PREFACE. 



When I look at the Title-page of tliis Volume, and find that it is 

 the TmETY-sECOND,— and that I have been Thu-ty-two years engaged 

 on the ' Zoologist,' and have retained many of my best contributors 

 and kindest friends during that long, long period,— I feel that I have 

 abundant cause for gratitude to those who have been so steadfast and 

 so obhging. I think I may say, without hesitation, that no other 

 Natural-History Journal ever attamed to so green and vigorous an 



old age. 



This feeling of happiness in the co-operation of my friends is, alas, 

 clouded, in a measure, by the loss of one of the most constant and 

 kmdest of them all. Francis Walker— from the very beginnmg a 

 contributor, a subscriber, and a supporter— never once during that 

 long period relaxed his efforts to advance the cause of Science, as 

 advocated m the ' Zoologist ; ' his Hndness never abated ; his friend- 

 ship never cooled: I cannot expect to meet with his Uke agam. 

 He died at his residence, Elm Hall, Wanstead, on the 5th of October, 

 in perfect peace with all the world, peace of body and of mmd ; I 

 never heard from his hps a single unkind expression, nor do I believe 

 he ever entertained, even for a moment, an unkind thought. 



Passuag to the Contents of this year's 'Zoologist' I am gratified to 

 see an mcreasing disposition to observe the living animal. The pre- 

 served remams have heretofore engaged too exclusively the attention 

 of the scientific ; but a change is evidently taking place ; and it is 

 pleasing to believe that the 'Zoologist' has been mainly instrumental 

 in maugm-ating that change. I will give a few illustrations of this : 

 facts now for the first time brought to notice. 



Sucklers.— Until pubhshed during the present year (p. 8877) I have 

 seen no mention of the very curious fact that the Seal swims on its 

 back, reversing the position on land or on the ice ; for the obvious 

 reason, that when out of water it is compelled to be constantly on the 

 look out for enemies above it, and in the water for food, which is below 

 it : the fixed position of the eyes requhing the position of the body to 

 be reversed according to each requirement. 



Birds.— At p. 4118 Mr. WaUis, a new and most promismg observer, 

 has described "how the Puffin ascends to its nest," throwing an 

 enthely new light on that interestmg question ; and on the followmg 

 page the subaqueous flight of the Guillemot is described also for the 



