TXTItODUC'TIOX. 



Genera. Species. 



Fam. XXXIX. Sturnidic U 60 



„ XL. EulabetidiB 40 145 



„ XU. Paramythiidic 1 1 



XLII. Buphagidw 1 2 



„ XLIII. Oriolidie :) 70 



„ XLIV. Dicruridir 12 03 



„ XLV. Paradiseidaj 31 70 



XLVI. Ptilonorhyndjidc-B 14 36 



., XI. VII. Coividfe ." 43 330 



„ XLVIII. StreperidjB 1 8 



644 4957 



The total mmiber of kuowu species of Birds is, therefore, approvi- 

 malehj as follows : — 



Genera. Species. 



Vol. T 80.-) 4261 



Vol. II 449 3099 



Vol III 427 3311 



Vol. IV 425 3311 



Vol. V 644 4957 



2S10 18,939 



In 1S71, when my predecessor, George Eobert Gray, finislied his 

 'Hand-list of Birds,' he admitted 2915 genera and 11,162 species of 

 Birds, so that a vast increase in the cumber of described species has 

 taken place during tlie past 38 years. 



A large number of the genera recorded by Gray had no real existence, 

 and 1500 would probably be an outside estimate for the number then 

 actually recognisable. 



Dr. Dubois, in his lately completed ' Systema Avium,' gives 12,509 

 species of birds with 3969 "varieties," making a total of 16,478 species 

 and subspecies or varieties, divided under the headings of 2252 genera. 



E. BOWDLER SHAEPE. 

 Aii2U3t 24, 1000. 



