We have secured long-slit spectra with R similar to 440, covering the K, H
and J bands, of 28, 26 and 13 nearby galaxies respectively. The target list
comprises complete samples, flux-limited at 25 mu m, of 'normal' (control)
galaxies (undistorted morphology, normal IRAS colours), 'normal starbursts
' (undistorted morphology, starburst IRAS colours), 'interacting/merger sta
rbursts' (multiple/ disturbed morphology, starburst IRAS colours), Seyferts
1 and 2 and two low-metallicity star-forming systems. LINERs were included
but were not separately selected. We here describe this data set, which is
to be made publicly available as an atlas of spectra, and remark on a few
results already apparent in the partially-reduced data.