vl PREFACE. 
It cannot be a matter of surprise that under 
such circumstances there should have arisen in 
the public mind a taste for zoological pursuits, 
and a desire for correct zoological information. 
To promote that taste and to gratify that whole- 
some desire are the objects of the present publi- 
cation. One great aim of the Society is to diffuse 
as widely as possible a practical acquaintance with 
living animals, in order to eradicate those vulgar 
prejudices which have in too many instances 
usurped the place of truth, and to substitute just 
ideas, drawn from actual observation, instead of 
false deductions from distorted facts, or wild 
speculations built upon erroneous foundations. 
By the same views has the Editor of the following 
pages been guided. Popular works on Zoology 
have too long been left to the mercy of writers 
little if at all conversant with the science of which 
they professed to treat; and the natural conse- 
quence has been the growth and repetition of 
errors of the grossest kind. But the altered 
temper of the times, connected with the extensive 
support given to a popular Society for the culti- 
vation of Zoology, appeared to afford a peculiarly 
favourable opportunity for attempting to counter- 
act this baneful practice, and the Editor felt 
himself in some degree called upon by the office 
which he held to undertake the task. 
