INTRODUCTION. 



To the present volume very few introductory remarks are necessary, 

 as the families described in the following pages have perfectly 

 well-defined limits, and there is little difference of opinion as to 

 their position in an arrangement of the Class Aves. 



The Hon. Walter Rothschild has lent me his entire collection 

 of Rallida', an act of courtesy which I must especially acknowledge, 

 inasmuch as without his series of Weka Rails from New Zealand, 

 formerly in the BuUer collection, I should have had serious diffi- 

 culty in working out the species of Ocijdromus. Per the loan of 

 specimens and types of species in the Museums under their charge, 

 I have to thank Dr. Joyeux-Lafine of Caen, Prof. Paul Godet 

 of Neuchatel, Prof. Wilhelm Blasius of Brunswick, and Dr. Jen- 

 tink of Leyden ; while I have to acknowledge a like assistance 

 from Mr. Howard Saunders, the Rev. H. H. Slater, and Canon 

 Tristram. 



The affixes to the specimens are the same as in the previous 

 volumes of the 'Catalogue.' "[P.]" means "Presented by"; 

 " [C] " equals " Collected by " ; " [E.] " signifies " Received in 

 Exchange." Where none of these signs are used, the specimens 

 have been acquired by purchase. 



R. BOWDLER SHARPE. 



British Museum (N. H.), 



Ttl\i February, 189-1. 



