INTRODUCTION. 



SOME writer on Natural History whose name we forget 

 says, that in ever}' one of us there is an innate love of 

 Nature in her purest and simplest phases. Yet how few 

 there are who, having this love and enjoying thoroughly 

 the beauties which meet their gaze when wandering by the 

 water-side, know anything of the various forms of animal 

 life which are so profusely distributed in every direction I 

 How many are there who know the difference between 

 what is called the water-rat and the rat of the barn or 

 corn-stack ? between the weasel and the stoat ? the field- 

 mouse and the house-mouse ? The flowers which carpet 

 the meadows and marshes with blue and yellow in spring- 

 tide, with purple and gold in autumn, are to many nothing 

 but flowers ; the insects which hum and fly around us, 

 nothing but beetles or flies, butterflies or moths. 



A little more knowledge of Nature's handicraft, so as to 

 be able to distinguish the various species, would make the 

 hours pass more pleasantly to any one, whatever might be 

 his occupation by the river-side, but more especially to the 

 angler, when either waiting for his float to bob, or sitting 

 on a rail expecting the " rise." 



Ray, in his work on the "Wisdom of God in the 

 Creation," in writing of the wonders of the elements, of 

 the birds, insects, and other living beings, says : " Man is 



