

Lib 



PREFACE. 



THE Author, in his Preface, has exhausted the material for an 

 introductory notice to this little work, for the scope of which I 

 must refer the reader to Mr. Lydekker's own words. It is a 

 significant fact that in the present day no author pretends to 

 write a complete account of his subject, who does not take 

 some notice of its Palaeontological aspect, and I feel myself 

 very fortunate in having secured the assistance of such a well- 

 known Palaeontologist as my friend Mr. Lydekker for this 

 record of our British Mammalia, past and present. 



Mr. Lydekker is not an advocate for the adoption of the 

 Scomber scomber principle in zoological nomenclature. I feel 

 convinced, however, that the absolute justice of retaining 

 every specific name given by Linnaeus will some day be recog- 

 nised. Thus, in my opinion, the correct title of the Badger 

 should be Meles meles (L.) ; of the Otter, Lutra lutra (L.) ; of 

 the Roe-deer, Capreohis capreolus (L.) ; of the Common Por- 

 poise, Phocana phocana (L.) : of the Killer, Orca orca (L.). 



R. BOWDLER SHARPE. 



