NATURAL HISTORY. 



ZOOLOGY, 



CHAPTER I. 



STATEMENT OF THE SUBJECT. 



NATURAL History is the science which treats of the 

 earth and all natural objects upon its surface and within 

 its crust. 



Zoology is the department of Natural History which 

 treats of animals. It embraces the 'study of their forms, 

 structure, development, habits, names, classification, geo- 

 graphical distribution, and the relations which animals 

 lower than himself sustain to Man, the highest represent- 

 ative of the Animal Kingdom. 



This science has been established and brought to its 

 present high state of perfection through the labors of 

 such masters as Aristotle, Linnaeus, Cuvier, and others 

 scarcely less renowned. 



Zoology is a science of the highest importance, not 

 only on account of its direct practical relations to the 

 material interests of human society, and its inseparable 

 connection with the great problems of Geology, but espe- 

 cially as an educational branch, securing to its true 

 votaries a spirit of earnest inquiry, habits of accurate 

 observation and careful comparison, vigorous and logical 

 thought, and power of broad generalization ; and deal- 

 ing, as it does, with the highest expressions of matter 



