vi PREFACE. 



Vegetable Kingdom. This department of the subject 

 has not been treated at any length, partly because the 

 remains of plants are comparatively rare in the stratified 

 series, and partly because nothing less than a special 

 treatise would suffice to handle satisfactorily this obscure 

 and difficult branch of the subject. 



The fourth and concluding portion of the work treats 

 of Historical, or, as it might be called, Stratigraphical, 

 Palaeontology namely, of the application of Palaeon- 

 tology to the elucidation of the succession of the strati- 

 fied deposits of the earth's crust. This department of 

 the subject has also been very briefly disposed of, not 

 because its intrinsic importance does not warrant a 

 more extended treatment, but because it is the Author's 

 intention, as his leisure will permit, to devote a separate 

 treatise to the consideration of this wide and compara- 

 tively independent section of the science. 



In conclusion, the Author would beg his readers to 

 remember that there is no science which is growing so 

 rapidly, and which is as yet so comparatively in its 

 infancy, as Palaeontology ; and that there is none in 

 which the conclusions of to-day are more liable to be 

 vitiated by the discoveries of the morrow. Even whilst 

 these sheets have been going through the press, facts 

 have been brought to light which ought to have found 

 their place in a Manual of this kind, but which have 

 been of necessity altogether passed over, or, at best, 

 have been merely alluded to. For all deficiencies, there- 

 fore, arising from this cause, the Author has to beg the 

 kind indulgence of his readers. 



With regard to the Illustrations, the Author has 

 gratefully to acknowledge the kindness of Alfred R. C. 



