IV PREFACE. 



his pencil nor his pen has been allowed to pass the bounds of 

 truth. There is, however, one branch of his subject on which 

 justice and gratitude render it necessary for him to say some- 

 thing more. In those departments of natural history, to 

 which he owns himself a stranger, he has received assistance 

 of the utmost value from several distinguished persons. To 

 the few plants which, after his unfortunate fellow traveller 

 had sacrificed his life to the pursuit, the writer was able to 

 collect, a permanent place in the botanic system has been 

 given by Dr. Lindley. Much importance has been added 

 to the work, by the researches and discoveries which Pro- 

 fessor Owen has made, with regard to the fossil remains ; 

 and the few particulars gleaned relative to existing animals 

 have enabled Mr. Ooilbv to introduce several interestinsr 

 novelties to the attention of zoologists. To these gentlemen, 

 and also to Professor Faraday, IVIr. MacLeay, and other 

 scientific friends, the warmest acknowledgments of the 

 writer are due, for whatever naturalists may deem worthy 

 of praise in these pages. 



The aid thus liberally afforded, acting in unison with a 

 feeling that, as the surveys were undertaken by order of 

 Government, it is his duty to lay the result of them early 

 before the public, has encouraged the author to persevere 

 steadily in bringing out these volumes ; though he must 

 candidly own that, but for these considerations, he would 

 rather have delayed the performance of this task till he had 

 completed another,* of a national character, which, con- 

 nected as it is with the days of his early service in the cause 

 of his country, may naturally be supposed to have stronger 

 and more attractive claims upon him, 



August 18, 1838. 



* Plans of tlie Fields of Battle in tlie Peninsula. 



