PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION 



Chapter XVIII. A more accurate account is given of 

 the birds of Japan. 



Chapter XIX. The recent additions to the mammals 

 and birds of Madagascar are embodied in this chapter, and 

 a fuller sketch is given of the rich and peculiar flora of the 

 island. 



Chapter XXI. and XXII. Some important additions 

 have been made to these chapters owing to more accurate 

 information as to the depth of the sea around New Zealand, 

 and to the discovery of abundant remains of fossil plants 

 of the tertiary and cretaceous periods both in New Zealand 

 and Australia. 



In the body of the work I have in each case acknowledged 

 the valuable information given me by naturalists of 

 eminence in their various departments, and I return my 

 best thanks to all who have so kindly assisted me. I am 

 however indebted in a special manner to one gentleman — 

 Mr. Theo. D. A. Cockerell, now Curator of the Museum of 

 the Jamaica Institute — who supplied me with a large 

 amount of information by searching the most recent works 

 in the scientific libraries, by personal inquiries among 

 naturalists, and also by giving me the benefit of his own 

 copious notes and observations. Without his assistance it 

 would have been difficult for me to have made the present 

 edition so full and complete as I hope-it now is. In a w^ork of 

 such wide range, and dealing with so large a body of facts 

 some errors will doubtless be detected, though, I trust few 

 of impoi&tance. 



Paekstoxe, Dorset, December, 1891. 



