PREFACE. 



During the last ten years I have been making a collection of 

 Japanese Birds, and have accumulated a carefully selected series of 

 more than two thousand skins, out of the many thousands that have 

 passed through my hands. I am indebted to Captain Blakiston for 

 the most interesting of these specimens, some of which were in the 

 Swinhoe Collection, whilst others were sent to me from time to time 

 during the many years' residence of Captain Blakiston at Hakodadi. 

 I am also indebted to the late Mr. Harry Pryer for many skins of 

 birds from Southern Japan, and at his death, after many years' resi- 

 dence in Yokohama, when his collection came into my hands, I 

 began to prepare my notes on Japanese Birds for the press. I have 

 also to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Hey wood Jones for a 

 small collection of skins from Fuji-yama, and to Mr. Ringer, of 

 Nagasaki, for some very rare birds from Kiu-siu. I am much 

 indebted to the Curator of the Norwich Museum for arranging their 

 valuable collection of Japanese skins so that it could be examined 

 without difficulty ; and I have to thank Dr. Stejneger of Washington 

 for valuable information respecting the interesting collections made 

 in Southern Japan by Messrs. Jouy and Smith. I also take this 

 opportunity of thanking the Curators of the Museums of Leyden, 

 Bremen, Frankfort, Paris, Vienna, Philadelphia, and Washington 

 for showing me many interesting birds from the Japanese Empire. 



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