PREFACE. 



To the Eev. W. S. Symonds, F.G.S., the Rev. T. WHtshire, 

 F.G.S., the Rev. Dr. Anderson, Dr. Phipson, Count Marschall, Dr. 

 Bevan, Dr. G. D. Gibb, F.G.S., Professor Harkness, M. Jules 

 Marcou, Messrs. H. C. Salmon, P.G.S., H. 0. Sorby, P.R.S., P.G.S., 

 Edw. Wood, F.G.S., W. PengeUy, F.G.S., Geo. Tate, G. E. Roberts, 

 H. Mitchell, and the too long list of contributors for insertion here? 

 my grateful thanks are due. And to my numerous friendly querists 

 I would only say how much pleasure it has given me to answer their 

 many questions. 



Of my own labours past and intended I may speak without self- 

 vanity. My desire is to advance the popularity of the science, and 

 to extend its beneficial influences. My own articles on " Common 

 Fossils," with the " Gems of Private Collections," will give me the 

 opportunity of figuring all the British species of fossils; and that 

 the unavoidable inconvenience of having to follow a consecutive 

 order may be less felt, it is my intention to give from time to time 

 special papers on particular well-known fossiliferous localities, such 

 as Folkestone, Bridlington, Scarborough, the Isle of Wight, &c., by 

 which means those of our readers living on other rock-formations 

 than those treated of in the regular order of our course, may derive 

 some advantage from the figures of fossils and descriptions of the 

 strata with which those projected papers will be illustrated. 



To Sir Roderick Murchison, Professor Huxley, Professor Ramsay, 

 Messrs. Salter and Etheridge, Mr. Long the Librarian, and to other 

 gentlemen of the Geological Survey ; as also to Professor Owen, Mr. 

 Waterhouse, Mr. Woodward, Mr. Davis, and other gentlemen at the 

 British Museum, I have to express my thanks for the facihties 

 afforded me on all occasions when I have had occasion to visit the 

 departments under their respective controls. 



Lastly, to my sincere and valued friend the Assistant- Secretary of 

 the Geological Society, I have again to express my warmest thanks 

 for many kindnesses, personal and editorial. 



S, J. M. 



London, Beceniber, 1859. 



