INTKnlJlCToKV KK.MAKKS. 5 



\\i'iM ; a sport, so far as it is diic licrc at all. |irif"i(tlv 

 itltiitical nil tlic l\V(» siilfs dt' tlic Allaiitic. ami a> siicli, 

 havintj no pt-culiaritios, ainl i-ccjuiriii^ iii> luw prttrpts 

 hcvc ; an<l, ahnvc .ill. ln^-inix <i ^J'<»rt <»ii wliicli iiinrc aMo 

 ami o.xct'lK'iit treatises liavr liccn wriiiin than on anv 

 otlicr in tlu' whole ran^::!' of sportinij: snhjects, and tliat l)y 

 sucli men a> Ucckford ami Niiiiroil- names as rainiliai" as 

 liousehokl words to all who ean sit a horse or halloo to a 

 hound —it would have hecn an act. it not of iin))c'rtinrnce, 

 at ksist of total sujii-n'ro^ation, t<» fill uji the pa^es of a 

 work <lrvotcd to a new class of subjects, with trite remarks 

 oil an (till one. or with (piotations from l)ooks within tlu' 

 reai-ji of every sportsman. 



All this which I have here set (hnvn in relation to mv 

 work on Field Sports, and to some strictures wliicli have 

 iieen made uj>on it. is simply explanatory of my intentions 

 witii reirard to tliis work. 



These are to furnish what infonnation I can in relation 

 totlie classes, nii<.(rations, habits, breeding seasons, and tTie 

 modes of takini;, of tliose which I call and consider Sjiort- 

 ing or Game Fishes ; to insist on the generic distinctions, 

 and the true names and defmitions of the various sj>eeies 

 md families ; to show briefly how the various Cimilies and 

 I l.'LSses may Im? distinguislied one from the other, tht reby 

 I iial>ling .<<portsmen to avoid the constant errors and 

 I'lunders into whicli they are now falling in the confusion 



