INTRODUCTION. 



The original intention was to prepare a list of the species of 

 British Guiana birds in the collection of the late Mr. F. V. 

 McConnell, for publication in some periodical, in order to 

 record species that were hitherto unknown to occur in the (.'olony, 

 and to describe the plumages of some of the species that were 

 not given, for want of material, in the ' Catalogue ' of the Birds in 

 the British Museum. But after the death of Mr. McConnell the 

 writer was requested by Mrs. McConnell to give descriptions to 

 each of the species^ with a view to publishing it in book-form — 

 hence the present work — which will occupy two volumes. 



The classification followed is the same as that used by Brabourne 

 and Chubb in their ' List of the Birds of South America.' 



The aim of the present work has ])een to describe each famil}- 

 and give an outline of its general distribution with the number 

 of the genera and species that are known to occur in South 

 America, and also the number of those represented in British 

 Guiana. To describe each genus, many of which have been 

 illustrated l)y text-figures, and to give diagnostic keys to the 

 species. To give the reference to the original description of each 

 species, with its type locality, and any further references that apply 

 particularly to British Guiaiui, and the Catalogue of the Birds in 

 tlie collection of the British Museum — Volumes I. to XXVI 1. — 

 1874 to 1898. To record the (bite of the breeding-season, aiul 

 give a desc)ii)tion of the nest and eggs and an abstract of the 

 notes on the liabits whenever they occur in the works of refcrenct* 

 mentioned in the l)ibli()graphy. To rec<»rd also the hn-alities whoro 



