84 ANIMAL ECOLOGY 



some concrete case, and later expanded to its logical 

 consequences. 



Only a few references are given on general physi- 

 ology, metabolism, and allied subjects, but those 

 given furnish a valuable index to further literature. 

 Only the most arbitrary line can be drawn between 

 papers dealing with habits, behavior, and individual 

 ecology, and for this reason most of the references 

 selected are arranged alphabetically. 



Particular attention should be called to the fact 

 that it is not to be assumed that the various authors 

 strive to make the points to which attention is here 

 called ; they may or may not do so. My aim is to 

 call attention to the utility of the publications from 

 the standpoint advocated throughout the book. 



From this point onward in this book the references 

 form its main feature. For thjs reason it is important 

 that one should not get an exaggerated idea of the 

 value of the literature. It is perhaps true that a 

 large part of the best ecological work has been done 

 with little knowledge of other ecological writings. 

 This was of course particularly true of the early 

 workers, and the best work of to-day does not come 

 from the largest library centers. A student looking 

 over these lists, and finding that he has access to 

 relatively few papers, may conclude that all effort 

 is of no avail. The greatest need is not all or even 

 a majority of the publications on the general field, 

 but the relatively limited number which bear 

 directly upon the problem at hand and enough of 

 the general papers to aid him in a general orientation. 



