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Show 534 MR. SCLATER ON THE 'CHALLENGER' BIRDS. [June 19, 1. Reports on the Collections of Birds made during the Voyage of H.M.S. ' Challenger/-No. I. General Remarks on the Collections. By P. L. SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S. [Eeceived May 24, 1877.] At the request of Sir C. Wyville Thomson, I have had great pleasure in undertaking the determination of the skins of birds collected during the voyage of H.M.S. ' Challenger ' round the world in the years 1874-6. The whole collection embraces about 900 specimens in skins, besides which there is a considerable series of sea-birds in salt and spirit, which will be used principally for anatomical purposes, and a collection of eggs, principally of oceanic species. Tbe collection was formed under the superintendence of Mr. John Murray, one of the naturalists of the Expedition, and the skins chiefly prepared by Mr. Frederick Pearcey, who accompanied the vessel as taxidermist. They are, nearly without exception, in an excellent state of preservation. Mr. Murray has placed at my disposal his ornithological note-book, which contains the history of every individual specimen, and many other particulars, which add greatly to the value of the collection. It will be recollected that the main object of the ' Challenger * Expedition was the exploration of the depths of the ocean, and that the collecting of birds of any sort, especially land birds, formed but a very subordinate part of the original plan. Ornithologists must therefore not be surprised that so small a collection was made during a three years' voyage, but rather be very thankful to Sir C. Wyville Thomson and his coadjutors for having devoted so much extra attention to a branch of science in which investigations were not required of them. For the purpose of study, I have divided the collection of bird-skins as follows :- A. Terrestrial Birds. B. Oceanic Birds. The Terrestrial Birds fall into the following ten geographical to which I have added the approximate number of skins :- 1. Atlantic Islands, i. e. Tristan da Cunha and Inacessible 12 2. Kerguelen Land 16 3. Cape York, Australia , 60 4. Aroo Islands 62 5. Moluccas, i. e. Banda, Ternate, Amboyna, and Ke.... 70 6. Philippines 95 7. Admiralty Islands 56 8. South Pacific Islands, i. e. Friendly Islands, Fijis, New Hebrides, and Tahiti 135 9. Sandwich Islands 24 10. Antarctic America, Juan Fernandez, and Falklands .. 149 Total approximate number of skins .... 679 |