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Show viii PREFACE. I shall ever feel most thankful for the undeviating kindness with which I was treated, during our long voyage. The present volume contains in the form of a journal, a. sketch of those observations in Geology and Natural History, which I thought would possess some general interest. As it was originally intended to have preceded any more detailed account, and as its publication has been unavoidably delayed, the briefness and imperfection of several parts, I hope, will be excused. I have given a list of' those etTat~ (partly caused by my absence from town when some of the sheets were in the press) which affect the sense; and have added an Appendix, containing some additional facts (especially on the theory of the transportation of erratic blocks) which I have accidentally met with during the past year. I hope shortly to publish my geological observations ; the first Part of which will be on the Volcanic Islands of the A.tlantic and Pacific Oceans, and on Coral Formations ; and the second Part will treat of South America. Several numbers of the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, due to the disinterested zeal of several of our first naturalists, have already appeared. These works could not have been undertaken, had it not been for the _liberality of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, who, through the representation of the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer, have been pleased to grant a sum of one PREFACE. ix thousand pounds towards defraying part of the expenses of publication. I have repeated in this volume my account 0f the habits of some of the birds and quadrupeds of South America, as I thought such observations might interest those readers who would not, pr?bably, consult the larger work. But I trust that naturalists will remember, that mere sketches are here given on several subjects, which will hereafter be ~ore fully entered on, or have already been so :-for mstance, the notices of the strange fossil quadrupeds ?f the eastern plains of South America are exceedingly Imperfect, whilst an admirable account of them by Mr. Owen now forms the first part of the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle. I shall have the pleasure of acknowledging the great assistance I have received from several naturalists, in the course of this and the succeeding works ; but I must be here allowed to return my most sincere thanks to the Reverend Professor I-Ienslow, who, when I was an under-graduate at Cambridge, was one chief means of giving me a taste for Nat ural History, -who, during my absence, took charge of the collections I sent home, and by his correspondence directed my endeavours,-and who, since my return, has con" stantly rendered me every assistance which the kindest friend could offer. C. D. VOL. HI. b |