PREFACE. 



When the first edition of the Cornish Fanna was published, it 

 was judged necessary to make an apology for its production, by 

 offering some explanation of the advantages to be obtained from 

 the study of the natural productions of a limited region towards 

 the progress of science, and the more general understanding of 

 the works of God. But it is highly gratifying to find that such 

 an explanatory apology is now no longer necessary. It is ad- 

 mitted on all hands that such a work is useful. By the scientific 

 naturalist it is confessed that many of his most valuable contri- 

 butions towards the progress of knowledge have been poured 

 into the common stock from this source ; and the local resident 

 has felt a pleasure in discovering that he may become acquainted 

 with the natural objects which surround him, by consulting a 

 book of small size, and which will direct his enquiry after further 

 information, without rendering it necessary for him to wade 

 through a multitude of volumes, without clearly understanding 

 what he is searching for. To every one it must be a matter of 

 interest to possess some amount of information with regard to 

 the number and distribution of the animal creation of his own 

 district ; while the men of more general science are also in- 

 structed in what has only of late been valued as it deserves, the 

 geographical distribution of living beings on the earth and in 

 the waters. Akin to this is the influence which local circum- 

 stances exert on the form and colour or habits of species known 

 to exist also in other lands ; and this, with the employments 

 which arise from the visits of fish and birds, as also the opinions 

 and superstitions to which close observation on the one hand, 

 and ignorance on the other, have given rise, are properly the 



