Recently published Ornithological Works. 275 



portion of the work, 636 are " endemic" — i. e., not found out- 

 side the geographical limits selected. Of the endemic species, 

 271 are restricted to Mexico, Honduras, or Guatemala, 3 to 

 Nicaragua, and 162 to Costa Rica or Panama, the remainder 

 being more widely distributed within the area treated. 

 The Trochilidae are the most numerous family in Central 

 America, having 118 representatives, and the Fringillida?, 

 with 104 species, come next. 



" To summarize the results arrived at, the Avifauna of 

 Central America may be described as essentially Neotropical, 

 with certain peculiar forms (such as Oreophasis derbianus, 

 Meleagris ocellata, Pharomacrus mocinno, and Zeledonia 

 coronata) restricted to it. Central America, as here treated, 

 is in fact merely a subregion of the Neotropical Region, 

 with a large admixture of Nearctic forms, especially during 

 the northern winter." 



Mr. Godmau next proceeds to describe shortly the various 

 journeys made by Salvin and himself to Central America in 

 quest of materials for the present work. Salvin went three 

 times to Guatemala, in 1857, 1861, and 1867, accompanied 

 during part of his second journey by Mr. Godman. His 

 usual headquarters were Dueiias, about 30 miles south of 

 the capital, situated between the volcanoes of Agua and 

 Fuego, but many other places were visited and the whole 

 country was carefully searched. In 1887-8 Mr. Godman 

 made an expedition to Southern Mexico and took with him 

 some excellent collectors, all of whom did good work and 

 continued to obtain specimens for him after his return home. 

 The assistance of other collectors was also obtained — Rogers 

 in Costa Rica, Lloyd and Armstrong in Northern Mexico, 

 Gaumer in Yucatan, Blancaneaux in British Honduras, 

 and McCleannan on the Panama Railway. Other large 

 collections were acquired by purchase, and from all quarters 

 an enormous series of 86,000 bird-skins was assembled, 

 which by a noble act of generosity has been transferred to 

 the British Museum at South Kensington. 



The Introduction to the " Birds " of the ' Biologia ' con- 

 cludes with tables shewing the distribution first of the families 



