INTRODUCTION. 



The delay in the publication of the present volume has been 

 caused by the fact that the labour involved in its preparation has 

 far exceeded my expectations. The specimens arranged and cata- 

 logued in it are 13,440, exclusive of many hundreds of duplicates. 

 The references quoted in the synonymy are 18,892. With the 

 exception of a few books, which proved to be inaccessible, the 

 whole of this mass of literature has been actually consulted. 



The collection of specimens is a truly wonderful one. Of the 255 

 species recorded, the British Museum contains 250, and the types 

 are 68 in number. It is in connection with the distribution of 

 birds like the Limicola? that one is able to estimate the value 

 of those great donations which have been made to the Museum 

 by Mr. A. 0. Hume, Major Wardlaw Ramsay, and Messrs. Salviii 

 and Godman. In many instances the entire range of a species is 

 demonstrated by the series of skins in the collection. The Wading- 

 Birds were also special favourites with the late Mr. Henry Seebohm, 

 whose work on the geographical distribution of the Charadriida? is 

 the most important treatise on the group. His untimely death last 

 year deprived the Museum of one of its best friends ; but by his 

 generous bequest the collection of Limicolaj has been greatly 

 enriched, as will be seen by the long list of ' Addenda,' which 

 consist chiefly of specimens presented by Mr. Seebohm. 



In the preparation of the present volume I have received help 

 from many friends, amongst whom I must especially number the 

 following, who have contributed to its completeness by donations 



