Xll 
PREFACE. 
animals, and many valuable results yet remain in his possession, 
which it is hoped he will soon communicate to the public. 
The circumstance, however, which contributed, in the great- 
est degree, to restore the science to its former dignity, in this 
country, arose from the influence of the writings of the conti- 
nental naturalists. Unrestricted by those trammels which had 
paralysed the exertions of British zoologists, they had followed 
in the track of the Natural Method, under the banners of 
Reaumur, Degeer, Muller, Daubenton, and Fabricius ; 
and more recently under the guidance of Blumenbach, Ru- 
DOLPHi, Temminck, Cuvier, Latreille, and Savigny. A 
comparison of the productions of these modern observers, with 
those of the disciples of the Linnean school, could not fail to 
exhibit the former in a favourable light, and gain converts to 
the pursuits of physiology. In this new field. Dr Leach has 
occupied a prominent place. His situation as zoologist to the 
British Museum, furnished him with invaluable facilities ; and 
there are few unacquainted with the successful results. He be- 
gan by publishing several articles on annulose animals, in the 
Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, and the Supplement to the Encyclo- 
paedia Britannica, which have been republished, under his in- 
spection, by Mr Samouelle, in the Entomologists Useful 
Compendium, London, 1819. The Zoological Miscellany was 
begun by Dr Leach, in 1814; and, in the following year, the 
Malacostraca PodophtJialmata Britannice, imparted a new cha- 
racter to an obscure branch of British Zoology. He had like- 
wise, in considerable forwardness, a Mollusca Britannica, It 
is deeply to be regretted, that indisposition has hitherto pre- 
vented its publication, since it is confidently believed that his 
labours in this field would have removed much of that uncer- 
tainty which still prevails in the classification of molluscous 
animals. 
The Insects of Britain are at this moment receiving ample 
illustration, according to the modern improvements of the science, 
in two works, in the course of publication. In the British En- 
tomology of Mr Curtis, there is exhibited a fortunate dexte- 
rity in developing structure, accompanied with great accuracy 
of delineation. The Illustrations of British Entomology, by 
