PREFACE. 



The directions for the dissection of certain vertebrate 

 animals of which the present book consists were begun 

 many years ago when I was privileged to act as demon- 

 strator to Professor Huxley, at ihe Royal School of Mines, 

 South Kensington. They are drawn up on much the same 

 plan as the " Laboratory Work," in Professors Huxley and 

 Martin's Elementary Biology, and aim at being a continuation 

 of the zoological part of that work, in much the same way 

 as the Practical Physiology of Dr. Foster and Mr. Langley 

 may be said to continue it on the physiological side. 



It must be borne in mind that the book is merely a " Course 

 of Instruction," in the dissection of Vertebrates, and that it 

 makes no pretence whatever at giving a complete account 

 of the anatomy of the types selected. The time at the 

 disposal of the average student of Comparative Anatomy is 

 so short, that for him to examine half a dozen vertebrate 

 animals — to say nothing of Invertebrates — in the same detail 

 as the student of Human Anatomy examines his single type, 

 would be quite out of the question even if it were necessary. 

 On the other hand, it is of the first importance that he should 



