PREFACE. 
The Two-hundred-and-sixth Number of ‘ The Ibis’ 
completes the Fifty-third Volume of our Journal, 
leaving only one more volume required to finish the 
Ninth Series. Few peridicals, we believe, devoted to 
special subjects have lasted for so long a time, though 
we must not forget that the ‘Journal fur Ornithologie ’ 
started in 1853. The British Ornithologists’ Union 
is fortunate in increasing the number of its Members 
every year and consequently in augmenting the 
resources of its Journal. 
The most important events connected with our 
branch of Science that have taken place during the 
past year have been the return of the Expedition sent 
under the auspices of the British Ornithologists’ 
Union to New Guinea, and the donation of the 
“ Alexander ” Collection to the British Museum. 
We have duly chronicled these events in the 
pages of ‘ The Ibis,’ but may repeat that the 
Alexander Collection (see above, p. 187) contains 
about 4,000 skins, among which are the types of all 
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