PREFACE 



This volume represents in book form the Lecture course in Zoology for 

 medical students as it has evolved during recent years in the University 

 of Glasgow. 



' The task of designing and conducting a course in Zoology that will 

 play its proper part in the education of the graduate in medicine is no 

 light one. It is made immensely heavier by certain conditioning factors, 

 above all in the case of our Scottish universities, by the compulsory 

 limitation of the course within a period of ten weeks. This renders it 

 necessary for the teacher to confine himself rigidly to those parts of 

 the subject which can really justify the expenditure upon them of the 

 necessary time from the short period available. 



In deciding what portions of the vast science of Zoology satisfy this 

 condition, the teacher has to be guided by certain governing principles. 

 Above all he must have clearly defined in his mind what he regards as 

 the main objects of his course. So far. as the present writer is concerned 

 he has kept before him three objects which he believes to be of pre- 

 eminent importance. 



I. To awaken and develop, so far as the animal kingdom is concerned, 

 interest in biological science. Medical students are training themselves 

 to be efficient practitioners of a particular department of applied biology. 

 It is of vital importance that they should become inspired at the earliest 

 possible stage in their curriculum with a living interest in the study of the 

 animal body. One of the first endeavours then of the teacher of Zoology 

 should be to cast over the minds of his pupils some of the fascination of 

 the most fascinating of sciences, so that they may pass on their way 

 quickened and inspired by the stimulus of its interest. 



II. To lay an adequate foundation for the superstructure of detailed 

 knowledge of the animal body imparted in the courses of Anatomy, 



