INTRODUCTION. 



In the spring of 1889 I was asked by Dr. Gunther to undertake the 

 volume of the Catalogue containing an account of the Parrots ; and 

 now, after more than two years and a half, my work is completed. 



The materials I have had to deal with, although very large, and 

 no doubt the most extensive existing in any Museum, are much less 

 complete than those belonging to other groups of birds ; and I do 

 not consider them adequate either for affording a solid base to a 

 general classification of Parrots, or for fully illustrating the different 

 stages of many of the species. 



The number of specimens contained in the British Museum is 

 5113, belonging to 450 species, whilst 49 are not represented in 

 the Museum ; so that the total number of species admitted in the 

 present Catalogue is 499, of which 13 are now described for the first 

 time *. The number of apparently good species represented by 

 their types is 108, besides 47 others now relegated to the synonymy. 

 Out of these 5113 specimens IIS are osteological preparations, be- 

 longing to 53 species. 



Owing to the liberality of Messrs. Hume and Godman and Salvin, 

 the Indian and Mexican species are very complete ; also the South- 

 American series is very rich as regards the number of species : but 

 the African, the Austro-Malayan, and especially the Australian 

 series, are far from being complete, and often insufficient to give an 

 idea of the different stages, of the sexual differences, or of the 

 geographical distribution. Perhaps twice as many specimens are 

 required, properly sexed and from reliable localities ; skeletons of 

 each species will also be required before the Collection can be con- 

 sidered sufficient for a complete study of Parrots. 



* There are also about 14 species and subspecies which I have not been able 

 to identify ; the descriptions of these will be found in footnotes at their proper 

 places. 



