INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 



By the Right Hon. the Earl of Crawford, 

 K.T., F.R.S. 



It is usually supposed that when a man takes 

 upon himself to write a Preface or an Introduction 

 to the work of another, he should have some 

 qualification — some knowledge of the subject to 

 be dealt with. It is best, therefore, that I do at 

 once disavow any qualification, and confess to a 

 lamentable ignorance on the subject of Natural 

 History. My only desire is to relate in a few 

 words how it came to pass that the possibility 

 of the writing of the book arose. 



For many years it has been my lot to live in 

 close communion with two inseparable hangers-on 

 — the one rheumatism, the other asthma. I 

 found relief by going to sea, provided it was 

 towards the Sunny South. The cold and damp 

 of a home winter I have not faced for fifteen 

 years. 



In 1902 I was preparing to go round the world 

 when one of my brother trustees of the British 

 Museum suggested that I ought to bring back 



