INTRODUCTION. 



In writing for the Revue des deux mondes the articles 

 which I now reprint with several modifications, I 

 have to some degree been influenced by the wish of 

 placing zoology in a more just and favourable light. 

 Most persons form a very false idea of the natural 

 sciences generally, and of zoology more particularly : 

 indeed, by many persons the zoologist is looked upon 

 merely as a man who can repeat by rote a more or 

 less considerable number of barbarous names, and who 

 is acquainted with a certain number of anecdotes in 

 relation to the habits of animals — a species of infor- 

 mation which, although it is no doubt very interesting 

 in its way, is alike useless in a practical point of 

 view and unworthy of occupying the serious atten- 

 tion of a cultivated mind. 



This is a singular error, but it is one which readily 

 admits of an explanation. There are few children 

 into whose hands some little book on natural history 

 has not fallen, but unfortunately most of these works 

 are very ill adapted to give exact ideas of the dif- 



