xvi INTRODUCTORY AND EXPLANATORY 
of Mr. Hutchinson’s “Extinct Monsters” and 
“Creatures of Other Days,” but it is hoped that 
it may be considered with books as with boats, 
a good plan to build after a good model. The 
information scattered through these pages has 
been derived from varied sources ; some has of 
necessity been taken from standard books, a 
part has been gathered in the course of museum 
work and official correspondence; for much, the 
author is indebted to hs personal friends, and 
for a part, he is under obligations to friends he 
has never met, who have kindly responded to his 
inquiries. The endeavor has been conscientiously 
made to exclude all misinformation; it 1s, never- 
theless, entirely probable that some mistakes may 
have crept in, and due apology for these is here- 
by made beforehand. 
The author expects to be taken to task for 
the use of scientific names, and the reader may 
perhaps sympathize with the old lady who said 
that the discovery of all these strange animals 
did not surprise her so much as the fact that 
anyone should know their names when they were 
found. The real trouble is that there are no 
common names for these animals. Then, too, 
