viii PREFACE. 



individuals. Of these tlie foremost on the Ust must be the names of M. Jules Bourcier, 

 of Paris, and Thomas Reeves, Esq., of Rio de Janeiro. Both these gentlemen have made 

 extensive collections of specimens, and had numerous drawings prepared for the express purpose 

 of pubHshing works on the subject, all of which with the utmost liberahty have been placed 

 at my disposal. To M. Bourcier, than whom no one possesses a more intimate acquaintance 

 with this group of birds, I am likewise indebted for much valuable information, which has been 

 at all times rendered with the utmost willingness and promptitude. My thanks are also due to 

 the Trustees and the Keepers of the Zoological Department of the British Museum ; to the 

 Director of the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes at Paris ; to Dr. Peters, Director of the Royal 

 Zoological Museum of Berlin; to George Ure Skinner, Esq., long resident in Guatemala; to 

 that intrepid traveller M. Warszewicz, now Director of the Botanic Garden at Cracow, who, 

 during his travels in South America, brought to light more new species of Humming-Birds than 

 any other explorer ; to my friends Sir William Jardine, Bart. ; W. C. L. Martin, Esq. ; T. C. 

 Eyton, Esq., ; Dr. Sclater ; Alfred Newton, Esq. ; M. Edouard Verreaux, of Paris ; G. N. 

 Lawrence, Esq., of New York; and Dr. Baird, of Washington; to Edward Wilson, Esq., to 

 Sigismund Rucker, Esq., F. Taylor, Esq., of Liverpool; William Tucker, Esq., of Trinidad; 

 and to T. F. Erskine, Esq., for the readiness with which they have at all times favoured me with 

 both information and the loan of specimens. To Miss Loddiges and her brother Mr. Conrad 

 lioddiges, I am imder considerable obligations for the facihty of access they have always 

 afforded me to the very valuable collection formed by their lamented father. Nor must the 

 name of another valued friend — the late Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte — be omitted from 

 the list of those who took great interest in the present work, he having at all times rendered 

 me that scientific assistance which his vast and varied talents so well enabled him to afford. 



September 1^ 1861. 



