vi. PREFACE. 



The author begs to acknowledge the assistance he has received 

 in the preparation of this vohime, from the British Museum, the 

 United States National Museum, the London Zoological Society, 

 Graf von Berlepsch, Robert Ridgway, Osbert Salvin, Auguste Salle, 

 Eugene Simon, Chas. Cory, Salles, Lawrence, and many others, to 

 all of whom he offers his best thanks. He has been also very 

 much helped in his task by perusing the excellent works on 

 Trochilidae, of Vieillot, Lesson, Jardine, Gould, Gray, Sclater, 

 Salvin, Mulsant, Elliot, Berlepsch, Lawrence, Ridgway, Sharpe, 

 Taczanowski, Cabanis, Reichenbach, Heine, and others. 



In the future, the author hopes to be able to issue a certain 



number of plates figuring the heads of all the genera recognised in 



this volume. The drawings are ready, but he has not been able 



yet to find a suitable engraver. 



A. B. 



Spring Vale, 



Isle of Wight, 



December, 1895. 



