PREFACE. 



At the Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement 

 of Science held at Dundee in 191 2 the Committee which had for 

 tvventy years watched and assisted the progress of Mr C. Davies 

 Sherboms bibh*ographical labours presented their final Report, stating 

 that the Trustees of the British Museum had consented to assume 

 responsibilities in connexion with this work. The production of a 

 second section of the " Index Animalium" as an official publication 

 of the Museum is the logical consequence of the Trustees' decision. 



The first instalment, now issued, includes the Bibliography, and the 

 commencement of the actual Index, for the period 1 801- 1850, which 

 is to constitute the main part of the work. 



The Introduction contains acknowledgments of assistance rendered 

 to the author during the progress of his investigations. It is necessary 

 for me to add a few words to express the indebtedness of the Trustees 

 to Mr Sherbom himself, who has devoted the best years of his life 

 to this labour of love, so well calculated to lighten the burdens of 

 Zoologists in the future. During the many years in which Mr Sher- 

 born has worked in the Museum his colleagues and others have made 

 constant use of the manuscript sHps which are now reproduced, and 

 they have repeatedly been indebted to him for assistance. It is hoped 

 that his unremitting efforts to smooth the path of his successors will 

 be appreciated as they deserve by a larger public. 



SIDNEY F. HARMER, 

 Director. 



British MusEUM (Natural History) 

 October 192 1. 



