PEEFACE. 



Since the publication of the preceding volume, more than two years 

 ago, the collection of Birds has received a further remarkable 

 increase by the acquisition or donation of several valuable collec- 

 tions. Por the most important of them the Trustees are again 

 indebted to the liberality of Mr. F. DuCane Godman, F.E.S. 

 Aware of the incompleteness in which the Fauna of the United 

 States was represented in the Museum, he secured the celebrated 

 collection of North-American Birds formed by Messrs. H. W. 

 Henshaw and C. H. Merriam, and presented it to the Trustees. An 

 idea of its value and extent may be formed by the fact that it 

 consisted of 779 species and over 11,000 specimens, all of which 

 are authentically named. 



The Salvin-Godman, Hume, and Tweeddale Collections, which 

 contribute so large a contingent in the lists of specimens, have 

 beeii referred to in the previous volumes. Mr. Henry Seebohm 

 continues to enrich the Museum Collection with numerous and 

 valuable donations. Of the other donors who have contributed 

 to the series described in the present volume, I have to mention the 

 late Mr. W. A. Forbes, Hr. R. Collett, W. D. Gumming, Esq., Emin 

 Pasha, H. C. V. Hunter, Esq., F. J, Jackson, Esq., Mrs. J. S. 

 Jameson, Col. Swinhoe, and Dr. L. Vieira. 



ALBERT GtJNTHER, 



Keeper of ilu Department of Zoolo(jy, 

 British Museum (N. H.), 

 May 14, 1890. 



