PREFACE. 



IN presenting to the public the following series of essays, 

 which have already appeared in serial form, the Author 

 has but few words to say by way of preface. 



It will be seen from the chapters themselves that the 

 greater portion of the work relates to Zoology and 

 especially its palseontological branch while only a small 

 section is devoted to Geology proper. 



While some of the zoological chapters treat of the 

 natural history of particular groups or species of 

 animals, others are more especially devoted to some of 

 those problems connected with the evolution, development, 

 and mutual relationships of animals which at the present 

 day are attracting so much attention on the part of 

 students of the science. 



Although necessarily somewhat technical in places, the 

 Author hopes that the popular style, which he has 

 endeavoured to preserve throughout the work, will render 

 it acceptable to those lovers of Nature who are too often 

 repelled by the number of hard words they meet with in 

 the books professedly written for their edification. 



HARPENDEN, 



978850 



