PREFACE. 



At the Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement 

 of Science held at Dundee in 191 2 the Committee which had for 

 twenty years watched and assisted the progress of Mr C. Davies 

 Sherborn's bibh"ographical labours presented their final Report, stating 

 that the Trustees of the British Museum had consented to assume 

 responsibilities in connexion with this work. The production of a 

 second section of the " Index Animahum " as an official pubHcation 

 of the Museum is the logical consequence of the Trustees' decision. 



The first instalment, now issued, includes the Bibhography, and the 

 commencement of the actual Index, for the period 1801-1850, which 

 is to constitute the main part of the work. 



The Introduction contains acknowledgments of assistance rendered 

 to the author during the progress of his investigations. It is necessary 

 for me to add a few words to express the indebtedness of the Trustees 

 to Mr Sherborn himself, who has devoted the best years of his Hfe 

 to this labour of love, so well calculated to Hghten the burdens of 

 Zoologists in the future. During the many years in which Mr Sher- 

 born has worked in the Museum his coHeagues and others have made 

 constant use of the manuscript slips which are now reproduced, and 

 they have repeatedly been indebted to him for assistance. It is hoped 

 that his unremitting efforts to smooth the path of his successors will 

 be appreciated as they deserve by a larger pubHc. 



SIDNEY F. HARMER, 



Director. 



British AIuseum (Natural History), 

 October 1921. 



