termination of the present volume. 

 Such regret, however, is much lessened by the fact that 

 his friend Mr. Alfred Newton has kindly acceded to 

 the request of the British Ornithological Union to become 

 the editor of a new Series of this Journal. Mr. Newton, 

 as the readers of 'The Ibis ' must be well aware, is a 

 gentleman in every way qualified to perform this task, 

 and in his behalf the present Editor requests all the 

 contributors to, and readers of ' The Ibis ' to continue 

 to the new Series of this Joiu-nal the support they have 

 hitherto conferred upon it. 



P. L. S, 



15 Lower Belgrave Street, 

 Sept. 1st, 1864. 



