PREFACE. 



THE plan and execution of the present work, which, it is hoped, 

 will materially assist in lightening the labours of working Orni- 

 thologists, are entirely due to Mr. Waterhouse. 



I have only assisted him by general advice, by looking over the 

 proof-sheets, and by writing these few words of preface. 



It will be observed that, as its title implies, the ' Index Generum 

 Avium ' consists merely of an alphabetical list of about 7000 terms 

 that have been employed or suggested by various authors, since 

 the date of the twelfth edition^ of Linnseus's ' Systema Naturae/ as 

 generic and subgeneric names for Birds, and of references to the 

 places and dates of their publication. No attempt has been made 

 to discriminate between these various terms as to \vhich of them 

 should be most correctly employed. Such points are left for the 

 decision of those who use the * Index/ But so much time is often 

 lost in ascertaining where and when a generic name was first given, 

 that it is believed that the information thus accumulated in a handy 

 form cannot fail to be of much practical value. 



The author does not profess that the ' Index ' is complete, but 

 as Librarian of the Zoological Society of London, and thus with 

 one of the best series of ornithological books in the world at his 

 command, he has done his utmost to render it free from errors and 

 omissions. Except in the few cases where they are marked with 

 an asterisk, all the references have been personally verified. 



The author wishes to express his acknowledgment of the liberality 

 of the Council of the Society in contributing the sum of twenty- 

 five pounds towards the cost of the present publication. Without 

 such assistance it is obviously impossible that a work of this 

 character could repay its expenses. 



P. L. SCLATER. 



3 Hanover Square, London, W. 

 August iBt, 1889. 



