iv 
to the student to obtain a fully illustrated account of these animals in a connected 
form, I obtained the permission of both Societies to withdraw my papers for that 
purpose ; and as by far the greater part of the specimens form part of the National 
Collection, the Trustees of the British Museum were pleased to accept my proposal to 
publish the whole as a volume of the series of publications issued from the Zoological 
Department. 
Finally, I have to express my thanks to the President and Council of the Royal 
Society for permission to reproduce for this work the thirteen plates illustrating 
my first paper in the ' Philosophical Transactions.' The majority of these plates are 
unaltered reprints ; but in some alterations have been introduced, viz. in Plates XXX., 
XXXI., XL VI., & XLVII. 
British Ihiseum, Dec. 19, 1877 
ALBERT GUNTHEE, 
Keeper of the Deparimoit of Zoohi/i/. 
