PREFACE. 



THE following Translation of Aristotle s History of Ani 

 mals has been made from the text of Schneider. In a work 

 of considerable difficulty it is hardly possible entirely to 

 avoid errors ; but it is hoped that those which have escaped 

 are neither numerous nor important. The notes of 

 Schneider have been consulted throughout ; and in places 

 of difficulty the English translation by Taylor, the French 

 of Cain us, and the German of Strack, have been severally 

 referred to. 



The work itself is the most ancient and celebrated contri 

 bution to science which has come down to us ; and it is 

 hardly possible, when we consider the means of observation 

 which were accessible at the time, to imagine a work ot 

 more accurate observation. From the numerous quotations 

 in which our author avails himself of the experience ot 

 his predecessors in the same field, as well as corrects 

 their errors, there can be no doubt that Aristotle bad the 

 advantage of many works which have perished in the lapse 

 of ages. In the Appendix to the present Translation 

 will be found the Essay of Schneider on the sources 

 whence Aristotle derived his knowledge of the animals he 

 describes; and these sources, together with his own accti- 



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