VI INTRODUCTION. 



moderns are frequently copyists of each other. 

 Those who are desirous of consulting other au- 

 thors besides those here given, will find in the 

 books referred to, so much instruction as will 

 satisfy their enquiry, or direct them where to 

 obtain it. 



The references to modern Authors must also 

 be regarded as including their history of each 

 species, with the exceptions particularly pointed 

 out ; and therefore nothing is given that might 

 be found in any of them. The short notes added 

 to the species are therefore to be understood as 

 occasional correction of what is believed to be an 

 error, or an addition of something in which our 

 native species may differ from the same kinds in 

 other districts. Minute observation is thus some- 

 times admissible, where in larger or more general 

 works it would be out of place ; and in some in- 

 stances it may be considered as descriptive of the 

 influence of climate and situation. 



A Fauna of a Country is commonly under- 

 stood to comprize an enumeration of all the living 

 nature of the district it embraces ; and therefore 

 it may be objected, that in the present instance 

 the name is scarcely applicable to a work that 

 omits the more numerous tribes. Of these the 

 Annelides must be left to other hands : which is 

 mentioned the rather, that some competent per- 

 sons, for it requires many labourers, may not delay 

 to enter upon the task. The Molluscs also, will 

 invite, and amply repay, the labour of the Natu- 

 ralist. An imperfect enumeration might have 

 been given, but it has been judged better to omit 

 what must have been exceedingly unsatisfactory, 

 to an inquiring Naturalist. 



