SMITHSONIAN^ MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. 



168 '■ 



CIRCULAR 



RELATIVE TO 



COLLECTIONS OF BIRDS FKOM MIDDLE AND SOUTH AMERICA. 



The Smithsonian Institution is desirous of obtaining a complete 

 collection of the birds of Mexico, Central and South America, and 

 the West Indies, to be used in the preparation of a work on the 

 subject, and towards this end respectfully invites the co-opera- 

 tion of the Diplomatic and Naval officers of the United States, and 

 of the friends of science generally. 



As a chief object in making this collection is to determine with 

 accuracy the region inhabited by the different species of birds, 

 specimens of all kinds from any locality are desired, and espe- 

 cially the more common and familiar ones, as being the most 

 characteristic. These, as far as practicable, should include illus- 

 trations of the different sexes, ages, and changes of plumage of 

 the various species. 



The species to which attention should first be directed are the 

 smaller land birds, such as sparrows, wrens, thrushes, warblers, 

 creepers, fly-catchers, humming-birds, woodpeckers, cuckoos, par- 

 rots, swallows, etc., and next to them the hawks and owls. 

 The large water birds, as the ducks, geese, great herons, etc., are 

 of less immediate importance, as being better known. The galli- 

 naceous birds, as quails, tinamous, penelopes, curassows, etc., are 

 especially wanted. 



Complete' collections of the birds inhabiting the different islands 

 of the West Indies are particularly desired. 



If time and opportunity do not admit of collecting an exten- 

 sive series of birds of any locality, the Institution will be pleased 



