PREFACE. 



More than one-third of the present volume (pp. 1-309, inclusive) 

 was printed in 1911, having been intended for Part V; but, as stated 

 in the Preface to that volume, could not be included therein without 

 unduly increasing the bulk. The matter has, however, been revised, 

 and to a large extent reset, in order to bring the subject up to date. 

 A similar fate has befallen two large groups intended for the present 

 volume, namely, the Coccygifonnes (Cuckoo-like Birds) and Psitta- 

 ciformes (Parrots); the former having been left out at the last 

 moment (for the same reason as were the Woodpeckers from Part V), 

 after having been entirely put in type,' the latter in large part com- 

 pleted in manuscript. 



The Families of birds included in the present and preceding vol- 

 umes are as follows : 



Part I, issued October 24, 1901, included the FringilUdse (Finches) 

 alone. 



Part II, issued October 16, 1902,includedtheTanagridse(Tanagers), 

 Icteridse (Tfeupials), Ccerebidse (Honey Creepers), and Mniotiltidse 

 (Wood Warblers). 



Part III, issued December 31, 1904, included the Motacilhdse (Wag- 

 tails and Pipits), Hirundinidse (Swallows), Ampelidse (Waxwings), 

 Ptilogonatidse (Silky Flycatchers), Dulidse (Pahn Chats), VireonidaB 

 (Vireos), Laniidse (Shrikes), Corvidse (Crows and Jays), ParidsB (Tit- 

 mice), Sittidffi (Nuthatches), Certhiidse (Creepers), Troglodytidse 

 (Wrens), Cinclidae (Dippers), Chamseidae (Wren-Tits), and Sylviidse 

 (Warblers) . 



Part IV, issued July 1, 1907, contained the remaining groups of 

 Oscines, namely, the Turdidse (Thrushes), Zeledoniidse (Wren- 

 Thrushes), Mimidae (Mockingbirds), Stumidse (Starlings), Ploceidse 

 (Weaverbirds), and Alaudidse (Larks), together with the Haploo- 

 phone or Oligomyodian Mesomyodi, comprising Oxyruncidae (Sharp- 

 bills), Tyrannidse (Tyrant Flycatchers), Pipridse (ManaMns), and 

 Cotingidae (Chatterers). 



Part V, issued November 29, 1911, includes the Tracheophone 

 Mesomyodi, represented by the Pteroptochidae (Tapaculos), Formi- 

 cariidse (Antbirds), Fumariidae (Ovenbirds), and DendrocolaptidaB 



1 Tliis matter, comprising 101 printed pages, will appear In Part VII. 



