Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

PREFACE. IX thousand pounds towards defraying part of the ex- penses of publication. I have repeated in this volume my account of the habits of some of the birds and quadrupeds of South America, as I thought such observations might interest those readers who would not, probably, consult the larger work. But I trust that naturalists will remember, that mere sketches are here given on several subjects, which will hereafter be more fully entered on, or have already been so : — for instance, the notices of the strange fossil quadrupeds of 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 ihe Voyage of the Beagle. I shall have the pleasure of acknowledging the great assistance I have received from several natu- ralists, in the course of this and the succeeding works ; bi^^t I must be here allowed to return my most sincere thanks to the Reverend Professor Henslow, who, when I was an under-graduate at Cambridge, was one chief means of giving me a taste for Natural Histoiy, — who, during my absence, took charge of the collec- tions 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, III.