xii PREFACE. 



State of this particular branch of the fine arts at the period of publication. This 

 was, however, soon found to involve an enormous expense, and to be accompanied 

 with a delay utterly incompatible with the early publication of the work. Most 

 of the JNIammalia, and a few of the Birds and Fishes, are thus executed ; but we 

 hope that in the lithographies furnished by Mr. G. Endicott, the naturalist will 

 not regret a departure from the original plan. 



In one instance I have introduced the figure of a species not known with cer- 

 tainty to exist in the United States, and for which an explanation may appear 

 necessary. I allude to the Manati, or Sea Cow of South America. The exceed- 

 ingly rare opportunit}/ which I had of examining this animal in a living state, of 

 having a faithful drawing made, and of being subsequently enabled to enter into 

 some of the osteological details, was too valuable to be allowed to escape. It 

 was thought that it would be interesting to the American naturalist, to be thus 

 enabled to compare it with the Florida Manati, from which it has been strongly 

 suspected to be specifically distinct. I was, moreover, desirous of giving an 

 accurate illustration of one of the herbivorous cetacea, a group the least known 

 of all the class Mammalia. 



I may possibly have attached more importance to the various popular names 

 given in different districts, than will perhaps be acknowledged by the technical 

 naturalist. It has been objected to their use, that they are often unmeaning or 

 absurd, and often doubtful in their application. The careful collator of syno- 

 nimes will, however, doubtless have discovered that the same charge may often be 

 applied to names drawn up with technical nicety, and in conformity with the laws 

 of nomenclature. As this work is intended for general readers, I have introduced 

 popular names whenever they could be obtained. The greater part of our 

 knowledge of the habits of animals is derived from persons unskilled in natural 

 history ; and the fact that the same popular name is variously employed in diffe- 

 rent districts, will often enable us to avoid error. A familiar example of this is 

 afforded by the history of the Wolverine. Under this name three different ani- 

 mals, the Northern Lynx, the Wolverine proper and the Bay Lynx have been 

 described, and their habits strangely confounded by writers who were not aware 

 that the same popular name had been applied in different districts to them all. 



In consulting authorities, we have taken pains to cite all the American writers 

 within our reach. The student is frequently at a loss where to find descriptions 

 of such animals as may come under his notice ; and these are distributed through 



