PREFACE. 



MY object in writing the Animal Sketches collected in this 

 volume has been rather to stimulate interest, and, if it may 

 be, to encourage observation, than to impart information. 

 Seldom have I turned to books in preparing, at sundry times 

 and in divers places, these sketches ; but hardly ever have I 

 ventured to write without renewing my acquaintance with 

 the subject in hand, in the country, at the Zoological Gardens, 

 or in the Museum. Such information as I do impart can 

 therefore in most cases be readily verified by any one who 

 will take the trouble to obtain personal interviews with the 

 subjects of the sketches. And if I may induce my younger 

 friends, whom in especial I have had in view, to look with 

 more observant and intelligent eyes on animals great and 

 small, from the elephant to the honey-bee, their increased 

 interest in the world of living things will be my sufficient 

 reward. 



I know not whether I ought to apologize for the familiar 

 and conversational style which I have adopted or rather, to 

 speak more accurately, fallen into, for I am not conscious of 

 having sought out any special style in which to elaborate my 

 sketches. Nay, rather I have just let eye and hand play 

 freely and easily over my subject, caring little for detail, and 

 having no thought of elaboration. My sketches make no 

 pretence of being either scientific memoirs or literary essays. 

 As sketches, however, I have tried to make them accurate 

 and faithful. 



It is my pleasant duty to acknowledge my indebtedness to 

 the Editors and Publishers of Atalanta and Murray's Maga- 

 zine for their courteous permission to reprint articles which 

 have appeared in their pages. 



C. LLOYD MORGAN. 



BRISTOL, November, 1891, 



J06735 



