ENGRAVINGS, TITLES, ETC. 



WITH comparatively few exceptions, the animals figured in this work are 

 American. 



The Ruminants are drawn approximately one thirty-second of their nat- 

 ural dimensions ; the Rodents, from about one twelfth, as in the Beaver, 

 Porcupine, Pouched Gopher, &c., to one fourth, as in the Squirrels ; the 

 Cheiroptera and Insectivora, generally from about one fifth to one fourth; 

 the Cetaceans, from one hundredth to one fiftieth ; and the other Mammals, 

 with few exceptions, about one sixteenth. 



The Birds of Prey, Waders, and Swimming Birds are drawn about one 

 eighth of their natural dimensions ; all the other Birds about one fourth. 



The Reptiles, varying so much in size, are represented on different scales ; 

 but as the dimensions of each are given in the text near the cut, no misap- 

 prehension of size need occur. The same is true of Fishes ; but in both 

 these classes, however, the smallest species are represented as small as con- 

 venient and the larger species as large as convenient, and the intermediate 

 ones graded as well as possible between the two. 



The Invertebi-ates Articulates, Mollusks, and Radiates are drawn 

 natural size ; except where the size is indicated by a line beside the cut, 

 or the scale of the reduction is marked by the words "one half," "one 

 third," &c., under the cut ; or where, as in the case of the Lobster and a 

 few others, the size is so evident from the context that no mistake can arise 

 from the omission of the words or figures indicating the reduction. The 

 Protozoa, however, excepting the Sponges, are highly magnified. 



For the running title on each left-hand page the English names of the 

 Branch and Class under consideration are given ; on each right-hand page, 

 generally the scientific names of the Order and Family. These, with the 

 Index containing the names of the principal groups, and the more impor- 

 tant genera and species, will enable the reader to find every subject with 

 facility. 



The authority for the name generally follows each Species ; in some cases 

 the authority for the generic name is also given ; and in Insects proper, 

 that for each Family. The abbreviations of the authorities are generally 

 the same as in works which the student may have occasion to consult. 



GOOD BOOKS FOR REFERENCE : Cuvier's Animal Kingdom ; Baird's Mammals of 

 North America, 8th vol. Pacific R. R. Report; Audubon and Bachman's Viviparous 

 Quadrupeds of North America ; Jardine's Naturalist's Library ; Baird's Birds of North 

 America, gth vol. Pacific R. R. Report ; Audubon's Birds of America, 7 vols., 8vo. ; 



Cassin's Illustrations of the Birds of California, &c. ; Wilson's American Ornithology ; 

 Herpetology ; all of the Smithsonian Natural History Publi- 

 cations ; Natural History Reports of the different States; Storer's Fishes of Massachu- 



Holbrook's North American Herpetology ; all of the Smithsonian Natural History 

 cations ; Natural History Reports of the different States; Storer's Fishes of Mas 

 setts ; Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation ; Boisduval and Le Conte's North American 



of the Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. ; Bulletin of Mus. Comp. Zoology ; Proceed, of the Essex 

 Institute ; Trans. Acfad. of St. Louis ; Dana's Crustacea ; Woodward's Manual of the 

 Mollusca ; Lea's Conchology ; Binney's Terrestrial Mollusks ; Gould's Invertebrata of 

 Massachusetts; Morse's Terrestrial Pulmpnifera of Maine ; Forbes's British Star- Fishes ; 

 Agassiz's Contributions to the Natural History of the United States ; Dana's Zoophytes ; 

 Verrill's Revision of the Polyps of the Coast of the United States ; Dana's Classification 

 of Animals based on the Principle of Cephalization ; Dana's Coral Reefs and Islands : 

 Darwin's Coral Reefs ; Guyot's works on Physical Geology ; and Todd's Cyclopaedia. 



