PREFACE. 
x 
Special thanks are gratefully offered to those who have been of much 
assistance. Although it is difficult to draw the line between great assistance and 
moderate assistance, we may mention that Dr. Bergroth’s lists have been most 
valuable. We owe to him the discovery of many names to which his own is not 
appended. Dr. Oudemans has sent a complete list of the genera of Acari. 
This was very important, as the number of names of genera of Acari omitted 
from previous lists is almost incredibly large. The list sent by him of genera 
in Carus and Gerstaecker has given us considerable perplexity, as C. & G. 
give no references whatever, so that it is difficult to decide whether a name 
that appears in thoir list may bo correct or a slightly different form of some 
other name. 
Mr. C. D. Sherborn has kindly compiled for us the entries from Gistl’s “ Natur- 
geschichte des Thierreichs.” This work has been overlooked by zoologists, and 
we fear is destined to give rise to much perplexity. 
Mr. F. H. Waterhouse sent an interleaved copy of his “Index Generum 
Avium.” This w r as valuable ; the proportion of names of genera of birds omitted 
from previous lists being surprisingly great. Dr. F. Moore and Dr. Holland sent 
useful lists of Lepidopterous names. Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell furnished a list of all 
the genera described by him. Mr. J. Hartley Durrant furnished a list in which 
there wore about 70 additions. Dr. L. O. Howard sent a good list. Dr. II. H. 
Field sent one from which we obtained several omitted names, and Mr. G. W. 
Kirkakly furnished clues to other omissions. Mr. Nathan Banks, of Virginia ; 
Mr. Edgar R. Waite, of the Australian Museum, Sydney; Mr. Peckliam, of 
Wisconsin ; Dr. R. H. Traquair, and Mr. E. R. Sykes, each contributed a 
valuable list. 
It is, perhaps, well to remark that our Index gives a name no authority. That 
a name appears in it, or in Scudder, is no assurance that it is in any way valid 
or good. This point can only be settled by systematists. We hope that one of the 
ways in which our Index will be valuable is that it will bring before them the 
points we have to settle. 
Except for some 3000 names collected by Mr. Waterhouse and a few by the 
Editor, our Index is not drawn directly from the original sources, and we havd 
not thought it proper to adopt any course that would give it an appearance 
of finality that it does not really possess. It is an Index of clues, and the 
student must go to the original for authentic information. 
The preparation of this list has involved a great deal of work, and the passing 
of it through the press has been no slight task. Every name and figure taken 
from the “ Zoological Record ” Indexes has been checked by comparison with 
the original Index to ensure accuracy. 
The members of the staff of Zoology at the British Museum have been most 
helpful by furnishing information, as well as clues to a variety of enigmas ; 
and the compiler of the Index, Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, wishes me especially 
to thank Mr. G. A. Boulenger, Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Mr. W. F. Kirby, Prof. F. 
Jeffrey Bell, Mr. R. I. Pocock, Mr. R. Kirkpatrick, Mr. F. Bather, and Dr. 
Forsyth Major. Messrs. G. J. Arrow, E. E. Austen, F. J. Bell, C. J. Gahan, 
F. ,A. Heron, and E. A. Smith have given much time and attention to keeping 
the proofs accurate. I have the greatest pleasure in thanking them for their 
effective assistance. 
Dr. S. F. Harmer has helped me in dealing with the names of Bryozoa. The 
