INTRODUCTION. 



The only Catalogue of the Birds' Eggs in the Collection of the 

 British Museum which has hitherto been published was prepared by 

 the late Mr. G. R. Gray, and issued by the Trustees in 1852. It 

 treats only of the eggs of British birds, but does not furnish a 

 history of the specimens. 



The present Catalogue deals with all the eggs contained in the 

 Collection of the Museum with the exception of those in the Exhi- 

 bition Galleries, which have often to be replaced. A convenient 

 opportunity is thus afforded for reviewing the history of the entire 

 collection from its earliest commencement. Many ancient eggs 

 dating from the time of Montagu and Bullock are still preserved 

 in the Museum, but they are bleached and faded almost beyoud 

 recognition, having been exposed to the light for many years in the 

 Museum galleries. 



An early donation seems to have been made in 1842 by Mr. D. W. 

 Mitchell. It consisted of some eggs of British birds, chiefly from 

 Cornwall. In 1841: Sir T. Wilson presented the Trustees with 

 some specimens from Norway. In 1847 a small donation of sea- 

 birds' eggs from the Mauritius was made by Admiral Sir E. Belcher; 

 and in the next year Dr. Rae contributed some specimens taken by 

 him in Repulse Bay, Arctic America. 



In 1850, Captain Stanley, the Commander of H.M.S. ' Rattle- 

 snake,' presented to the Museum the eggs collected, during the 

 voyage of that ship, by Dr. J. MacgiUivray, the naturalist to the 

 Expedition. All the specimens are of great interest and are weU 

 authenticated. In the same year the Trustees purchased a collection 

 of eggs made in South Greenland by Governor HolboU. 



In 1851, two collections passed into the Museum. One was 

 acquired from Mr. A. D. Iji,rtlett, and the other was presented by 

 Sir George Grey, then Governor of New Zealand. 



In 1852, the Trustees received a small collection made by 

 Dr. Lyall during the voyage of H.M.S. ' Acheron ' in New Zealand 



