PREFACE. 



It will be observed that the bulk of this year's ' Ibis ' 

 somewhat exceeds the usual dimensions of the annual 

 volume. This is mainly owing to the translation of 

 Sundevall's Essay on " The Wings of Birds," which 

 has been prepared in conformity with the wishes of 

 some of our most valued supporters. Sundevall's 

 paper, although issued so long ago as 1843, and twice 

 translated into German (Isis, 1846, pp. 324-366, and 

 Journ. f. Orn. 1855, pp. 118-168), seems to have 

 attracted so little attention in this country that, on 

 the subject being recently taken up again, there 

 appeared to be some probability that the whole work 

 would be commenced de novo. Under these circum- 

 stances it was thought desirable that this excellent 

 memoir should be recalled to public notice by the 

 issue of an English translation. 



In connexion with this subject we are desirous of 

 calling special attention to the series of specimens 

 illustrative of every part of the structure of Birds 

 now in course of preparation for the British Museum 

 of Natural History, which deserves the minute study 

 of every Ornithologist. 



. P. L. S. 



H. S. 



London, October 1st. 188G. 



