PREFACE. XIII 



Mr. Witmer Stone, Conservator of the Ornithological Section/ and 

 the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, through Mr. C. B. Cory, Cura- 

 tor of the Department of Ornithologj',' have likewise responded most 

 generously to requests for the loan of specimens, as has also the Boston 

 Society of Natural History, the last-mentioned establishment furnishing 

 a number of Lafresnaye's types. 



The Costa Rica National Museum, through its former Director, 

 Senor Anastasio Alfaro, has materially aided in the preparation of this 

 work by the loan and gift of a large number of most interesting sjiec- 

 imens. The author is likewise greatly indebted for similar assistance 

 to Seiior Jos6 C. Zeledon, of San Jose, and Mr. George K. Cherrie, 

 formerly connected with the Costa Rica National Museum, especially 

 the former, who has not only donated many hundreds of specimens to 

 the United States National Museum, but has in addition given mucli 

 valuable information through correspondence. 



Besides the public institutions and their officers mentioned above 

 the author is under obligations to many individuals for similar aid. 

 These are far too numerous to permit all being mentioned by name. 

 Those who have rendered the greatest assistance are Mr. William 

 Brewster, of Cambridge, and Mr. Outram Bangs, of Boston, Massachu- 

 setts; Mr. A. W. Anthony, of San Diego, Mr. R. C. McGregor, of 

 Palo Alto, and Mr. Joseph Grinnell, of Pasadena, California. 



Although the drudgery of measuring thousands of specimens and 

 compiling practically all the references for the synonymy has fallen on 

 the author, considerable assistance in these matters has been rendered 

 by others. Most of the FringillidaB, Corvidse, and Mniotiltidse were 

 measured by Mr. J. H. Riley, Aid in the Division of Birds; the 

 IcteridaB, the' Ccerebidse, and part of the Mniotiltidse were measured 

 by Mr. Sidney S. Wilson. Dr. C. W. Richmond, Assistant Curator 

 of the Division of Birds, has supplied many references, especially 

 of uncited combinations, while Mr. W. P. Hay has gone carefully 

 over the manuscript of the first volume and supplied, from the origi- 

 nals, such data as to pagination, type locality, etc., as had been omitted 

 or mai'ked as doubtful. 



In conclusion, the author desires to say that while unavoidable limi- 

 tations have prevented the realization of his ideal in the present work, 

 no pains nor labor have been spared to make it the best that was prac- 

 ticable under the circumstances. 



Robert Ridgway. 



United States National Museum, 



Washingtcni, D. (7., JuVy i, 1901. 



^The Academy's entire collection of Icteridaj and Corvidse, with ttie exception of 

 certain specimens whicli can not be lent owing to conditions accompanying their gift 

 to the Academy. 



^ Large aeries of the West Indian genera Euelheia, and Pyrrliulagra. 



