LETTER 
TO 
MONSIEFE E. J. TEIMINGK, 
CHEVALIEE OF THE LIOK OF THE IfETHEELAKDS ; DIEECTOE 
f THE MUSEUM OF THE LOW COUNTEIES ; MEMBEE OF 
VAEIOUS ACADEMIES AND LEAENED SOCIETIES* 
The origin of the work which I now publish, goes back 
to the first period of my studies ; I therefore may regard 
it as my first effort in natural history. You have granted 
me the favour of placing your name at the head of my book : 
this distinguished honour offers me the most suitable op- 
portunity of publicly testifying to you my gratitude, and of 
shewing to the scientific world how much you have contri- 
buted to facilitate my researches, or rather how it is to you 
that the publication is due. After the departure of our 
unfortunate friend Boie for India, you had the goodness 
to confide to my care the extensive collections which in- 
clude the vertebrate animals, comparative anatomy, and 
the fossils,- — collections forming the finest part of the Mu- 
seum of the Netherlands. Incited by the example of my 
learned predecessor, and hoping to be useful to science, by 
cultivating a branch of zoology hitherto neglected, I di- 
A 
