b NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



visit, but, of course, one or more of the conditions named 

 will be present, and will have its characteristic inhabitants, 

 unless, indeed, he falls on evil times, and lights on a shore of 

 rolling shingle, for such does not favour much in the way 

 of zoology. 



That my young reader has some bent in this direction 

 I take for granted by the fact of his having this book in 

 hand. Let me urge upon him to take up the subject as 

 seriously as circumstances will allow, and I can promise 

 that even a very elementary study of the living forms of 

 our shores will open for him a fount of pleasure of pleasure 

 that does not pall. 



The equipment required is, with perhaps the exception 

 of a microscope, of the most simple and inexpensive kind. 

 Hints on this will be given further on. 



