Vll 
the progress of htunan advaiicement and industry, as others re- 
main among us only hy sutferenee, or for our pleasure ; but 
most of the former, have left some marks of their presence, 
either at least in the names of places where formerly they were 
found, or in the history of events with which they were con- 
nected ; and as some of their remains are at times dug up from 
the places in which they had long been buried, it forms a neces- 
sary part of our subject to preserve some record of these 
fragments in connection with the place, and to associate them in 
our remembrance with those species which were their companions 
in ages long gone by, but which from causes altogether unknown 
have not perished with them We would not deny the ancient 
existence of many species because they have not left any 
diluvial remains behind them ; but there are undeniable proofs 
that the badger, among others, which continues to maintain its 
station among us in spite of persecution, was also an inhabitant of 
Britain at a time when there roved over our hills a very different 
race of animals from any we now see, or it would be pleasant or 
safe to meet. 
At the time when the Cornish Fauna of the first edition was 
written, the number of observers in Cornish natural history was 
few, and the materials for reference in ascertaining the names 
of species scanty, but it is a great pleasure to remark that a 
great improvement has since then taken place in both respects. 
The series of books on the science, published by Mr. Van Voorst, 
has left little to be desired in the latter respect ; and besides 
that, they have had, further, the good effect of increasing the 
number of students of nature, and bringing them into closer 
acq^uaintance with others, and thus benefited their enquiries by 
the mutual aid they have obtained from each other’s labours. 
It is with much pleasure that the author acknowledges the as- 
sistance he has received from the communications of several of 
those, his esteemed friends : the names of whom will be found 
in the course of the following pages, as authorities for several 
of the facts he has given, but it is with feelings of sorrow he 
adds, that some of them, greatly valued, have been removed 
from all that caused joy or sorrow on earth ; and others have 
been far removed by the casualties of life, either into situations 
* See Introductory note, p. lii. 
