VI 
INTRODUCTION. 
Great care lias been taken in the determination of 
those species which have been received without any in- 
dication of their names, and in the verification of their 
synonyma. But the British Museum is peculiarly for- 
tunate in having received a large portion of its species 
(either as presents, or by way of exchange or purchase) 
from the several authors, both in this country and 
abroad, by whom the species to which they belong 
were originally described, or from the collections in 
which they first received their names. In such cases 
there can be no doubt of the specimens being ascertained 
representatives of the names they bear. 
Thus, among the collections which have been received 
as presents, those presented by 
The Hon . East India Company , are to be regarded as 
authentic examples of the species described by Dr. 
Horsfield, in his “ Zoological Researches in Java/’ 
in his papers in the “ Zoological Journal,” and in 
the “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society. ” 
The Hudson’s Bay Company , as the types of the species 
described by Dr. Richardson in his “ Fauna Boreali- 
Americana,” and in his papers in the “Zoological 
Journal,” and “ Transactions of the British Asso- 
ciation.” 
Joseph Bachmann , ZZ.Z)., as the types of North Ame- 
rican species described in the “ Proceedings of the 
Zoological Society,” and the “ Journal of the Aca- 
demy of Sciences of Philadelphia ;” and as authentic 
specimens of species described by Say and other 
American zoologists. 
Capt. Sir John Back and Capt. Sir John Franklin , R.N., 
for the specimens described in the Appendices to the 
Accounts of the Northern Voyages. 
