Tin INTRODUCTION. 



The magnificent donation of the Cockerell collection of Australian 

 birds by Messrs. Godnian and Salvin, and the acquisition of the 

 Gould Collection b)' the Trustees have largely increased the series 

 of Australasian species. The Pegii collection of Mr. E. W. Gates, 

 acquired last year, is also particularly rich in Timeliine birds, and 

 has proved a very valuable addition to the British Museum. 



As before recorded in this Catalogue, Mr. Hodgson's Nepalese 

 collections are simply invaluable ; while the large series of bird -skins 

 from the N.W. Himalayas presented by Capt. Stackhouse Pinwill 

 has also proved of very great service. 



The thanks of the author are also due to the following gentlemen, 

 who, by the loan or donation of specimens, have greatly facilitated 

 his task : — Mr. A. 0. Hume, C.B., Prof. Barboza du Bocage, Mr. E. 

 Hargitt, Canon Tristram, Marquis Doria, and Capt. H. Trevelyan. 



As in previous volumes, the affixes to the names of donors &c. in 

 the third column of the list of specimens indicates the modes in 

 which the latter were acquired, Thus, " [P.] " means " Presented 

 by ; " " [C] "^"Collected by ; " " [E.] "=" Obtained by exchange." 

 Where none of these signs are employed, the specimens were pur- 

 chased. In some cases the sexes of the specimens are enclosed in 

 brackets, as "[c?]." This is to indicate that, although the author 

 has no doubt in his own mind that the specimen is a male, the label 

 attached to the individual bears no indication of the sex. Some- 

 times, too, the locality of a specimen will be seen to be enclosed in 

 brackets, as " [New South Wales]." This is intended to show that 

 the specimen is labelled " New South Wales," but the author has 

 reason to doubt the correctness of the locality. 



E. BOWDLER SHARPE. 



British Museum, 

 July 1, 1883. 



