PREFACE. 
Tuere are few individuals who have not, in the course 
of their lives, met with objects of Natural History, 
which they considered worth preserving, but, from the 
want of knowledge how to proceed, have been unable 
to do so. Indeed many fine specimens have been lost 
_ from this cause alone. To remedy this, in some de- 
"gree, is the intention of the following little book, which 
_will be found to contain almost all that is already 
_ known on the methods of Collecting and Preserving 
| Objects of Natural History, including several things 
which are not generally known. 
In the year 1819, the Senatus Academicus of the 
es 
Edinburgh University, did me the honour to request _ 
me to proceed to France, to inspect the splendid | 
Museum of Mons. Dufresne, chief of the preserving 
department, at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris, which 
was then for sale; and, if I approved of it, to purchase 
the collection for the College. I found the collection | 
to consist of many rare and valuable specimens, and, 
as a whole, in a high state of preservation, as might be | 
expected, from the ability of its distinguished possessor; _ 
and that it was worth more, in my estimation, than the | 
sum asked: I accordingly made the purchase. 
