viii INTRODUCTION 



of the animal kingdom, and therefore in writing the present book 

 I have consulted the latest published works of the leading authori- 

 ties on each division, so that I might have the benefit of their 

 knowledge upon those divisions with which I am less familiar, 

 as well as their confirmation upon those to which I have devoted 

 many years of original research. I believe that in every case 

 where extracts from other works have been included they have 

 been placed between quotation marks and their authorship acknow- 

 ledged either in the text or in a footnote. Whenever it has 

 seemed desirable, the origin and full meaning of less familiar 

 technical words have been given. The whole of the illustrations, 

 both in colour and half-tone, have been prepared from my own 

 original photographs. I would express my thanks to Mr. H. E. 

 Garraway, of the Queensland Government Office, London, for 

 enabling me to photograph a specimen of that deeply interesting 

 animal the Ornithorhynchus, and also to my dear Wife for much 

 valuable assistance. 



If the book and its illustrations should help to awaken and 

 stimulate an interest in the wonders and beauties of animal life, 

 then my labours have not been in vain. 



F. MARTIN DUNCAN. 1 



