vi Preface. 



possible correctness, I have by their i'^npor 

 tunities allowed myself to be betrayed into 

 print. 



It has been my earliest desire, however, 

 in writing these pages, to be as brief, con- 

 cise, and straightforward as possible in all 

 statements of fact, eve7i where a little more 

 elaboration might have made a more favorable 

 impression. I have also striven to put forth 

 my viezijs in a plairi garb, a7id I shall be 

 abundantly satisfied if I have 77tade ^nyself 

 understood I more than repaid if the few and 

 crude suggestio7ts I have gathered shall incite 

 abler and better eqttipped men to enter this 

 very interesting field of i^iqtnry, and bring 

 forth such good restilts as I am sure await 

 the careful and conscientious investigator / 

 and only regretful if I have used unwit- 

 tingly any error for fact, or drawn, ifi the 

 course of the argument, any false or unwar- 

 ranted conclusions. 



♦•Inglehurst," Yonkers, Nov. io- 1883. 



