key letter, are the current vernacular or popular names of North 

 American species. The scientific names adopted are those of the 

 A. O. U. Check-List of 1895 with approved corrections to the end 

 of 1900, and for foreign species, as a rule, partly those of Sharpe's 

 ' Hand List ' and partly those of Ridgway's ' Birds of Middle and 

 North America ' to date of 1902. An asterisk indicates an original 

 description or a new name and an interrogation point a reference 

 doubtfully placed. 



4. Synonyms or Cross References. Each refers directly to the 

 name with which it is synonymised in this index and some are merely 

 cross references rather than actual synonyms. Vernacular names 

 in modern foreign languages have been discarded. 



5. Miscellaneous Items. Everything not provided for in the 

 other primary divisions is included in these items, such as notices 

 of journals and the classified subject matter of body articles under 

 various headings such as ' Distribution," ' ^Migration,' ' New Species,' 

 ■ Nidification ' and many others. 



Uniformity and clearness have been sought in the use of type, 

 punctuation, capitals and other details and a word of praise is due 

 the i)rinter and the compositor for their share in the work. In 

 spelling, in adjective endings and in variants absolute uniformity has 

 not been possible ; nor will the information found in a single item 

 always seem adequate, but every reference will, it is hoped, show the 

 way to further knowledge. 



The Council of the American Ornithologists' Union on November 

 13, 1899, appointed Dr. Jonathan D wight, Jr., Chairman of the 

 Index Committee, which was organized and began work the follow- 

 ing winter, but many causes have contributed to delay the earlier 

 completion of the index. The composition of the committee was as 

 follows, the actual indexers being marked with an asterisk : — an 

 editorial subcommittee consisting of the Chairman,* Dr. J. A. 

 Allen, Mr. Chas. F. Batchelder and Dr. C. Hart Merriam, the other 

 members being Mr. Wm. L. Baily,* Mr. Chester Barlow (since de- 

 ceased), Mr. Paul Bartsch,* Mr. Arthur C. Bent,* Dr. Louis B. 

 Bishop,* Dr. Wm. C. Braislin,* Mr. Wm. Brewster, Prof. Lawrence 

 Bruner, Mr. M. Chamberlain,* Mr. Walter Deane,* Mr. Wm. 

 Dutcher,* Dr. Walter Faxon, Dr. A. K. Fisher,* Mr. L. S. Foster* 

 (since deceased), Mr. Ralph HofTmann,* Mr. Arthur H. Howell,* 

 Prof. Lynds Jones,* Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr.,* Mr. Richard C. 

 McGregor,* Mr. W. H. Osgood, Dr. Theo. S. Palmer, Mr. Chas. J. 



