PREFACE. 



The Flora of Ln-EEPOOL ha^'iIlg been published bj' Dr. Dickinson during the 3'ear 

 1851, the animal life of tlie district was considered by many as equally worthy of 

 attention, and the production of a local Fauna was thought to be desirable. The 

 zoology of most localities is seldom cultivated by so numerous a train of students 

 as the vegetable kingdom generally commands. The flowers by the wayside rivet 

 the admiring attention even of those who never bestow any scientific criticism 

 ux^on them ; various animals on the contrary, though high in the scale of organ- 

 isation, excite feelings rather of revolt or disgust than pleasure in certain minds, 

 and, as a consequence, " love at first sight" is a somewhat exceptional occuiTence, 

 unless at the uppermost rail of the ladder, and strong jirejudice has often to be 

 conquered before many can be induced to touch what they deem " the unclean 

 thing," and examine the beauty that is hidden under a repulsive exterior. 



The activity of different species of animals often renders theii" capture 

 difficult. When maiine, the use of the dredge entaUs a consumption of time 

 such as can rarely be spared by those who have other paramount duties to 

 IJerform, putting out of account the amount of visceral commotion the unpractised 

 sailor is doomed to endure, and which requires a large zoological profit to 

 compensate, under such circumstances, for the want of pleasure in procuring it. 

 In 1851, by the advice of Mr. R. M'Andrew, several gentlemen subscribed for the 

 pm-pose of having the shore dredged for specimens, and many trips were taken 

 in the Mersey, along the coast as far as Formby, at the north of tbe Cheshire 

 peninsula, and up the Dee as far as Dawpool. 



These expeditions brought to light several species which were not sujjposed 

 to have existed in the neighbourhood, and of others (shelled moUusks) which 

 liad only been found before in the dead state, living specimens were ascertained 

 to inhabit deeper water. 



Still much more might be done by a well conducted and longer continued 

 system of dredging. The Hoylake fishermen have been fertile sources for 

 obtaining specimens, though it is difficult to induce them to take care of what 

 they find. Burnet's fluid was supplied to them, into which, diluted (1 part to 0) 

 with water, they were requested to put captures, but in some instances, when 

 daily visits could not be paid, time, the cat, or tlie children made sad havoc. 

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