PREFACE. xi 
may have been prejudicial in its effects, by prevent- 
ing many from entering upon the study, and by re- 
straining the efforts of others. The Animal King- 
dom is considered by many persons as furnishing a 
delightful field of rational enquiry, but they feel 
disposed to bestow all their praise on certain sub- 
jects of that kingdom which happen to be favourites, 
and they are ready to stigmatize the remainder as 
comparatively worthless. ‘They would applaud the 
student inclined to investigate the instincts of the 
elephant, but would censure him, as engaging in de- 
grading pursuits, were he detected in examining the 
habits of a spider, or the structure of a worm. Do 
such persons consider the wisdom of the plan of 
Providence as discoverable without an acquaintance 
with the relation of the particular parts, or a par- 
tial view as sufficient to enable them to compre- 
hend the whole? To such judges of Nature, a 
sneer would perhaps be the most suitable reply; 
but, as they are numerous, it may be worth while 
to attempt to teach them sounder views. Much of 
their error may be traced to the importance which 
they attach to s7ze, without perhaps reflecting, that, 
if this is to be considered as the best test of the dig- 
nity of an animal, the horse must be regarded as 
more excellent than his rider. Besides, were ani- 
