PREEPACE. 
ABouT four years ago I became convinced that the true 
method of teaching Natural History was the one laid down 
by Professors Huxley and Martin, in their “ Practical 
Biology.”"* As soon as possible I tried to follow that 
method, but found that Huxley and Martin’s book was not 
quite suitable for my purpose. In the first place, the 
number of selected types is small, while I had to prepare 
students for an examination that embraced all classes and 
orders of animals. In the second place, some of the pro- 
cesses which the student is instructed to go through require 
considerable practice before they can be successfully per- 
formed, and while the idea is prevalent that the student 
should learn something of everything, this occupies too 
much time. In the third place, some of the animals cannot 
be readily obtained in New Zealand. Under these circum- 
stances I modified Professor Huxley’s plan, by taking more 
types, and teaching less about them; especially by leaving 
out histological details‘and processes. After going through 
this course in the Otago University for two years, it became 
evident to me that, in order to secure method and accuracy 
* A Course of Elementary Instruction in Practical Biology. Mac: 
millan & Co 
