When I decided to read a paper before the Ornithological Congress of 1905
on Extinct and Vanishing Birds, I found it necessary to illustrate my paper
by a number of drawings. These drawings roused special interest among those
who listened to my lecture, and I was asked by many if I could not see my
way to publish the lecture and drawings, in book form, as these plates were
far too numerous for the proceedings of the Congress. After some hesitation
I determined to do this, greatly owing to the persuasion of the late Dr.
Paul Leverkühn. The preparation of a book required considerably more
research than the lecture, and therefore my readers will find, in the
following pages, a totally different account to that in the lecture, as
well as corrections and numerous additions. The lecture itself has been
published in the "Proceedings of the IVth International Ornithological
Congress."
I wish to thank very heartily all those of my ornithological friends, who
have kindly helped me with the loan of specimens or otherwise, and
especially Dr. H. O. Forbes, Dr. Scharff, Professor Dr. K. Lampert, Dr. O.
Finsch, Professor Dr. A. Koenig, Dr. Kerbert, Mr. Fleming, Dr. von Lorenz,
and others.