INTRODUCTION 



TEE GROUND-PLANS OF NATURE 



Science is a collection of facts concerning natural objects or 

 phenomena, arranged in good order, and made useful. 



Natukal Science is the study of Nature's works and forces, 

 and embraces all things not made by man. Among its grand 

 divisions may be mentioned natural history, chemistry, and physics. 



Natural History is the study of Nature's common objects; 

 but by most persons this name is applied only to the study of 

 animal life. Natural history treats of three great kingdoms — 

 the animal, vegetable, and mineral. 



The Animal Kingdom embraces not only all the living creatures 

 which now inhabit the earth, but also those which have died, be- 

 come extinct, and left only their buried remains, called fossils. Of 

 the animal kingdom, three great groups of subjects may be recog- 

 nized, as follows: 



MAN, the study of whom is called An-thho-pol'o-gy 



THE LOWER ANIMALS, the study of which is called Zo-ol'o-gy 



EXTINCT, or FOSSIL, ANIMALS, the study of 



which is called Pa-le-on-tol'o-gy 



In strict reality, Paleontology is only a branch of Zoology, for 

 the two are inseparably dovetailed together. The living animals 

 of to-day are the standards by which the paleontologist studies and 

 determines those of the past. 



