PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION 



This work was first published in February 1892, 

 reprinted in June of the same year, and a third 

 edition, with an appendix, printed in January 1895. 

 It has now been for some time out of print, and as 

 a demand for it still exists, the author and his present 

 publisher have been encouraged to issue this new and 

 cheaper edition. The letter-press and the drawings 

 in the text have been left as they were ; the only 

 change is in the form of the book and the sub- 

 stitution of new plates for the old ones. 



The following paragraphs appeared in the Preface 

 to former editions : — 



" The plan I have followed in this work has been 

 to sift and arrange the facts I have gathered con- 

 cerning the habits of the animals best known to 

 me, preserving those only, which, in my judgment, 

 appeared to be worth recording. In some instances 

 a variety of subjects have linked themselves together 

 in my mind, and have been grouped under one 

 heading ; consequently the scope of the work is 

 not indicated by the list of contents : this want 

 is, however, made good by the index." 



" It is seldom an easy matter to give a suitable 

 name to a book of this description. I am con- 

 scious that the one I have made choice of displays 



