PREFACE. 



It will be evident that the Editors have had no 

 lack of contributions to complain of during the 

 past twelve months. In bulk, at least, the twenty- 

 seventh volume of ' The Ibis ' fairly equals the 

 majority of its predecessors, and, it is believed, does 

 not fall short of them as regards the interesting nature 

 of its contents. 



In other countries also there seems to be no abate- 

 ment in the love of our favourite science ; for, al- 

 though one of our contemporaries has lately come 

 to a sudden termination, a new and flourishing journal 

 of ornithology was commenced last year, and the first 

 part of another new organ of ornithological science 

 has just made its appearance. Under such circum- 

 stances it is manifest that, notwithstanding the 

 "• universal depression " now so much spoken of, we 

 have little to fear as regards the future progress of 

 Ornithology. 



P. L. S. 



H. S. 



London, October 1st. 1885. 



