viii PREFACE 



The time bestowed upon the Early Naturalists by 

 author and reader will have been well spent if it helps 

 them to attain a comprehensive view of biological his- 

 tory, which is indispensable to the appreciation of recent 

 work. History is necessary to the student who practises 

 modern methods and is inspired by modern ideas, for 

 the same reason that embryology is necessary to com- 

 parative anatomy ; to know what is we must know how 

 it came to be. 



I have to thank Dr. B. Day don Jackson for corrections 

 and elucidations of material value. 



L. C. M. 



