INTRODUCTORY NOTE 



It is hoped that this third volume of ** The Abbey 

 Nature Books " will be no less popular than the pre- 

 ceding volumes devoted to British Mammals and British 

 Birds. A feature of this third book in the series is that 

 practically every species included is illustrated, and 

 these illustrations, together with the descriptive matter, 

 will, it is hoped, result in more attention being paid to 

 these classes of animals than heretofore. The Author 

 has to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Frank 

 Gibson's " Superstitions about Animals," and to Mr. C. 

 Tate Regan's admirable book on " The Fresh-Water 

 Fishes of the British Isles," to which the reader is con- 

 fidently referred for more detailed information con- 

 cerning the third class of animals included in this volume. 



