It only remains to state in a few words the circumstances under which
this work is given to the public.

The author arrived in England in September, 1840, and was engaged in
preparing his notes for 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.

...