PREFACE. 
XVI 1 
fess to lead others to study this captivating 
science, than to teach those who are already 
acquainted with its beauties. 
The systematic arrangement we have pur- 
sued, in conformity with the present en- 
lightened state of the science, will be found 
of considerable service to those who take 
up the book with a view to profit by the 
study, as we have been careful to give, to 
all the leading subjects, a concise Linnaean 
specification, accompanied by references to 
several authors of acknowledged reputation 
and value. In our arrangement of the qua- 
drupeds, we have adopted the celebrated 
Ray's method, in preference to that of Lin- 
naeus. Had our work been calculated 
merely to satisfy the rigid naturalist, this 
would hardly have been excused ; but as it 
is, we may perhaps be pardoned for the re- 
pugnance we feel to place the monkey at 
the head of the brute creation, and thus to 
associate him, as it were, with man. 
We conceive it unnecessary to say much 
respecting the embellishments which ac- 
