Piece He sPeed each,

In the Preface to the First Edition of this Work I remarked that I was induced to publish it
in order to make known several new species of a most remarkable group of birds, and to revise
and set forth in as clear a light as possible the numerous members of which the family is com-
posed ; if these reasons were sufficient to induce me then to attempt their elucidation, the same
reasons become still more urgent now, when after an interval of twenty years a great amount
of information respecting the entire group, and a further addition of new species has been
obtained, rendering a Srconp Epirion a matter of necessity. It appeared to me, as I
formerly remarked, that the members of the group were naturally divided into several more
genera than the two—Ramphastos and Pteroglossus—then recognised ; nor did I omit to notice
a suggestion, that some distinguishing title should be given to these divisions, but I did
not then feel warranted in following out this idea; the materials since acquired have, however,
thrown much additional ight on the subject, and I now feel myself justified in proposing
the requisite generic appellations, which with their appropriate characters will be found in

their proper place in the Introduction.

In order to render the Work as perfect as possible, I have obtained access to all the
collections of this country, and have also visited and examined the principal Museums of the
continent; in several of which I found some species not contained in the others. ‘Thus in
Vienna I first saw the Pteroglossus pluricinctus ; in Munich Selenidera Reinwardti, S. Langsdorffi
and Aulacoramphus Wagleri ; in Paris Pteroglossus flavirostris ; while Berlin and Leyden both
contained other species not previously known to me. In many instances single specimens only
existed, appertaining moreover to Ramphastide, in which much dissimilarity occurs in the
colouring of the sexes, whereby I was prevented from illustrating those species so fully as I
could have wished. Just as my Monograph was brought to a close, that celebrated traveller
and naturalist, the late Mr. John Natterer of Vienna, returned to Europe, bringing with him .
females of the species of which I found males only at Munich, together with several other new
ones acquired during a sojourn of eighteen years in the Brazils; unfortunately, however, he did

not arrive in London until the last sheets had gone to press, consequently I was unable to