CHAPTER I 



Introduction 



A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE WORLD OF 



NATURE 



NATURAL history in its widest sense deals with the 

 entire universe, or everything which God created 

 in the beginning. More often, however, it is applied to 

 a description of the earth and its productions ; and not 

 infrequently it is restricted to the animal kingdom alone. 



The study of inorganic nature opens up to us a vast 

 realm of bewildering interest. The blue ethereal sky from 

 which by day shine the life-giving sun, and by night 

 the silvery moon, or myriads of twinkling stars ! The great 

 globe revolving in illimitable space ! The restless, rolling 

 ocean, fed by mighty rivers that rise in stupendous moun- 

 tains capped by everlasting snow ! The sweltering heat 

 of the Tropics, the equable climate of the Temperate zones, 

 the icy breath of the Polar regions ! The morning dew, 

 the evening mist, the gentle rain, the feathery snow ! The 

 balmy zephyr, the swelling breeze, the howling hurricane ! 

 The fiery volcano and the devastating earthquake ! The 

 procession of the seasons and the flight of time ! All 

 fill us with profound wonder, and provide us with endless 

 scope for reflection upon the might, majesty, and wisdom 

 of Him who orders and controls the mighty forces of nature. 



Climate clothes the broad plains, the winding valleys, 

 the swelling uplands, the hill-tops, and even far up the 

 sides of the frowning mountains of the inorganic globe 

 with vegetation, according to the heat and moisture brought 

 to them by the changing seasons. The vegetable life in 



