PREFACE. 



ix 



thousand pounds towards defraying part of the ex- 

 penses of publication. I have repeated in this volume 

 my account of the habits of some of the birds and 

 quadrupeds of South America, as I thought such 

 observations might interest those readers who would 

 not, probably, consult the larger work. But I trust 

 that naturalists will remember, that mere sketches are 

 here given on several subjects, which will hereafter be 

 more fully entered on, or have already been so : — for 

 instance, the notices of the strange fossil quadrupeds 

 of the eastern plains of South America are exceedingly 

 imperfect, whilst an admirable account of them by 

 Mr. Owen now forms the first part of the Zoology of 

 the Voyage of the Beagle. 



I shall have the pleasure of acknowledging the 

 great assistance I have received from several natu- 

 ralists, in the course of this and the succeeding works ; 

 but I must be here allowed to return my most sincere 

 thanks to the Reverend Professor Henslow, who, 

 when I was an under-graduate at Cambridge, was one 

 chief means of giving me a taste for Natural History, 

 — who, during my absence, took charge of the collec- 

 tions I sent home, and by his correspondence directed 

 my endeavours, — and who, since my return, has con- 

 stantly rendered me every assistance which the kindest 

 friend could offer. 



C. D. 



VOL. Tir. 



b 



