PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 



'T'HE first edition of this Check-List of North American Birds was 

 published in 1886/ and the second (revised) in 1895.^ The 

 preparation of the present (third) edition was authorized at a Stated 

 Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union held in New York City, 

 November 13-16, 1905, the work being assigned to the Committee on 

 Nomenclature and Classification of North American Birds. Another 

 Committee was at the same time appointed to make a critical examina- 

 tion of the A. O. U. Code of Nomenclature, with a view to amending 

 some of its provisions, should such revision seem desirable. This 

 Committee, after prolonged consideration of the subject, made its 

 report, which was adopted by the Council of the Union, and a small 

 edition of the revised Code was issued in July, 1908.' The 'New 

 Code' is thus the basis of the nomenclatural rulings of the present 

 Check-List. 



The Committee on Nomenclature and Classification, besides 

 holding numerous sessions covering a period of four years, appor- 

 tioned much of the labor of preparing the Check-List among various 

 subcommittees, the work of individual members of the Committee 

 between its sessions being thus the real measure of its activities. The 

 results have been made public in two supplements (Fourteenth and 



' The Code ofNomendature | and | Check-List of North American Biids | adopted by 

 the American Ornithologists' Union | being the Report of the Committee | of the Union 

 on Classification and Nomenclature | — | Zoological Nomenclature is a means, not an 

 end, of Zoological , Science | — | New York | American Ornithologists' Union | 1886. — 

 8vo, pp. viii + 392. 



2 Check-List | of | North American Birds | Prepared by a Committee | of the American 

 Ornithologists' Union | Second and Revised Edition | — | Zoological Nomenclature is a 

 means, not an end, of Zoological Science | — | New York | American Ornithologists' 

 Union | 1895 — 8vo, pp. xi + 372. 



3 The I Code of Nomenclature i adopted by the | American Ornithologists' Union | — | 

 Revised Edition | — | Zoological Nomenclature is a means, not an end, of Zoological 

 Science | — | New York | American Ornithologists' Union | July, 1908 — 8vo, pp. i- 

 Ixxxv. Edition, 200 copies + 150 printed later. 



