1903 



Recoi'd of Species Observed 



7i 



to a group of individuals. We do not speak of the evolution of a horse, 

 but that of the horse regarded as a species of animal. 



Thus we see that there are more aspects of an animal that must be 

 taken up in order to get a complete description of it than we might 

 suppose at first sight. It is practically impossible for any one man to 

 make himself familiar with all that is known of all these aspects even 

 for a very few animals. Each aspect is a study so far-reaching in itself 

 that one is more than most of us can manage to learn thoroughly. 

 But it is of the greatest importance to remember that in describing an 

 animal all these points of view must be considered before a complete 

 description has been given. 



For outdoor work the physiological, the geographical, and the specific 

 characters are the most important aspects. Structure must not be lost 

 sight of, for on that alone do naturalists classify animals, but it is 

 studied here more in its relation to function than for its own sake. 

 The main questions the field naturalist has to study are, what animals 

 live in a given region, what characters make them the species they 

 are, how are they related to other living or extinct forms, and how do 

 they live their life ? 



We hope to be able to answer some of these questions, as far as our 

 own country is concerned, in these chapters on British Field Zoology. 



( To be continued in our next. ) 



Record of Species Observed. 



