16 PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 
distribution of the species and subspecies was undertaken by the 
Committee as a whole, each member in turn taking it in hand, while 
the incorporation of typographic and other rectifications made during 
the sessions of the Committee,' and the final preparation of the manu- 
script for the printer, was referred to a subcommittee consisting of 
the Editor of ‘The Auk,’ to whom was also assigned the general 
editorial supervision of the work. 
The following extracts from the Introduction to the Code of Nomen- 
clature (pp. 14, 15) will serve to explain the scope and plan of the 
Check-List, including the method of incorporating additions. 
“1. That the term ‘North American,’ as applied to the proposed List of 
Birds, be held to include the continent of North America north of the present 
United States and Mexican boundary, and Greenland; and the peninsula of 
Lower California, with the islands naturally belonging thereto. 
“2. That species be numbered consecutively, and that subspecies be 
enumerated by affixing the letters, a, b, c, ete., to the number borne by their 
respective species; provided, that any subspecies of a species not included in 
the North American Fauna shall be separately numbered as if a species. 
“3. That stragglers or accidental visitors, not regarded as components of 
the North American Fauna, be distinguished by having their respective num- 
bers in brackets. 
“4. That any subsequent additions to the list be interpolated in systema- 
tic order, and bear the number of the species immediately preceding, with 
the addition of a figure (1, 2, etc., as the case may require), separated from the 
original number by a period or decimal point, thus giving the interpolated 
number a decimal form (e. g., 243.1, ete.), in order that the original numbers 
may be permanent. 
* * * * * * * * * * * * 
“6. That Giraud’s at present unconfirmed species of Texan birds be in- 
cluded in the List on Giraud’s authority. 
“7, That species and subspecies the zodlogical status of which cannot be 
satisfactorily determined, like, e. g., Regulus cuviert and Spiza townsendi of 
Audubon, be referred to a hypothetical list, in each case with a brief statement 
of the reasons for such allocation. 
“8. That a list of the fossil species of North American birds be added as 
an Appendix to the List proper. 
1 The Committee desires to here acknowledge valuable assistance received, especially 
in the preparation of the geographic portions of the list, from Major Charles Bendire, Mr. 
Frank M. Chapman, Dr. Walter Faxon, Dr. A. K. Fisher, Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., and Dr. 
T. 8. Palmer. The Committee is further indebted to Dr. Palmer for numerous correc- 
tions in the citations of original references. 
