PREFACE 



THE aim of this book is to illustrate the ever-growing 

 ■wonder of animated Nature — with especial reference 

 to animal Hfe. It is an unconventional introduction to 

 Natural History and Biology, taking broad views of the 

 actual lives of living creatures and working inwards. It 

 is therefore complementary to other books which begin 

 with the minute analysis of the individual. The author 

 hopes that it may be found useful in ' Nature-Study ' 

 as a continuation of his Biology of the Seasons, and 

 that teachers of Zoology may recommend it to their students 

 as an introduction to the study of some of the problems 

 for the discussion of which our crowded curricula leave 

 little time. 



Eecent years have brought us a great increase of know- 

 ledge in regard to the haunts of life, such as the Deep Sea ; 

 periodic movements such as the Migration of Birds ; 

 adaptations and inter-relations ; animal behaviour, both 

 instinctive and intelUgent ; the intricacy of life-histories 

 and the drama of organic evolution. It has been possible, 

 therefore, in this book to use many fresh facts and fresh 

 lights to illustrate and illumine old problems. The result 

 in the author's mind has been a strengthening of the con- 

 viction that the facts of Hfe cannot, for biological purposes, 

 be adequately re-described in mechanical formulae. It 

 is hoped, . however, that dogmatism has been successfully 

 avoided. The Wonder of Life must speak for itself. 



Perhaps everything that lives would appear equally 

 wonderful if we knew enough about it — ' the leaf of grass 

 no less than the journeywork of the stars . . . the pis- 

 mire equally perfect — the egg of the wren — the tree-toad, 



