PREFACE. Xi 



may have been prejudicial in its effects, by prevent- 

 ing many from entering upon the study, and by re- 

 straining the efforts of others. The Animal King- 

 dom is considered by many persons as furnishing a 

 delightful field of rational enquiry, but they feel 

 disposed to bestow all their praise on certain sub- 

 jects of that kingdom which happen to be favourites, 

 and they are ready to stigmatize the remainder as 

 comparatively worthless. They would applaud the 

 student inclined to investigate the instincts of the 

 elephant, but would censure him, as engaging in de- 

 grading pursuits, were he detected in examining the 

 habits of a spider, or the structure of a worm. Do 

 such persons consider the wisdom of the plan of 

 Providence as discoverable without an acquaintance 

 with the relation of the particular parts, or a par- 

 tial view as sufficient to enable them to compre- 

 hend the whole? To such judges of Nature, a 

 sneer would perhaps be the most suitable reply ; 

 but, as they are numerous, it may be worth while 

 to attempt to teach them sounder views. Much of 

 their error may be traced to the importance which 

 they attach to size, without perhaps reflecting, that, 

 if this is to be considered as the best test of the dig- 

 nity of an animal, the horse must be regarded as 

 more excellent than his rider. Besides, were ani~ 



