PREFACE. 



TiiK present volume treats of four Orders of Birds, constituting 

 the greater bulk of what are commonly termed Game Birds. The 

 numbers of sjjccies described and of specimens at present in the 

 Collection aie as follows : — ■ 



Species. Types. Specimeas. 



Pteroclctes .... 17 2 522 



(jallinie 384 95 5954 



Upi.sthocomi .... 1 . . ]4 



llemipodii .... 24 5 531 



426 102 7021 



In the first category those forms are included to which, in 

 the author's opinion, no higher than subspecitic rank should be 

 assigned ; only 23 of these species and subsiJccics are still un- 

 represented in the Collection. Beside the 1U2 types of recognized 

 species the Collection contains 50 otlier typical specimens which 

 are now considered identical with previously named species. 



ALBEliT CUXTHEK, 

 Kee2>er of the Department of Zoology. 



British Museiiiii (N. H.), 

 Nov. 17, 18113. 



