IV 



The ' Synopsis ' is here reprinted *, because it exhibits the 

 arrangement of the physiological series which preceded that 

 adopted in the present catalogue ; and, while it indicates the 

 nature and extent of the changes which have been introduced, 

 enables the scientific reader to understand more readily the 

 reasons that are given for them. The alterations consist, for 

 the most part, of a return to the arrangement originally em- 

 ployed by Mr. Hunter, and have been either suggested by the 

 Hunterian manuscript catalogues, or made with the view of 

 obtaining greater simplicity and consistency, and a more regular 

 subordination in the several groups of preparations. The 

 Hunterian documents, for example, seemed clearly to show that 

 it was not the intention of the founder to place the preparations 

 of ' Elastic substance as a substitute for muscle f Mn a subseries 

 distinct and remote from that which illustrated ' Elasticity in 

 aid of muscular action J/ No adequate advantage was gained 

 by retaining the subseries of ; Gizzards ' distinct from that 

 of ' Stomachs with a superadded crop ||/ The physiological 

 relation of these cavities to each other, and the modifications of 

 a single and definite plan of gastric structure, were obviously 

 better illustrated by retaining in the same series all the grada- 

 tions of complexity in the stomachs of birds, which form the 

 most natural and best defined class in the animal kingdom. 



As the progress of science is chiefly characterized by the 

 reduction of supposed anomalies to recognized general prin- 

 ciples, the physiologist, who may compare the present with the 

 preceding arrangement of the physiological collection, will not 

 be surprised at the suppression of many of the groups of prepa- 

 rations which formerly swelled the series entitled ' Peculiarities 

 in vegetables and animals %' 



Osseous substance, for example, is a material of the frame- 

 work, not of animals in general, but of one only of the primary 

 groups of the class ; the substances, therefore, ' of which the 



* [Omitted.] t Subseries 17 of the Synopsis. 



} Subseries 5. Subseries 28. 



|| Subseries 23. f Series XII, 



