publication, when he was unexpectedly honoured with an appointment, which re-called him to Australia in the month of December following.
Avocations both of a public and private nature, arising out of that appointment, prevented him from carrying his work through the press during the short period of his residence in this country, and consequently the final arrangement of the impression, and the duties of typographical revision devolved on others.
Although no pains have been spared to render these volumes worthy of the public eye, the circumstances under which they appear, will naturally occasion them to be marked by defects which, doubtless, would not have escaped the Author's notice and correction had he been present.
It would be an act of injustice not to express here the obligations the author is under to Mr. J. E. Gray, of the British Museum, for his valuable assistance, in whatever relates to Natural History in the body of the work, as well as for the contributions in the same branch of science which will be found in the Appendix; nor are his thanks less due to Mr. Adam White, for an interesting paper on the Entomology of Australia; and to Mr. Gould, who has lately visited that country, for his list of the Birds of the Western Coast.