X PREFACE. 



The publication of the present edition of this work 

 has been so long delayed, that the Author feels it to be 

 his duty to explain, as briefly as possible, the cause of 

 the non-fulfilment of its promised appearance, and to 

 remove the responsibility of the failure both from his 

 respected publisher and himself. His removal from his 

 residence in London — the centre of literary and scientific 

 society and information — together with other personal 

 circumstances over which he had no control, induced him 

 gladly to avail himself of the well known extensive know- 

 ledge of Mr. Tomes as regards both the history and habits 

 of the animals to which his attention had been specially 

 directed, and his acquaintance with the foreign literature 

 of the subject ; and much of the additional interest of 

 the earlier portion of the volume, including the orders 

 Cheiroptera and Insectivora, is due to him, and is grate- 

 fully felt and acknowledged. It is painful to be obliged 

 to add that the extremely dilatory manner in which this 

 advantage was bestowed, caused, extreme uneasiness both 

 to Mr. Van Voorst and to the Author, and occasioned the 

 lamented delay. 



The postponement, however, vexatious as it was, had 

 the favourable result of enabling the Author to obtain 

 the co-operation of his friend, Mr. Alston, to whom he 

 is indebted for most of the improvements in the whole 

 of that part of the work which was left untouched by 

 Mr. Tomes. For the complete and effective manner in 

 which Mr. Alston has fulfilled his task, for the constant 

 courtesy and kindness which have characterized his 

 relations Vv^ith the Author, he has his most sincere and 

 grateful thanks ; — and the scientific readers of the work 

 will be able to judge to what extent it is indebted for 

 its present improved state to Mr. Alston's labours. 



The Author has also the pleasant duty of oflfering his 



