PREFACE. V 



orders. These cases are few ; and as far as I 

 have applied his orders, I can discover no materi- 

 al inconvenience on this account. 



Cuvier's classification is certainly a great im- 

 provement upon that of Linneus, in most cases. 

 But I have not followed him in the orders of Pis* 

 ces and of Molluscous animals. His method, 

 would undoubtedly be preferable, if we could 

 make it convenient to dissect every animal in these 

 classes, which comes under examination. In the. 

 study of molluscous animals, we are chiefly con- 

 fmed to the empty shells j it being impossible for 

 most students to obtain the animals inhabiting the 

 shells. And one important use of the study of 

 Zoology is to prepare the student for geological 

 investigations. In this department we never find 

 the remains, or interior castings, of the soft parts 

 of animals. 



Few students will have leisure to pursue th$ 

 study of Zoology for a great length of time. 

 Therefore they will generally require a text- book, 

 which will lead them by the shortest course to a 

 general outline of the science. And this outline 

 should be pursued by a method, which is adapted 

 to the means of farther progress, which may be 

 within their reach. The only English work, to 

 be found in our towns and villages, to which we 

 can conveniently resort for specific descriptions, fo 



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