

THIS work is prepared upon the same general plan as the pre- 

 ceding books of Dr. Steele. Among the principal features are : 

 Brevity ; directness of statement ; such a presentation of the subject 

 as will lead the pupil to love the study ; frequent foot-notes, con- 

 taining anecdotes, curious facts, explanations, etc.; a uniform system 

 of analysis in bold paragraph titles ; and a gradual introduction of 

 scientific terms and language, so as to fit the scholar to read zoolog- 

 ical literature. 



Believing that a description of a new animal is assisted by using 

 a wood-cut, the authors have aimed to give a, figure of each one men- 

 tioned ; accompanying it, where necessary, with minor illustrations 

 of functional peculiarities. In order not to discourage the beginner 

 with dry and dull anatomical details, the text is largely occupied 

 with biography, telling "how animals act, think, and are mutually 

 related"; for a fact concerning the adaptation, habits, etc., is as 

 valuable and far more interesting to students, than one about some 

 unpronounceable bone or muscle. 



To lead, however, to closer observation, characteristic physiolog- 

 ical distinctions introduce, in general, each Branch, Class, and Order. 

 A section is also given on Comparative Anatomy, and numerous 

 cuts of skeletons will enable any teacher familiar with the subject 

 to continue it as desired. 



The limits of the book compelled a selection to be made from 

 the numberless animal forms. Every class, however, is named, with 

 most of its orders and many of the principal genera, each one illus- 

 trated by a cut and description of a typical species. Tables for 

 classification of the Vertebrates precede, in general, every division. 

 These will enable the pupil to refer any animal to its order, and, 



