Vi INTRODUCTION. 



be distributed, by mutual agreement, according to the 

 preference of the individuals associated in the Survey. 



A hope was expressed that, inasmuch as many por- 

 tions of the Natural History of the Commonwealth had 

 already been so well explored, the Survey might be 

 completed within one year.. And the following instruc- 

 tions were given, explanatory of the view taken by the 

 Executive, of the precise object of the Survey. 



" It is presumed to have been a leading object of the 

 Legislature, in authorizing the Survey, to promote the 

 agricultural benefit of the Commonwealth, and you will 

 keep carefully in view the economical relations of every 

 subject of your inquiry. By this, however, it is not in- 

 tended, that scientific order, method, or comprehension 

 should be departed from. At the same time, that which 

 is practically useful will receive a proportionally greater 

 share of attention, than that which is merely curious ; 

 the promotion of comfort and happiness being the great 

 human end of all science." 



The commission for this part of the Survey bore the 

 date of June 10, 1837. As soon after this as it could 

 conveniently be accomplished, an arrangement was 

 agreed upon, by which Prof. Emmons undertook to re- 

 port upon the Mammalia, Dr. Storer upon the Fishes 

 and Reptiles, Mr. Peabody upon the Birds, Dr. Harris 

 upon Insects and Araneides, Dr. Gould upon the Mol- 

 lusca, Crustacea and Radiata, Prof. Dewey upon the 

 Herbaceous Plants, and Mr. Emerson upon the Trees 

 and other Ligneous Plants. 



Agreeably to a plan proposed by the Chairman, and 

 cordially assented to by every member of the Commis- 

 sion, it was agreed that, instead of confining themselves 

 to completing the catalogue of the objects in the seve- 



