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PREFACE. 



ALTHOUGH many modern works are to be found descriptive 

 of particular groups of the higher animals, or of the 

 miscellaneous, but generally very imperfect, collections in 

 our zoological gardens, yet a long time has elapsed since 

 the publication of any work like the present, giving a concise, 

 but comprehensive view of the characteristic appearances, 

 habits, and uses, of this class of animals in general. The 

 progress which this department of zoology has made since 

 the time of BufFon, renders his work, as well as the volumes 

 which Goldsmith, Bewick, and others, have chiefly compiled 

 from him, but ill-adapted for popular instruction. BufFon 

 will ever claim our respect and our praise, for the zeal with 

 which he accumulated facts on his favourite study ; but his 

 predilection for theories which he could not support without 

 a violation of truth, and his invincible prejudices against 

 many animals, which he determined to depict in the worst 

 colours, often led him, unfortunately, to draw wrong inferences 

 from facts, and sometimes to exaggerate and distort them ; 

 while, on the other hand, he has often embellished them, so 

 that they might promote those efforts at ensuring an eloquent 

 effect, which are so apparent throughout his work, and which, 

 like the will-o'-the-wisp, display an effulgence more calcu- 

 lated to deceive than to assist. By the experienced and dis- 

 criminating naturalist alone, can Buffon's work be perused 

 without fear of being misled by the persuasions of eloquence ; 

 which, in philosophic inquiries, generally prove delusive 

 to the unwary. Even, putting these considerations aside, 



