NOTE 



The present work is the first of the New York Aquarium 

 Nature Series. It is designed chiefly as an aid to the study of 

 the marine invertebrates of the region about New York, but on 

 account of the wide distribution of the species found along our 

 shores it is apphcable to the Atlantic coast generally. While it 

 is primarily a book for the seaside, it will be found a valuable 

 reference book for visitors studying the collections of the Aqua- 

 rium, as the species herein considered are very largely those 

 which may be seen there alive from time to time. 



Although the work will be accepted as authoritative from a 

 scientific point of view, having been prepared by a professional 

 zoologist of the highest standing, it is popular in character. It 

 presents the facts of modern zoological investigation so clearly 

 that it will be attractive to the general reader as well as to the 

 nature student and teacher. The illustrations are mostly from 

 photographs taken by the author of living specimens in the New 

 York Aquarium and elsewhere. 



The book is a gift of the author to the New York Zoological 

 Society, and the proceeds from its sale are devoted to the publica- 

 tion fund of the Aquarium. 



C. H. TOWNSEND, 



Director of the Aquarium. 



