VI PEEFACE. 



chiefly written at the coast, where the command of 

 books was necessarily small, and the literature of each 

 subject could only be given sparingly ; this deficiency 

 has now been supplied, as far as my resources ex- 

 tended ; but no gathering of second-hand references 

 has been allowed to make the labour seem s^reater than 

 it really was. 



A Glossary of technical terms has been drawn up 

 for the general reader ; and this, together with the Illus- 

 trations, will, I hope, render the descriptions perfectly 

 intelligible, even to readers unfamiliar with marine 

 animals. 



There are two aspects in which Natural History 

 may be regarded — as an amusement, and as a science ; 

 the one being simply delight in natural objects, the 

 other a philosophic inquiry into the complex facts of 

 Life. As this latter was the motive w^hich prompted 

 my visits to the coast, it has naturally assumed a 

 prominent place in these pages ; and although, through- 

 out, a style of popular exposition is adopted, which 

 aims at being intelligible to all cultivated readers, I 

 have also had a special audience in view, to whom must 

 be submitted the appreciation of the new facts and 

 new physiological interpretations herein advanced. 

 Every competent person will see that these novelties 

 are the result of hard work and continuous applica- 

 tion ; and I have been carefid to indicate the amomit 



