INTRODUCTION. Hi 



of most works of a similar nature have fallen, that of making a collection of detached articles, 

 not only without connexion in themselves, but scattered through many volumes, filled with 

 other matters, which destroy the usefulness of each other by the confusion; and, by rendering 

 frequent repetition unavoidable, greatly reduce the value of the work as a book of reference. 



The plan which has been adopted for avoiding these faults, and ensuring the opposite 

 advantages, has been to combine the two principles of a complete and connected SYSTEM OF 

 NATURAL HISTORY, with an ALPHABETICAL DICTIONARY ; and it is confidently hoped 

 that the success and the advantages of this compound plan will be equally apparent. The 

 complete system will ensure the same connexion, and the same freedom from repetition, as if 

 the work were performed by one author and published at one time ; while the alphabetical 

 arrangement will enable the reader at once to turn to any single point upon which he may 

 wish to be informed. 



The systematic arrangement of the productions of nature, in the divisions and sub- 

 divisions into ranch they have been distributed by the best authors, furnish at once the plan, 

 which has only to be properly executed in alphabetical order ; and then, the purpose is 

 attained, and the work rendered equally available and equally useful for systematic study and 

 for consultation upon any single point that may be required. A short account of the manner 

 in which this is to be accomplished will serve at once as a key to the work and an intro- 

 duction to the study of Natural History. 



One principle will run through the whole: that of giving under each article all that 

 properly belongs to it, giving that clearly, and as fully as appears to be consistent with the 

 interest of the reader and the extent of the work, but giving no more. 



In following up this plan, the various classes into which animals, plants, and minerals 

 have been divided by naturalists will be given in their alphabetical order, with the characters 

 on which the class is formed ; to this will be appended the orders into which the class is 

 divided, and which will be found also in the order of the alphabet. From these again the 

 reader will be referred to the family, and from the family to the minor groups or genera. 



It is evident that reference can be made from particular articles to general ones as 

 readily as the other way ; and that, therefore, not a single line of repetition will be neces- 

 sary in any of the articles, because each article will explain all that relates to its own 

 subject ; and if the reader wishes to turn to any thing more general, he will have only to 

 look at the commencement of the article, to see from what articles that one subdivides or 

 branches, and he can easily turn to these. 



The same method will be followed through all the steps from the class down to the species, 

 in every instance in which it can further the purposes of information to descend so far ; and 

 where that is unnecessary, the more important species will be found described under the 

 genus or other final group, which appears to favour the grand object of furnishing the most 

 abundant and accurate information, in the most accessible form and in the smallest compass. 



In the references, the common English name (when there is one), and the systematic 

 name will be given together; and where it suits equally well for other purposes, the alpha- 

 betical arrangement will follow the English names. This will prevent waste of space, 

 make the work at once adapted for popular reading, without the labour of acquiring 

 learned names, and occasion no difficulty to those who follow the systematic arrangement 

 from the more general articles to the more particular, because if they do not find the 

 next stage of the description under the one of the two names which are in juxta-position, 

 they may make sure of finding it under the other. 



NATURK is usually considered as divided into three KINGDOMS, of which short explana- 

 tions are given in the following sections. 



