PREFACE. 



"WHEN twenty-five years ago the British Association met in Glasgow a Natural 

 History Handbook dealing with the Fauna, Flora, and Geology of the district 

 was issued to the members. Owing to various circumstances the chief of 

 which were the paucity of workers and the short time available for the 

 work the lists were far from covering the whole ground, and by no means 

 free from errors. It was felt by many Naturalists of the District that the 

 present meeting of the British Association afforded an opportunity for 

 repairing many of the errors and omissions of the former Handbook, and 

 for bringing to a focus the very large amount of work which has been done 

 of late years in the Clyde area. It is not to be supposed that the present 

 volume professes either to be a complete record or to be free from errors. 

 The size of the volume and the speed with which it had to be put through 

 the press render it certain that many errors have escaped correction, and a 

 cursory inspection of the contents will reveal that many groups are not 

 treated of, while others have only been studied during the last three years, 

 i.e. since the idea of this Handbook w T as first mooted. It is to be hoped that 

 the blanks will be as valuable for the future work in the district as the 

 comparatively complete lists, inasmuch as they will show local workers on 

 what groups they may most profitably concentrate their attention. 



The Editors feel that this Handbook should not go out without an ex- 

 pression of ^indebtedness to all concerned in its production. This number 

 includes, in addition to the compilers, the great majority of the working 

 Naturalists of the district and many eminent scientific men throughout the 

 Kingdom, for each and all have freely placed the information in their 

 possession at the service of those responsible for the various sections of the 

 Handbook, and spared no pains to make the volume worthy of the meeting 

 for which it has been prepared. 



While those who have worked for this volume directly and indirectly are 

 too numerous to thank individually, special mention of services done is due 

 in two cases. The first is the Secretary of the original Committee, the 

 Rev. G. A. Frank Knight, M.A., F.R.S.E., to whose enthusiasm and power 

 of organisation a great part of the success of the volume is due. The second 

 is the printers of the volume, Messrs. MacLehose, whose courtesy, care, and 

 promptitude in carrying through a very difficult piece of work under trying 

 circumstances none but the Editors can fully appreciate. 



