Birds. 89 



In the earlier days of the British Museum there does not 

 seem to have been any attempt to issue an authentic Guide-book 

 as to its contents. An anonymous author pul)lished a little 

 work in 1761, entitled "The General Contents of the British 

 Museum : with Remarks. Serving as a Directory in viewing that 

 ISToble Cabinet." Two editions of this book (1761, 1762) were 

 pi'inted for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall Mall. The remarks on 

 the bird collections are of no importance. 



We are, therefore, only able to gain some idea of the extent 

 of these early collections from the " General Synopsis of Bu'ds," 

 compiled by the celebrated ornithologist, Dr. John Latham, of 

 Dartford. In this great work, consisting of three volumes (each 

 in two parts, making six volumes in all), with two Supplements, 

 •he describes all the birds known to him, and bestows an English 

 name on each, many of these names being still accepted in 

 popular parlance at the present day. The great value of 

 Latham's book, as a history, consists in the fact that he indicated 

 the species existing in the British Museum at the end of the 

 18tli century, so that we are able to compile a tolerably 

 complete record of the contents of the Bird-room in the first 

 days of the British Museum. 



Latham separates Birds into two Divisions, viz. Land Birds 

 (Vols, i.-ii., 1781-1783), and Water Birds (Vol. iii., 1785) ; 

 ■each volume being in two parts. 



His object was to give a complete list of known birds, 

 with descriptions and synonymy. He included all the species 

 mentioned by Buffon in his " Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux," 

 and followed Ray in his primary division of the class into 

 " Land " and " Water " Birds. He also determined to adhere to 

 Linnean Genera, except in a few cases, and proclaimed his 

 scheme in his " Preface " (p. iv) as follows : — 



' ' In these sheets will be found near four times the number of 

 birds mentioned in the " Systema Naturse " ; the additions to which 

 will be drawn from the authors which have appeared since that 

 publication, added to a great number of species not mentioned 

 before by anyone. This we shall be enabled to do from the 

 numerous collections in Natural History which have been formed 

 of late years in England, and in which, in course, a multitude of 

 new subjects have been introduced from various parts of the 

 world, but more especially within these few years from the 

 indefatigable researches of those who have made so great dis- 

 coveries in the Southern Ocean." 



