PREFACE. 



TffE Second Volume of the ' Catalogue of Birds in the British 

 Museum ' has been prepared by Mr. U. B. Sharpe, one of the 

 Senior Assistants in the Zoological Department ; it contains an 

 account of all the species of Nocturnal Birds of Prey known at 

 present, with a complete list of references to the literature. Every 

 effort has been made to render the Collection in the British Museum 

 as complete as possible, and to enable the author to overcome the 

 unusual difficulties that present themselves in this family of Birds 

 as regards the discrimination of the species, as well as theii" 

 description. 



ALBERT GtJNTHER, 



Keeper of the Department of Zoolorpj. 



British Museum, 

 Dec. 1875. 



