PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION 



In the ten years that have elapsed since the second 

 -edition of this work was published in 1891, numerous ex- 

 plorers and collectors have largely increased our knowledge 

 of the forms of life in the less known regions of the globe, 

 and many of the more interesting islands and archipelagoes 

 have received special attention. 



This has resulted in a very large increase in the number 

 of species of animals and plants known to inhabit them, 

 especially in the more popular groups such as the birds, 

 and in a less degree in mammalia and some orders of 

 insects, as well as in the terrestrial mollusca. This has 

 necessitated a complete revision of the lists of species in 

 many of the islands, and sometimes in a modification of 

 the conclusions drawn from them. In the two most 

 remarkable Oceanic Islands, the Galapagos and the 

 Sandwich groups, a very great increase has been made,, 

 especially in the birds. In Borneo and the Philippines 

 the increase both in birds and mammals has been even 

 more remarkable, while the interesting and very anomalous 

 island of Celebes has received special attention, and has 

 been the subject of two very important works — one (in 

 English) on the birds by Dr. Meyer of Dresden and the 

 late Mr. Wigglesworth, while Drs. Paul and Fritz Sarasin 

 are publishing (in German) a work on the whole Biology 

 and Geology of the Island, of which four large and finely 

 illustrated volumes have already appeared. 



