INTRODUCTORY. 19 



serve as a foretaste of what is to follow." * This general 

 account is an introduction, and was so regarded by J. 

 Barfchelemy Saint-Hilaire. Considering the nature of the 

 subject-matter of the History of Animals, such introduction 

 seems to be sufficient. 



The last sentence of Book i. of the Parts of Animals 

 reads: "Let us try to explain the causes, both general and 

 particular, commencing in the first place from first princi- 

 ples, as we have determined." Now, the first part of Book 

 ii. of the Parts of Animals commences from first principles 

 by describing the formation of the so-called elements, then 

 the formation of Aristotle's so-called homceomeria from 

 these elements, and next the formation of anhomoeomeria, 

 or complex parts. Therefore, the sentence in question, if 

 correctly placed, indicates that Book i. should immediately 

 precede Book ii. 



There is, however, another aspect of the question which 

 should be considered. Book i. of the Parts of Animals is of 

 an essentially introductory character, and appears to have 

 been intended to form an Introduction to the zoological 

 works in general. It sets forth the following order of deal- 

 ing with animals and vital phenomena : — (1) Animals as they 

 appear to us, their natures and parts, should be described ; 

 j(2) well-defined groups of animals should be described to- 

 gether, and animals which have not been put into well- 

 defined groups should be described separately; and (3) parts 

 of animals and actions and processes, such as progressive 

 motion, sleep, growth, and generation, common to groups of 

 animals, should be described. Now these subjects are 

 described in the History of Animals, some much more fully 

 than others, and the method of treatment seems to be based 

 upon that laid down in Book i. of the Parts of Animals. 

 Again, some works, such as those on Progressive Motion of 

 Animals, Pespiration, Sleep, &c.. Memory and Beminiscence, 

 and Generation of Animals, deal fully with many subjects 

 described only in outline in the History of Animals. The 

 method laid down in Book i. of the Parts of Animals seems, 

 therefore, to be followed, except as regards the " causes," in 

 the History of AniiJials, together with the works referred to, 

 and Book i. of the Parts of Animals seems to be intro- 

 ductory to Aristotle's zoological works generally, as well as 

 to the Parts of Animals in particular. 



* H. A. i. c. 6, s. 4. 



