PREFACE. 



it was deemed advisable to restrict the volume in its 

 dimensions to three hundred pages, and in its charac- 

 ter to a simple introduction, — a kind of " reading made 

 easy" to the youthful butterfly-hunter. 



The author cannot lay down his pen before he has 

 acknowledged the gratification he feels from the hberal 

 encouragement his literary labours have received : it 

 would be false modesty to pretend bhndness to the fact 

 that the humble efforts of liis pen and pencil have been 

 unusually successful ; and this knowledge raises in his 

 heart a feeling of honest pride and gi'atitude he would 

 fain express, yet knows not how. 



Reader, should the author persuade thee, by a pe- 

 rusal of these pages, to follow in his footsteps, — to 

 tread the paths which he has trodden, — to gaze with 

 an enquiiing and delighted eye on those things which 

 he has gazed on, — it is enough. He bids thee, affec- 

 tionately, farewell! 



