PREFACE. Xi 



To descend to prose the first edition appeared in 

 1835. In 1837 a second edition was announced, from 

 which circumstance it may fairly be concluded that the 

 first was out of print; but notwithstanding this an- 

 nouncement, the second edition was delayed from 

 month to month, until it was abandoned and almost 

 forgotten : at length it was determined to reprint the 

 work in its present illustrated and altered form. 



The illustrations are almost entirely original : one is 

 copied from Curtis, one or two from Shuckard and Spry, 

 one or two from Westwood : two of the drawings, those 

 at pages 27 and 96, are by the author's brother ; the 

 others by himself, and with the exceptions above speci- 

 fied, invariably from Nature : all the illustrations have 

 been drawn and engraved expressly for this edition. 

 The alterations are in every instance introduced with the 

 view of making the work more easy to the beginner. 

 The author would gladly have added to the number of 

 pages, in fact, he had determined on doing so, he had 

 prepared several most scientific and erudite passages, but 



" The best laid schemes o' mice an' men 

 Gang aft a-gley." 



On talking the matter over with his publisher and 

 what author ever presumed to decide for himself? 



