PREFACE. 



FOE some years past it has been in my mind to publish a set of 

 coloured illustrations of the birds of my native country, and 

 my residence in England now gives me the opportunity of compass- 

 ing my desire. 



Before commencing this weighty task it has occurred to me that 

 it would be useful to publish a " Handlist of the Birds of Austral- 

 asia," to invoke the criticism and co-operation of ornithologists, in 

 order to enhance the value of my larger undertaking. 



Tills List is founded upon the " Handlist of Birds " by Dr. 

 Bowdler Sharpe, who has promised me his support, and has, as 

 will be seen over, encouraged me to commence the task of pub- 

 lishing my proposed work " The Coloured Figures of the Birds of 

 Australasia." Dr.. Sharpe has very kindly lent me the proofs of 

 the fifth volume of his " Handlist " (now in the press) to enable 

 me to make my own " Handlist " more complete. I also have 

 the support of the Hon. Walter Eothschild and Dr. Hartert, of the 

 Tring Museum, as well as of other eminent ornithologists. 



Within the last few years, however, the principal additions to 

 our knowledge of Australian birds have been due to the work of 

 Australian naturalists, notably to Mr. A. J. North, of the Aus- 

 tralian Museum, Sydney, Messrs. D. Le Souef, A. J. Campbell, 

 and Robert Hall, of Melbourne, and many other naturalists whose 

 names are too nuixierous to mention here, but to whom I hope to 

 do justice in my larger work. 



This "Handlist," like all compilations of the kind, is sure to con- 

 tain imperfections, especially as regards geographical distribution. 

 In the course of his work at the Natural History Museum the atten- 

 tion of the author has been frequently drawn by Dr. l^owdler Sharpe 

 to the want of exact definition of the ranges of many of the Austra- 

 lian species, and though such wide terms as " New South Wales," 

 " Queensland," &c., are sufficient for a general handlist of birds 

 such as that published by the British Museum, it is only in the 

 fifth volume of that work that the ranges of Australian birds are 

 given with any attempt at exact definition, from notes supplied by 

 Mr. A. J. North. The author will, therefore, be grateful to any of 

 his brother ornithologists who will send him notes on the geo- 

 graphical ranges of any species, as well as any observations on 

 habits, nesting, food, migration, &c., for all of which he promises 

 full acknowledgment in his forthcoming work. 



My intention is to publish a set of hand-coloured plates of the 

 birds of Australasia, drawn by Mr. J. G. Keulemans, to which 

 work this " Handlist " is a preliminary. In preparing the latter 



