EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



This General Index to the ' Hand-list of the Genera and Species 

 of Birds' has been prepared to supply a much-felt want. 



The number of bird-skins in the British Museum (Natural 

 History) is now so vast that it has been found necessary to 

 prepare a special catalogue indicating the position of each species 

 in the collection. The pages of the ' Hand- list ' have therefore 

 been laid down in three large volumes on paper with specially 

 printed headings. Opposite each name and arranged in parallel 

 columns is the number of the cabinet and the number of the drawer 

 in which the species is placed, also a reference to the volume and 

 page in the ' Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum.' 



A general index to these special volumes was required and 

 for this purpose my Chief Attendant, Mr. Thomas Wells, in 

 the first instance, undertook the laborious task of amalgamating 

 the indexes to the five volumes of the 'Hand-list.' 



As it was found that there were a good many errors and 

 omissions in the original work, and as a General Index was much 

 wanted, the Trustees decided to publish the present volume as a 

 Supplement to the ' Hand-list.' The references have all been care- 

 fully checked and it is to be hoped that most of the old mistakes 

 have been corrected and that fresh ones have been avoided. 



A limited number of copies have been struck off on large paper, 

 printed on one side only, to provide for manuscript intercalations, 

 and will be used as an Index to the Special Catalogue of the 

 species of birds in the collection. 



W. B. OG1LY1E-GBANT. 



llth March, 1912. 



