INTRODUCTION. 



Thk present volume treats of the first portion of the large family 

 Timeliidce, or Babbling-Thrushes, a group which is largely repre- 

 sented in the Old World, but contains only a few members in the 

 American continents. Five subfamilies have been described in the 

 present volume, viz. the Bulbuls, the Wrens, the Mocking-Thrushes, 

 the Solitaires, and the Bower-birds, 



The total number of species enumerated is 407 ; and of these the 

 Museum possesses 315. The specimens in the collection are 1508 

 in number. The gaps in the series are principally among the 

 South- American Wrens, of which it is peculiarly difficult to procure 

 examples. 



Of the many important additions that have been made to the 

 collection during the past two years, the most notable (that of the 

 collection of the late Mr. Gould) was not acquired before part of 

 the present volume was in the printer's hands, and consequently 

 the additions which it brought have had to be relegated to the 

 " Addenda " at the end of the volume. 



The author takes the present opportunity of returning his sincere 

 thanks to Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay, who lent him his entire series of 

 Bulbuls and Wrens for comparison with the Museum collection of 

 skins. The number of types in the Twceddale collection rendered 

 this act of kindness of the greatest value in the preparation of this 

 volume. 



