ACvERTISEMENT-i 
kind communications of those friends of science who had 
favouied him with subjects in other departments; and who, 
from their local situations in various parts of the country, 
might be enabled to assist him. But in this particular 
blanch of iSatural History it must he acknowledged their 
best endeavours proved ineffectual : the number of species 
so piocnred were inconsiderable, and it became necessary 
to visit those coasts where the more rare and local kinds 
aie sometimes found, in order to possess them. 
his task was not exempt from difficulty ; it w'as not 
enough to visit those coasts, but to seek the objects in re- 
quest in the depths and recesses of the ocean ; and in the 
accomplishment of wliich he could only avail himself of 
suer opportunities of venturing to sea as the accommoda- 
n of the tishing craft, or ojien boats of such remote and 
> icquented places, would allow. Those, it may be con- 
ceived, Meie not at all times calculated for comfort or 
even convenience, nor wholly free from peril. This mode 
piocuiing the specimens proved, however, in th.e end, 
sncccsstul, in the space of a few months, devoted at 
eient peiiods to this purpose, many extremely scarce 
cm ions articles were obtained, not only of the 
c ithyology kind, but in every other class of marine pro- 
ductions; and with repect to the fishes of the country in 
particulai, it afforded the best, if not the only means of 
ascertaining with accuracy the precise characters of those 
peiishablc beings. By this means also the author was 
enabled to delineate a variety of the more brilliant species 
in the highest state of perfection, and while they ye,t 
glowed with the vivid hues of life. This was assuredly a 
a 2 
