PREFACE TO THE EIRST EDITION. 



In past years the Museum collections have been greatly 

 augmented and enriched by the donation of valuable series 

 of specimens obtained by travellers and others whose vocations 

 have necessitated their residence abroad in all parts of the 

 world. 



It often happens that military and naval officers, explorers, 

 missionaries, and others have leisure time which they would 

 be willing to devote to collecting natural history objects if 

 they had a better knowledge of the manner in which such 

 things should be collected and preserved. 



In order to meet this requirement, it has been thought 

 advisable to prepare a series of pamphlets treating uj)on the 

 collecting and preservation of specimens in all branches of 

 natural history. These can be obtained separately ; but for 

 the convenience and use of those who are willing to take up 

 more than one branch of collecting, they are now united and 

 issued in book form, thus forming an introductory manual 

 of instructions on the subject generally. 



Although primarily written for the use of voluntary 

 collectors, this work will prove equally useful to those 

 professionally engaged in collecting, as showing the approved 



