The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

;PREFACE.xiiicentury, and which is to be found under the letter E, in Jerdon'sBirds of India, Blyth's Catalogue, Bonaparte's Conspectus, andthe Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London down to1865. Classicists now write Henicurus as the correct formbut this seems to me one of those cases in which orthographicalaccuracy should give way to priority, and still more to convenience.In combining and arranging so much detailfrom such variedsources, many errors and omissions must doubtless have occurred.Owing to my residence at a distance from the scientificlibrariesof the metropolis, I was placed at a great disadvantage ; and Icould hardly have completed the work at all, had I not beenpermitted to have a large number of volumes at once, from thelibrary of the Zoological Societyof London, and to keep themfor months together;—a privilege for which I return my bestthanks to Mr. Sclater the Secretary, and to the Council.Should my book meet with the approval of working naturalists,I venture to appeal to them, to assist me in renderingany future editions more complete, by sending me (to the care ofmy publishers) notes of any important omissions, or correctionsof any misstatements of fact ;as well as copies of any of theirpapers or essays, and especially of any lists, catalogues, andmonographs, containing information on the classification ordistribution of living or extinct animals.To the many friends who have given me information orassistance 1 beg to tender my sincere thanks.Especially am Iindebted to Professor Newton, who not only read through muchof my rough MSS., but was so good as to make numerous correctionsand critical notes.These were of great value to me, asthey often contained or suggested important additional matter,or pointed out systematic and orthographical inaccuracies.