VI PREFACE. 



lain hope, accurately described. An account of all the 

 most important Animal and Mineral Poisons was required 

 to render the work complete ; these have been added, 

 with the same attention to authorities, as will bo found 

 in other parts of the work. 



Many of the Lithographic Illustrations are from ori- 

 ginal drawings made expressly for the work, and several 

 of them represent species never given before. To the 

 account of most of those minerals that assume regular 

 forms, the figures of the primitive, and to some of the 

 most important, the secondary forms arc annexed : the 

 time necessary to delineate them by geometrical projec- 

 tion, could not be given, and that errors in some of the 

 figures, (owing to the carelessness or ignorance of the 

 artists) will be observed there can be no doubt ; but the 

 Author trusts that all who know the difficulty of pro- 

 curing an artist who, in delineating a subject, can unite 

 facility of execution with scientific knowledge, will make 

 due allowance for any trifling inaccuracy which arises 

 from a cause over which he had no control. 



The Author cannot conclude this short address with- 

 out acknowledging the ready access that has been 

 afforded him to the magnificent collection of Minerals 

 and other objects of Natural History, in the British 

 Museum. To Thos. Bell, Esq. F.R.S. of New Broad 

 Street, who kindly favoured him with several rare spe- 

 cimens of Poisonous Serpents, he returns his most sin- 

 cere thanks. 



