Dr. Cantor on the Flora and Fauna of Chusan, 367 



done again. Botany has attracted most attention, and the pro- 

 gress made in it from various sources is considerable ; but the 

 grasses, the cryptogamic plants and some other branches of 

 the study, are nearly unknown. The works of the Jesuits con- 

 tain notices of the larger animals of China, but with the other 

 branches of zoology we are imperfectly acquainted. The birds 

 and the fishes, the insects and the moUusca, will each afford 

 sufficient materials for many interesting volumes. Mineralogy 

 is on the same level; but the precious gems, the beautiful 

 crystals of quartz, the white copper and the gypsum seen in 

 Canton, show the abundance of its mineral treasures; the 

 variety of metals cannot be small, but their full extent cannot 

 be yet known. Of the geology of this empire very little know- 

 ledge has been gained by Europeans ; and of the organic re- 

 mains, which we may expect to be considerable from those 

 found in Ava and Siberia, still less is know^n. It will be ap- 

 parent then, that the investigation of China and its depen- 

 dencies will open a field of research that is unequalled in the 

 world. From Samarcand to Formosa and Japan, and from 

 Saghalien to Camboja, is a field, which is nearly unknown. 

 Peopled from the remotest antiquity with wandering nomades, 

 who have despised agriculture and employed themselves in 

 enslaving their neighbours, Tartary is about the same now as 

 it was a thousand years ago. China has undergone many al- 

 terations, and the face of the country, by increase of popula- 

 tion, has assumed the appearance of an extended garden, when 

 compared wath the countries on the western boundary. We 

 hope this interesting and wide field will soon be carefully sur- 

 veyed in all its departments. The Chinese are not so savage 

 as the Arabs, nor so deceitful as the Moors, nor so wandering 

 as the North American Indians, in whose countries travellers 

 have passed many years. From the appearance of the times, 

 we expect the Chinese empire will soon be open to foreigners, 

 and we trust that the naturalist will not be slow to enter on a 

 field abounding with objects worthy of his attention.^^ 



It may perhaps not be deemed irrelevant to offer a short 

 account of the auspices under which the objects of the follow- 

 ing descriptive catalogue were collected. In the earlier part of 

 1840 the Supreme Government had determined upon despatch- 

 ing forces to China. The opportunity thus offered of seeing 

 service, and at the same time of visiting a field hitherto closed 

 to science, was too tempting to be allowed to pass, and I ven- 

 tured to solicit of the Rt. Hon. the Governor-General that I 

 might become attached as Assistant-Surgeon to one of the re- 

 giments about proceeding on the Eastern expedition. In the 

 mean time I had been ordered to march to the northern pro- 



