ONriaS 



PREFACE. 



JoHANN Georg Wagler, wliose name is well known 

 to all interested in Herpetology and Ornithology, was 

 born on the 28th of March, 1800, in Nuremberg, Avhere 

 his father was Chancellor of the City Court. After 

 attending the gymnasium of his native city, where he 

 showed a special predilection for Natural History, he 

 began his scientific studies at the University of Erlangen 

 in 1818. 



On the return of Spix and Martins from their 

 celebrated expedition to Brazil in tlie following year, 

 Wagler was invited, at the early age of nineteen, to 

 become their Assistant in the Museum of the Academy 

 of Sciences at Munich, and afterwards was made one of 

 their colleagues. In 1820 he obtained the degree of 

 Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Leipsic, and 

 in 1825, after he had assisted Spix in most of his 

 zoological works, was sent by King Maximilian-Joseph 

 on a special mission to visit the Museums of Holland, 

 England, and France. During this journey Wagler 

 not only made the personal acquaintance of the most 

 eminent naturalists of these countries, but also suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a large number of valuable speci- 

 mens for the Museum and Menagerie of Munich. In 

 1827 Wagler was appointed Professor Extraordinary in 

 the then newly instituted University of Munich, where 

 his excellent lectures, grounded upon his great and 

 varied knowledge, rendered him specially acceptable to 

 his pupils. 



