LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



University, Ala., June, 1922. 



To His Execelleyicy, 



Governor Thomas E. Kilby, 



Montgomery, Alabama. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manu- 

 script of a preliminary catalogue of the Amphibians and 

 Reptiles of Alabama, by H. P. Loding, with the request 

 that it be printed as Museum Paper No. 5 of the Alabama 

 Museum of Natural History, (Geological Survey Muse- 

 um.) 



This catalogue has been prepared in pursuance of the 

 policy of the Survey outlined in 1873, which contemplat- 

 ed the investigation not only of the geological and agri- 

 cultural relations of the state, but of the fauna and flora 

 also, since these have a most direct and important bear- 

 ing on agriculture. 



The author is a florist in Mobile, who has been for 

 many years an enthusiastic student and collector of rep- 

 tiles and other animal forms, including especially insects. 

 He has prepared this report without cost to the Survey, 

 for which our sincere thanks are due and herewith ten- 

 dered. 



In the closing chapter of this report "0;i the Collec- 

 tion and Preservation of Reptiles and Amphibians for 

 Scientific and Museum Purposes", Mr. Loding points out 

 the fact that these animals, so far from being a menace 

 to the human family, are of equal importance with birds 

 in the task of keeping destructive insects and rodents 

 within bounds. If the present paper should help to edu- 

 cate our young people to an understanding of the econo- 

 mic value of these generally despised and hated forms, 

 its publication will be amply justified. 

 Very respectfully, 



Eugene A. Smith, 

 State Geologist. 



