534 MR. SCLATER ON THE 'CHALLENGER' BIRDS. [JuDC 19, 



1 . Keports on the Collections of Birds made during the Voyage 

 of H.M.S. ' Challenger.' — No. I. General Remarks on 

 the Collections. By P. L. Sclater, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S. 



[Eeceived May 24, 1877.] 



At the request of Sir C. Wyville Thomson, I have had great 

 pleasure in undertaking the determination of the skins of birds col- 

 lected during the voyage of H.M.S. ' Challenger ' round the world 

 in the years 1874-6. The whole collection embraces about 900 

 specimens iu skins, besides which there is a considerable series of sea- 

 birds in salt and spirit, which will be used principally for anatomical 

 purposes, and a collection of eggs, principally of oceanic species. 



The collection was formed under the superintendence of Mr. John 

 Murray, one of the naturalists of the Expedition, and the skins chiefly 

 prepared by Mr. Frederick Pearcey, who accompanied the vessel as 

 taxidermist. They are, nearly without exception, in an excellent 

 state of preservation. 



Mr. Murray has placed at my disposal his ornithological note-book, 

 which contains the history of every individual specimen, and many 

 other particulars, which add greatly to the value of the collection. 



It will be recollected that the main object of the ' Challenger ' 

 Expedition was the exploration of the depths of the ocean, and that 

 the collecting of birds of any sort, especially land birds, formed but 

 a very subordinate part of the original plan. Ornithologists must 

 therefore not be surprised that so small a collection was made 

 during a three years' voyage, but rather be very thankful to Sir C. 

 Wyville Thomson and his coadjutors for having devoted so much 

 extra attention to a branch of science in which investigations were 

 not required of them. 



For the purpose of study, I have divided the collection of bird- 

 skins as follows : — 



A. Terrestrial Birds. 



B. Oceanic Birds. 



The Terrestrial Birds fall into the following ten geographical cate- 

 gories, to which I have added the approximate number of skins : — 



1. Atlantic Islands, i. e. Tristan da Cunha and luacessible 12 



2. Kerguelen Land 16 



3. Cape York, Australia , 60 



4. Aroo Islands 62 



5. Moluccas, i. e. Banda, Ternate, Amboyna, and Ke. ... 70 



6. Philippines 95 



7. Admiralty Islands 56 



8. South Pacific Islands, i. e. Friendly Islands, Fijis, New 



Hebrides, and Tahiti 135 



9. Sandwich Islands 24 



10. Antarctic America, Juan Fernandez, and Falklands . . 149 



Total approximate number of skins .... 679 



