PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 



The appearance of a second edition affords the author 

 a pleasant opportunity of thanking the reading public, 

 and the Press, for the kind way in which his endeavour 

 to popularise the results of modern Palaeontology has been 

 received. There seem to be fashions in all things — even 

 in sciences ; and perhaps the wonderful advances we have 

 witnessed of late years in the physical sciences on the one 

 hand, and in biological sciences on the other, may have 

 tended to throw Palaeontology somewhat into the shade. 

 Let us hope that it will not remain there long. 



A large number of illustrations have been added for the 

 present edition, besides additional matter here and there 

 in the text. Three of the plates (viz. Plates II. X, XV.) 

 have been redrawn. Plate II. shows the Ichthyosaurus as 

 interpreted by the latest discovery from Wurtemburg. 

 Plate X. gives a somewhat different interpretation of the 

 Stegosaurus, suggested by some remarks of Mr. Lydekker. 



A slight change will be noticed in Plate XV. (Brontops). 

 Plate XVII. is a great improvement on the old drawing 

 (Fig. 28, old edition) of the Megatherium skeleton. Plate 

 XXIV., besides containing a valuable portrait of the late 

 Sir Richard Owen, gives another drawing of the Dinornis 

 skeleton. 



April, 1893. 



