Dr Fleming's History of British Animals. 357 



Migration. AW the species of these groups, though intimately connected 

 with the country by the regularity of their visits, enjoy a right of citizen- 

 ship less perfect than the resident animals. 



" Stragglers, or irregular visitants, have hitherto occupied a higher rank 

 in every British Fauna, than they seem entitled to possess. Driven from 

 their native haunts to this country by some temporary calamity, the per- 

 secution of foes, or the fury of a storm, they have been recorded inconsi- 

 derately as indigenous species. Their occurrence, as serving to illustrate the 

 distribution of species, should be recorded ; but not in such a manner as 

 to assimilate them with the resident kinds, and periodical visitants. Act- 

 ing upon this principle, the author has been compelled to degrade to the 

 rank of stragglers several birds and fishes which have long occupied a more 

 distinguished place. 



' " The extirpated animals are such species as still maintain their ground 

 in other regions, but have been destroyed in this country by the long-con- 

 tinued persecutions of man. 



" The extinct animals are such as once dwelt in this country, but which 

 have disappeared, and, from various causes, seem to have perished from 

 tfff the earth." (P. xiv.) 



- " In the enumeration of British Animals contained in this volume, the 

 author has referred to the extinct or fossil species so frequently, as pro- 

 bably to have excited surprise in those accustomed to consult the more 

 modern of the British Faunas. He was led to adopt this course, not for 

 the purpose of filling up the chasms in the fancied laws of continuity, 

 but that the attention of zoologists may be directed to an examination of 

 the extinct races, and that the geologist may connect with his studies a 

 knowledge of the character and distribution of existing species." (P. xix.) 

 Such is the plan upon which the work of Dr Fleming is constructed. 

 The number of existing Mammalia described is 60 ; of Birds 237 ; of Rep- 

 tiles 12; of Fishes 170: of Mollusca 597; of Radiata 67; and of Zoophyta 

 209. The other tribes of invertebrated animals, such as the Crustacea, In- 

 sects, &c. are to form a future volume. 



A work of this nature forbids any attempt at conveying a knowledge of 

 its contents by analysis. Of the appropriate and useful remarks distribut- 

 ed throughout the book, the following extract, regarding a most important 

 class of animals, may serve as an example. 



" The migrations of fishes, in compliance with the arrangements of 

 their reproductive system, exhibit the most singular movements, often 

 complex, but always useful toman. Those which inhabit the inaccessible 

 depths of the sea, in ordinary cases, approach the shores, towards the season 

 of spawning ; and, after depositing their eggs in suitable situations, again 

 retire to their inaccessible haunts. The fry occupy for a time their litto- 

 ral birth-place, and then follow the course of the older individuals, though' 

 in several cases the young seem to execute movements different from the 

 full grown fish. Not a few species, as the salmon, which have their ordi- 

 nary residence in the sea, approach, towards the spawning season, the 

 shores, enter estuaries and ascend rivers, where, having selected a suitable 

 place, they deposite their eggs, and again return to the sea. The fry, after 



