VIU INTRODtfCTION. 



are wanted to completely illustrate the geographical distribution of 

 the species. 



A satisfactorj- arrangement of the many (59) genera of the 

 great family Phasiaiiidce has been by no means an easy task. There 

 appears to be no real line of demarcation between the true 

 Pheb,sants {Phasianince) and the Partridges {Perdicina'), the two 

 groups merging gradually into one another in such forms as Bainhti- 

 sicola, PtUopachys, and GaUoperdix. The shape of the wing appears 

 to be the best, and in fact almost the only, character of importance for 

 distinguishing these groups. All the Phasianince, except one genus, 

 have the first primary quill much shorter than the tenth, whereas 

 in the Perdicince the first primary is equal to, or longer than, the 

 tenth. Unfortunately, the exception among the former is the very 

 important genus Phasianus, which has the first primarj', like that of 

 most Partridges, much longer than the tenth. On the other hand, 

 some of the Partridges have the first primar}' slightly shorter than 

 the tenth. Thus even this otherwise well-marked character breaks 

 down, and in order to artificially separate these two groups it is 

 necessary to have recourse to secondary or supplementary characters, 

 such as the length of the tail. By this means only the family 

 Phasianidce, as represented in the Old World, together with the 

 American genus Meleagris, may be divided into two sections. 



Among the Megapodiidce some species have been founded on very 

 young birds, and others even on eggs. In the latter case I have 

 refused to recognize their right to jjriority (for example, Megapodius 

 hrazicri and J/, sfairi), for I think such names ought never to be 

 given, much less recognized ; while those founded on chicks have 

 but little more claim to be retained (for example, Aepypodius 

 arfakiunus). 



OpistJwcumus Jwaziu, the only representative of the Order Opis- 

 tJtocomi, in spite of its many striking peculiarities, seems to be most 

 naturally placed in close proximity to the Craddit'. 



The value of the great donations made by Messrs. Hume, Wardlaw 

 Ramsay, Salvin, Godmau, and Seebohm can be fully estimated by 

 an inspection of the lists of specimens on the following pages ; and 

 I may safely say that any good work that may be found in this 

 volume is largely due to the si>lcndid series of birds in these noble 

 collections. 



