PREFACE. 



Happily, the time is past when it is necessary to impress 

 upon teachers of Geology the importance of natui'al objects 

 in their work. All successful teachers recognize the desira- 

 bility of studying objects instead of studying about them. 

 An eminent geologist lately remarked, when postponing his 

 college work until his burned collection could be replaced, 

 "I have had too much experience to attempt teaching with- 

 out material for illustration." 



But while the desirability of geological material may be 

 positive, the obtaining of a representative collection is diffi- 

 cult. Many teachers, skilled in the use of systematic collec- 

 tions, have neither the time nor opportunity requisite to bring 

 together the objects required. The collecting and collating of 

 geological material is a science in itself, and this work is our 

 chosen field. A careful study and cultivation of the sources 

 of supply, have enabled us, through many years of experi- 

 ence, and by collecting on a large scale, to reduce the cost of 

 collections to a minimum. And it is with no little satisfaction 

 that we call attention to the large systematic collections which 

 we are able to supply at comparatively small cost. No indi- 

 vidual could gather a single collection similar to the one 

 described in the following pages without spending months of 

 labor and a far greater amount of money than the price 

 charged by us. 



From a perusal of the following catalogue and geological 

 suramar}'-, it will be seen that this collection in Palseontology 

 covers the ground very evenly, both biologically and chrono- 

 logically, from Plants up to Man, and from the Archaean to 

 the present time. Especial care has been taken to select char- 



