FIRST-BOOKS 



OP 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



PREPARED FOR THE USE OF 



SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, 



BY W. S. W. RUSCHENBERGER, M. D., 



Surgeon in the U. S. Navy; Fellow of the College of Physicians; Hon. Member of tkt 



Philadelphia Medical Society; Member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of 



Philadelphia, c$-c., $-c. 



FROM THE TEXT OF MILNE EDWARDS AND ACIIILLE COMTE, 



Professors of Natural History in the Colleges of Henri IV. and Charlemagne. 



WITH PLATES. 



The Books already issued have received the highest commendations from the most 

 tminent men of science and learning' throughout the country: amongst whom are 



Drs. Morton, Dunglison, Carson, Goddard, Pancoast, Sewall, Homer, Valentine 

 Mott, Bedford, Granville Sharp Pattison, Wm. Rush, J. W. Webster, Alban Goldsmith, 

 Thomas Harris, N. W. Cole, B. F. Bache, I. Parrish, Wm. Harris, W. E. A. Aiken, 

 J. K. Mitchell, Harvey Lindsly, R. Bridges, Frederick Hall, James O. Pond, Samuel C. 

 Smoot, Thomas Miller, Chandler R. Gilman, J. Augustine Smith, John A. W. Dunbar, 

 Nathaniel Potter, John C. S. Monkur, Samuel K. Jennings, Frank H. Hamilton, George 

 B. Wood,.Joseph Bullock, A. B. Cox, D. Egbert, J. Worster, B. S. Herndon, Wm. Elmer, 

 W. A. Clendennen, A. McWilliams, R. D. Mussey, John Styles, Thomas D. Mutter, 

 Thomas Stewardson, J. F. Brooke, W. H. Pile. 



Hon. Levi Woodbury, Hon. Daniel Sturgeon, Hon. Samuel L. Southard, Hon. Jamea 

 Buchanan, Hon. G. C. Verplanck, Hon. Judge Hopkinson. 



Bight Rev. Bishop Charles P. Mcllvaine, D. D. 



Also, from Messrs. J. R. Chandler, R. Sterling, Hiram Ketchum, Wm. Biddle, S. S. 

 Griscom, John Frost, J. J. Smith, jr., Charles Atherton, S. S. Haldeman, Isaac Lea, 

 &c. <5cc., and from nearly all the leading reviewers throughout the country. 



The original of the above named work was submitted to the " Royal Council of Publie 

 Instruction " in France; and after having it under deliberation, that learned body 

 decided upon its adoption for the use of Schools throughout France. Their decision 

 was communicated to the author by M. Guizot in a letter, of which the following is a 

 translation : 



"MINISTRY OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 



University of France. 



Paris, Uth November, 1838. 

 GENTLEMEN : 



The Royal Council, in its sittings of the 5th instant, have held your work entitled 

 First-Books of Natural History, under deliberation, which I have approved, and infor- 

 mation of which 1 have the honour of communicating to you: ii is expressed in the 

 following terms: 



The Council, &.C., having examined the report which has been presented to it on a 

 work of M.M. Milne Edwards, and Achille Comte. entitled First-Books of Natural 

 History, decide that this work be adopted for teaching Natural History in the Colleges." 

 You are at liberty, gentlemen, to give this decision the publicity you may think 

 proper. For my part, I shall communicate it to the Rectors, that they may recommend 

 Hie use of the First- Books of Natural History, to the patrons and principals of the 

 folleges dependent on their academies. 



Accept gentlemen, the assurance of my distinguished consideration; 



The Minister of Public Instruction, 



GUIZOT 

 M.M. MILNE EDWARDS & ACHILLE COMTE.' 



