vi PHYSIOLOGY AND MORPHOLOGY OF ANIMALS. 



want in our teaching of zoology to-day — a want which 

 is only now beginning to be recognized. It is just such 

 a general view which I have attempted to give in this 

 volume. The book is not intended to take the place of 

 books already in the field, but to supplement them. It 

 is intended to precede and accompany the special labo- 

 ratory courses of our high schools, colleges, and univer- 

 sities. It must itself be preceded by the type method in 

 the schools. 



Some will think I have too much slighted the inver- 

 tebrates. I can only say that this was unavoidable if I 

 kept within the limits of a moderate-sized book. I have 

 given only what every intelligent person would like to 

 know. 



Again, some will perhaps think that I dwell too 

 much relatively on certain functions — e. g., the sense of 

 sight and glycogeny. I can only answer that a perfectly 

 balanced treatise on any wide and complex subject is 

 well-nigh impossible, and I am not sure that it would be 

 best even if it were possible. A certain insistence on 

 points best known to and most thoroughly investigated 

 by the teacher — a certain hobby riding, if not carried 

 too far — is necessary to give life and interest to any 

 subject. 



Some may object to the order of treatment — descen- 

 sive instead of ascensive. This, I believe, finds justifica- 

 tion in the fact that physiology, not morphology, is the 

 prominent point of view. This I explain fully in the 

 book (page 27). 



The work is the final embodiment of a course of lec- 

 tures continued and compacted for many years, and 

 given in connection with and preparatory to the labora- 

 tory courses in zoology in the University of California. 



Joseph Le Conte. 

 Berkeley, Cal., October, i8gg. 



