iv INTRODUCTION. 



the weakness of a merely entertaining selection, shall rigidly 

 retain all which bears upon the ruling feature of a proper 

 Natural History — the feature of a lucidus ordo. 



There can be no doubt that, absolutely considered, the 

 tabular form would be the best for such a purpose ; and ac- 

 cord] ugly we find that in France, M. Lemmonnier has ac- 

 quired much celebrity by his well arranged system, on which 

 this work is based. 



But what, in a scientific point of view, is certainly an ad- 

 vantage, has, in other respects, a very serious inconvenience. 

 The tabular form, where the matter, as in Natural History, 

 is essentially complex, and subdivision is piled, as it were, 

 upon division, will admit of little or no letter press, and re- 

 quires that the whole pass into the hands of the engraver. 

 The expense is of course enormous, and renders the book a 

 dead letter, as far as regards its common academical use. 



In the volume now offered, the author has ventured so 

 to modify that of M. Lemmonnier, as to dismiss the body 

 of his tableaux, retaining as much of their spirit as was 

 compatible with the objects in view, and giving many useful 

 additions from the works of Cuvier, Dumaril, Lacepède, and 

 other well known naturalists. The Botanic System of Lin- 

 naeus is preserved, as in the French original. 



For a further progress in the science, Dr Comstock's In- 

 troduction to Botany may be confidently recommended, as a 

 valuable work for Students. Also to Students in Geology, 

 who wish to extend their inquiries, we would respectfully 

 recommend "Lyell's Elements of Geology," for a first book, 

 and his larger work, entitled, " Lyell's Principles of Geolo- 

 gy," both of which are written in the most attractive style, 

 and abundantly illustrated by coloured plates, maps, &c, just 

 published by Kay & Brother, Chestnut street, Philadelphia. 

 (See London Quarterly Review and Silliman's Journal of 

 Science, for notices of Mr Lyell's works.) 



