IV INTRODUCTION. 



counts had previously been given of the plants of par- 

 ticular districts ; of the plants about Boston, by Dr. 

 Bigelow ; of those in the vicinity of Amherst, by Prof. 

 Hitchcock ; of the plants of Berkshire, by Prof. Dewey. 

 In Ornithology, very much had been done by Audu- 

 bon, Wilson and Bonaparte, and still later by Nuttall. 

 The catalogues in these departments are consequently 

 vastly the most full and satisfactory. Many of the 

 shells had been described by Say, and of the quadrupeds 

 by Godman and others. But in most of the depart- 

 ments scarcely any thing had been done towards the for- 

 mation of a complete list. 



It was an important step to collect together and pub- 

 lish the catalogues, such as they were. Although, as 

 Prof. Hitchcock had anticipated, they were far from 

 being perfect or complete, they led immediately to in- 

 quiries amongst the naturalists in various parts of the 

 State. And many names were soon added to the cata- 

 logue by members of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, and by others. 



A view of these facts, and of the great importance of 

 a full acquaintance with the natural productions, of all 

 kinds, of our State, led to the desire, on the part of 

 many intelligent citizens, that a more full survey should 

 be attempted. Agreeably therefore to the suggestion 

 of Governor Everett, on the immediate occasion of a 

 letter from Professor Hitchcock to him, recommending 

 that the geological survey should be prosecuted, and a 

 more full botanical and zoological survey be made, the 

 subject was called up in the House of Representatives, 

 and a very respectable committee appointed, to lake it 

 into consideration. This committee, after conferring 



