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Show iv REM AUKS. everlasting foundations on the unchangeable .organization ?f that economy it was his business to study: h1s monument 1s imperishable--'' Regalique situ pyramidum altius." When the extent and nature of this work are taken into consideration it will be readily surmised that my task has been far from an e~sy one; and a glance at the original is sufficient to convince the scientific critic that such is not only the case, but that the difficulties I have had to encounter were of no ordinary cast. The graceful flexibility of the French language is such as to yield to a combination of wor~s an~ forms of expression that almost bid defiance to any thmg hke synonymes in our more stubborn English. If this be true in relation to the language of conversation or that of books on ordinary subjects, how greatly must the difficulty be increased when we find them abounding in a work like this! Such has been my trouble and perplexity on this account, that I may be excused for observing, that although the necessity for making new words cannot be denied, we should never forget that there are but two sources from which they can be legitimately drawn-the Latin or Greek. A word thus formed, being universally understood, may be removed unaltered from one language to another(!). Previously to commencing the execution of this version, it became indispensably requisite to fix upon some general plan of proceeding. The absurdity of translating into English the technical portion, or the nomenclature, was too apparent to demand a moment's consideration-the genius of our language forbids it. To have left these terms in French would have been inexpedient for self-evident reasons; and the idea of giving a class in Latin, an order in French, &c., presented too revolting a medley. By giving them all in Latin, the common language of science, these objections vanished, although it entailed difficulties of a different character. I have ventured to encounter them; and while strictly adhering to (1) For some remarks on this subject, see Count Dejean's prefac'e to his Species, &c., I, p. 8. REMARKS. v the spirit, and, as far as practicable, to the very letter of my author, have endeavoured to give to the whole work that classical ''form and pressure" which facilitates its study and tends to fix its great and leading points more firmly in the memory. How far I have succeeded others must determine. I have not forgotten that although this work is more particularly intended to be studied by the naturalist, it will probably be read by every one who has the slightest desire to acquire some knowledge of the numerous and interesting groups of animals by which Man is surrounded, and with whiah he is so indissolubly connected. The general reader will lose nothing by the concise and simple style I have endeavoured to adopt; and although the meanings of the names affixed to the various divisions are not placed in glaring characters at their head, he will always find it in the text. Whenever an animal is mentioned that is generally known by one and the same English, or vulgar name, I have always given it; but of the many thousands here treate<.l of, very few are thus circumstanced, and I cannot but think that it would be advantageous to the science if vulgar names wer.e totally· excluded from its nomenclature. The evidence of this is to be found in the fact, that, with comparatively few exceptions, these names vary, not only in different countries, but in different parts of the same country. Thus the Rockfish of Philadelphia is a Striped-Bass at Boston ; the Sheep head of Pittsburg (a Corvina) is a totally different fish from the one so called in our city (a Sargus), and even belongs to a different family; the Trout we receive from Long Branch might with equal propriety be denominated a Shark or a Sturgeon. Different names are sometimes attached to the same animal, and the same name to different animals. Vulgar names are a fruitful source of error ; and therefore I have employed them as sparingly and as cautiously as possible. An immaculate book is perhaps rather to be wished for than expected, and that errors should have crept into the Regne Animal is not at all surprizing. These I have endeavoured to correct, not by erasure or altering the text (those cases a} .. |