THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
All these alterations are due to the fact that the science of ornithology 
is just now passing through a revolutionary period, and until the necessary 
changes are made this state of uncertainty must persist. That the new 
ornithology is more scientific cannot be denied ; and the new method of 
portraying facts is more conducive to the advancement of knowledge, which 
is my sole aim. 
The most gratifying feature in connection with my work is the declared 
intention of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union (voiced by Mr. Milligan, 
Emu, Vol. XI., p. 136, 1911) “to give loyal adherence to the system presently 
adopted by the national authority on ornithology within the British Dominions 
— namely, the British Museum.” 
This action at once decides the acceptance of that adopted by me throughout 
this volume, as though at the time I made the step the British Museum 
ornithologists were not agreed as to their future action, the last stumbling-block 
has now been removed, and ornithologists throughout the world now follow the 
same rules that have been rigidly observed by me in selecting the nomenclature 
to be conserved. 
I can also add, on Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant’s authority, that the British 
Museum authorities have decided to discard the many useless generic names 
included by the late Bowdler Sharpe in the Handlist of Birds. 
My main object, however, in writing this Preface, is to tender thanks 
to all those who have so generously and materially aided me during the 
preparation of this work. 
Special thanks are due firstly to Mr. Bernard H. Woodward, Curator 
of the Perth Museum, Western Australia, who forwarded me for examina- 
tion the whole of the collection of bird-skins in that Museum. The value 
of this action can be understood from mention of the fact that the 
collection numbered over 5,000 skins. 
Secondly, I wish to sincerely thank my friends the Hon. Walter 
Rothschild and Dr. Ernst Hartert, for allowing me the free use of the 
valuable material in the Zoological Museum, Tring, and also for aid in 
determination. It is largely owing to the generosity of the Hon. Walter 
Rothschild, through gifts of the rarer bird-skins, especially Ptilinopus 
alligator, that I have been able to figure all the birds (save the extinct 
Emus and the unique Turnix olivii) from my collection. Dr. Hartert 
has also found time to read the proof-sheets, in spite of his heavy museum 
duties and the production of his own epoch-marking work, “ Die Vogel 
der palaarktischen Fauna.” 
I have also to thank the authorities of the British Museum for every 
assistance given me at that institution during the last five years, and 
XII 
