PREFACE. 



THE National Society has done me the honour 

 to propose to republish parts of some of my Natural 

 History Lectures adapted as a Reading Book. 



Those who may wish to pursue the subjects 

 further, I would refer to my " Origin and Metamor- 

 phoses of Insects" (Macmillan and Co.), "British 

 Wild Flowers," &c. (Macmillan and Co.), " Scientific 

 Lectures" (Macmillan and Co.), and "Ants, Bees, 

 and Wasps" (Paul, Trench, and Co.). 



I am greatly indebted to my publishers for their 

 courtesy in allowing me to reprint here part of the 

 above-mentioned works. 



I have also to thank Messrs. Paul, Trench, and Co., 

 Messrs. Macmillan and Co., Messrs. Cassell and Co., 

 and Messrs. Lovel Reeve and Co., for the use of 

 various illustrations, which they have been so good 

 as to place at my disposal. 



HIGH ELMS, DOWN, KENT. 

 December, 1882. 



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