INTRODUCTORY NOTE 
Ir is hoped that this third volume of “ The Abbey 
Nature Books ”’ will be no less popular than the pre- 
ceding volumes devoted to British Mammals and British 
Birds. A feature of this third book in the series is that 
practically every species included is illustrated, and 
these illustrations, together with the descriptive matter, 
will, it is hoped, result in more attention being paid to 
these classes of animals than heretofore. ‘The Author 
has to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Frank 
Gibson’s “‘ Superstitions about Animals,” and to Mr. C. 
Tate Regan’s admirable book on ‘‘ The Fresh-Water 
Fishes of the British Isles,’ to which the reader is con- 
fidently referred for more detailed information con- 
cerning the third class of animals included in this volume. 
