4 



INTRODUCTORY LETTER. 



notwithstanding that Botany was always his favourite pur- 

 suit, has given his sanction, acknowledging in the preface to 

 his Fauna Suecica, that although the vegetable kingdom is 

 nobler than the mineral, yet the animal is more excellent 

 than the vegetable. Now it is an indisputable axiom, I 

 should think, that the more exalted the object the more 

 excellent the study. By this observation, however, I would 

 by no means be thought to depreciate or discountenance the 

 study either of plants or minerals. All the works of our 

 Creator are great, and worthy of our attention and in- 

 vestigation, the lowest in the scale as well as the highest, 

 the most minute and feeble as well as those that exceed 

 in magnitude and might. JSTor ought those whose in- 

 clination or genius leads them to one department, to say to 

 those who prefer another — " we have no need of you " — 

 for each in his place, by diffusing the knowledge of his 

 works, and adding to the stock of previous discoveries, 

 contributes to promote the glory of the Great Architect of 

 the universe and the good of his creatures. 



It is not my wish to claim for my favourite science more 

 than of right belongs to her ; therefore, when the question is 

 concerning rank, I must concede to the higher orders of 

 animals, I mean Fishes, Amphibia, Birds, and Quadrupeds, 

 their du$ priority and precedence.^ I shall only observe 

 here, that there may exist circumstances which countervail 

 rank, and tend to render the study of a lower order of beings 

 more desirable than that of a higher : when, for instance, the 

 objects of the higher study are not to be come at or pre- 

 served without great difficulty and expense ; when they are 

 few in number ; or, when they are already well ascertained 

 and known: circumstances which attach to the study of 

 those animals that precede insects, while they do not attach 

 to the study of insects themselves. 



With regard to the amusement and instruction of the 

 student, much doubtless may be derived from any one of the 



I If, however, rank were to be estimated by number of species or individuals 

 of a species, the pre-eminence could be claimed by insects, which, from the cal- 

 culations made by various entomologists, probably amount to 400,000, or even 

 more, perfectly distinct from each other ; while for all the other classes of animals 

 together, 30,000 species would be a high estimate. 



