Zoology : an elementary text-book / [Sir A.E. Shipley].

  • Arthur Shipley
Date:
1920
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Zoology : an elementary text-book / [Sir A.E. Shipley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/780 (page 6)
    In the section of the book dealing with Vertebrata many changes have been made. In the chapter on Fishes, we have endeavoured to bring clearly before the student’s mind that the existing piscine population of the world’s waters consists of two types of fish, the bony and the cartilaginous, and that the so-called Ganoids and Dipnoi comprise very few species, the last survivors of groups now nearly extinct. Sketches of the modern classification of Bony Fish and of Birds have been given so that the student may grasp to some extent the principles on which modern systematists proceed. Lastly, in the section dealing with Mammalia, considerable alterations were inevitable. Our largely increased knowledge of Theromorphous Reptiles has rendered untenable the view of the homology of the ear- ossicles of Mammalia formerly accepted by us, and the brilliant discoveries of Dr Andrews have settled the position of Elephants and Sirenia. Besides those whose work we have mentioned above we owe thanks to Mr H. H. Brindley of St John’s College, and to First Lieutenant J. T. Saunders of Christ’s College, for much helpful criticism. We are grateful for the reception which has been accorded to the second edition: we hope that the changes we have alluded to may increase the usefulness of the book. A. E. S. E. W. M. \st January, 1915.