SECTION I. 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE HABITS OF PLANTS. 
WITH EIGHT ENGRAVINGS. 
The following Wood Engravings, copied from the elegant work 
of C. F. Brisseau Mirbel, entitled “ Elemens de Botanique ,” are 
added to this volume, in order to exercise the pupil in the study of 
the habits of plants. The author above alluded to, thus remarks, 
[we give a translation of his words :] 
“ In order to learn any part of Natural History, the student must 
see much , and exercise himself that he may see clearly; this de¬ 
mands zeal and perseverance. A thousand characters offer them¬ 
selves to the eye of the naturalist, which are unseen by others; this 
is, because these characters become striking only by comparison, 
and the art of comparison supposes knowledge already acquired. 
In placing before the eye of the pupil figures representing the most 
striking characters of objects, we take the surest method of helping 
him forward. We cannot vary too much the forms we offer him. 
“ The following designs present examples of the plants of all cli¬ 
mates, and such as are found in all classes. The minute and ex¬ 
tended analyses which will be found in the explanations of some of 
these plants, are made for the benefit of those pupils who love to 
push their investigations beyond the mere elements of science; 
such will soon learn to make observations for themselves, and to test 
those of others by a comparison with nature. 
“ The relative size of the different plants represented, is preserved 
as far as possible, but it was in many cases impossible to give an 
accurate idea of this, in grouping the figures.” 
