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PREFACE. 



THE present Work forms one of a projected series of Illustrated 

 Volumes on British Natural History. It has not been pre- 

 pared in consequence either of a lack of books on the same 

 subject or of any deficiency in those which are accessible, but 

 simply to bear its part towards the completion of a naturalist's 

 library upon a plan as nearly as practicable uniform with Mr. 

 Berkeley's ' Fungology/ with which the series commenced. 



The book thus originated has been written with the aim 

 of making it effective in training up students for the more 

 advanced and technical Floras of Babington, Bentham, and 

 Hooker. For this purpose, dissections of the parts of the 

 flowers have been introduced among the figures ; and the 

 illustrated plants, which furnish a tolerably complete series as 

 regards important features of structure, have for the same 

 reason been rather fully described. By these means it is 

 hoped that an insight into the structure and classification of 

 plants will be acquired by those who may honour the book by 

 making it their ' Companion ; ' and this insight, if attained, 



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