INTRODUCTION. 



With the present volume the description of the Acromyodiau 

 Passeres is completed. 



It will be seen that, owing to the large accessions to the collec- 

 tion, the series examined exceeds that of any of the preceding 

 volumes. Out of the 601 species and subspecies here recognized, 

 only 58 are unrepresented in the collection, or about 10 per cent. 

 Of these at least 25 are of very doubtful value, so that the collec- 

 tion actually contains nearly 95 per cent, of the known species. 

 The British Museum possesses the types of 152 species, besides 

 those of 01 no longer considered to be of that rank. The number 

 of specimens reaches the total of 11,699. 



By the acquisition of part of the Shelley Collection of African 

 birds by the Trustees of the Museum, my labours on the Ploceidce 

 have been much facilitated, as I have had before me the whole of 

 Capt. Shelley's series of specimens, on which was based his mono- 

 graphic essay on the African Weaver-Birds. 



Mr. Seebohm has likewise presented his entire collection of 

 Palsearctic Alaudidce, and the Sturnidce and Ploceidce of the Swinhoe 

 collection, comprising many types of species. 



The signs employed are the same as in the former volumes of 

 the Catalogue. " [P.] " means " Presented by," " [C] " means 

 " Collected by," and " [E.] " means " Received in Exchange." 



E. BOWDLER SHARPE. 



May 10, 1890. 



