EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 



It is the aim of this series to provide a number of text-books 

 covering different fields of animal biology, in order to obviate 

 as far as possible the pedagogically unfortunate habit of trying 

 to introduce subjects of more recent development as appendages 

 to a single morphological theme. We may deplore the way 

 in which morphology arrogates to itself an unfair share of 

 the time-table in many zoological laboratories in this country *, 

 but the fact remains that morphology, well taught and well 

 linked-up with other branches, is still educationally the best 

 discipline in zoology, and, more surely than any other branch 

 of the subject, throws open windows on to those long vistas 

 that enlarge the mind and satisfy intellectual aspirations. 

 But, even if its own fascination is brought out, it can be taught 

 so as to leave it isolated among the later-developed branches 

 of biology, like a foreign body encapsulated in living, 

 growing tissues. 



Mr. de Beer and I had many talks over this book. In the 

 first place, we felt that the average zoology student to-day 

 was being expected to absorb far too much detail in a given time, 

 and that as a result, he was often overtaxed and prevented from 

 seeing the wood for the trees. The teacher's aim should 

 be to use no more fact-material^ than is needed to embody 

 the architectural design which intellectual vision has planned ; 

 but enough to build it firm, on lasting foundations. 



Our second point was the need for linking up the various 

 branches of biology. Morphology has such merits as a self- 

 contained discipline that these efforts at liaison are not always 

 made. I should like here to point out some of the ways 

 in which an isolated morphology comes up against a blank 

 wall, but through which she can advance to new view-points 



