64 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



month my father was responsible for forty-eight pages 

 of letter-press due deduction being made for illustra- 

 tions ; and each month many hours had to be given up 

 to personal interviews with the artists, correction of 

 blocks and printer's proofs, and all the manifold details 

 connected with the production of any work upon a 

 tolerably large scale. Then every available source of 

 information had to be sought out ; all the leading 

 authorities examined ; new material obtained from those 

 who had any personal knowledge of the rarer animals 

 described ; and almost daily visits paid to the Zoologi- 

 cal Gardens in the Eegent's Park, and the leading 

 London museums. And all this in addition to the 

 labour involved by the actual writing. 



Into this book my father put perhaps his very 'best 

 work. All who know the three stout volumes will be 

 able to appreciate the careful labour bestowed on the 

 description of every individual animal ; but over and 

 above this there is much of a higher quality, much in 

 which a deeper note is struck, and in which some of the 

 many problems as yet unsolved by man are brought 

 forward, treated with reverent care, and finally put by 

 with an evident sense of regret. Perhaps I may be 

 permitted to quote the following by way of example : 



The attribute which we call Destruction ought to be termed 

 Conservation and Progression, for without its beneficent influence all 

 things would be limited in their number and manifestation as soon 

 as they came into existence, and there would be no improvement in 

 physical, moral, or spiritual natures. In such sad case, it would be 

 possible to find a centre and circumference to creation, whereas it is 

 truly as unlimited as the very being of its Creator. 



