PREFACE. 



In concluding the last volume of these Illustrations, I may 

 be allowed to express the satisfaction I feel, at the favourable 

 manner in which the work has been received, both in this 

 country and on the continent. 



Several objections have been urged, even by sensible 

 writers, against miscellaneous works on Zoology. First, 

 that they range over the whole animal kingdom, without 

 completing the history of any one tribe. Secondly, that 

 their authors, while professing to illustrate only what is new 

 or little known, intrude a large proportion of subjects to be 

 found in all the common natural histories. And thirdly, that 

 this rapid mode of publishing new discoveries, is an infringe- 

 ment on the right, and is detrimental to the labours, of those 

 naturalists who direct their attention to one particular branch. 

 These objections, however, are not unanswerable ; for, in the 

 first place, these miscellanies should more properly be con- 

 sidered as graphic illustrations, or collections of figures, 

 wherein the efforts of the artist, aided by scientific know- 

 ledge, are called forth, to complete, by his pencil, the more 

 minute and detailed descriptions which should proceed from 

 the pen of the monographer. The most perfect works in the 

 science are undoubtedly those which unite the labours of 

 both ; but, in proportion as this perfection is attained, the 

 general utility of such works is diminished. They become 

 so enormously expensive, that they are only to be seen in 

 universities and princely libraries ; for the most part inac- 

 cessible to the naturalist, and nearly unknown to the public 

 at large. The works of Le Vaillant, Desmarest, Vieillot, Fe- 

 russac, and several others, published in France and Germany, 

 are of this description; and while in one sense they have 



