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*    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



*The work entailed in the collection of material for this Dictionary was



*carried out under a scheme of research into African linguistics in-



*augurated when the Rockefeller Foundation made a benefaction to



*the School of Oriental studies, University of London, in 1932. To



*the Rockefeller Foundation and to the Governing Body of the School



*I wish to tender my sincere thanks for the opportunity of carrying



*out this research work in the field and for the grant set aside for its



*publication. A grant for a second tour in Nigeria to continue work on



*the Bini language, given by the International Institute of African



*Languages aud Cultures in the autumn of 1935, enabled me to revise



*the first proofs of the Dictionary with my main informant: I wish to



*express my thanks to the Institute for this valuable opportunity of



*verifying the work done in the first tour.



*    In Nigeria I received assistance in many directions, and although it



*is impossible to name all who helped me, I am glad to make grateful



*acknowledgement for this assistance here. Special thanks are due to



*the Government of Nigeria and to the Education Department in



*particular for accommodation and transport and for the general



*arrangements of my tours; and to the following people for particular



*services in connection with this Dictionary:



*    R. F. G. Adams, Esq., Education Department, for a copy of



*Mr Butcher’s Bini Dictionary in the new script.



*    H. L. M. Butcher, Esq., The Secretariat, Southern Provinces, Nigeria,



*for the copy of his Bini Dictionary and permission to use it.



*    W. A. Fairbairn, Esq., Forestry Department (author of Common



*Birds of West Africa) for the Bini names of birds with their correct



*English equivalents and for some of the names of animals.



*    Dr W. Hunter, M.O. Benin City, who went through the Bini names



*of diseases and identified them.



*    Rev. W. J. Payne, C.M.S. Benin, who introduced me to my two



*informants Edegbe and Egharevba.



*    R. Macrae Simpson, Esq., M.B.E., for valuable suggestions about the



*social structure and political organisation of the State of Benin. He



*also allowed me to see a copy of his draft report on these subjects.



*    R. A. Sykes, Esq., Forestry Department, for the Bini and Latin



*names of trees (F.D. Lists).



*    My African informants are named and described in the Introduction



*(p. viii, ix) and I should like to express my thanks to them here.



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