

PREFACE. 



On" bringing the thirty-eighth volume of this Journal 

 to a conclusion, the Editors of ' The Ibis ' wish to 

 express their thanks to the contributors who have 

 rendered them assistance during the past year. Ou 

 turninnj over the pages of the second volume of the 

 Seventh Series it will be found that articles have been 

 received from nearly every part of the globe, except 

 perhaps from the United States, where an excellent 

 periodical devoted to the same science naturally 

 absorbs the energies of American ornithologists. 



The Editors are always anxious to secure new 

 contributors, and in the present volume they have 

 been fortunate enough to succeed in doing this in 

 several instances. It is sad to think of the severe 

 losses among the older Members of the Union, but 

 it is some alleviation to find that the younger men 

 are disposed to come forward with aid. 



As regards the general strength of the British 

 Ornithologists' Union, nothing can be more satis- 



