PREFACE I have stated in the preface to the first Edition of this work, and inthe Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, that it was in consequence ofa wish expressed by Captain Fitz Roy, of having some scientific personon board, accompanied by an offer from him of giving up part of his ownaccommodations, that I volunteered my services, which received, throughthe kindness of the hydrographer, Captain Beaufort, the sanction of theLords of the Admiralty. As I feel that the opportunities which Ienjoyed of studying the Natural History of the different countries wevisited, have been wholly due to Captain Fitz Roy, I hope I may here bepermitted to repeat my expression of gratitude to him; and to add that,during the five years we were together, I received from him the mostcordial friendship and steady assistance. Both to Captain Fitz Roy andto all the Officers of the Beagle [1] I shall ever feel most thankfulfor the undeviating kindness with which I was treated during our longvoyage.
This volume contains, in the form of a Journal, a history of ourvoyage, and a sketch of those observations in Natural History andGeology, which I think will possess some interest for the generalreader. I have in this edition largely condensed and corrected someparts, and have added a little to others, in order to render the volumemore fitted for popular reading; but I trust that naturalists willremember, that they must refer for details to the larger publicationswhich comprise the scientific results of the Expedition. The Zoologyof the Voyage of the Beagle includes an account of the Fossil Mammalia,by Professor Owen; of the Living Mammalia, by Mr. Waterhouse; of theBirds, by Mr. Gould; of the Fish, by the Rev. L. Jenyns; and of theReptiles, by Mr. Bell. I have appended to the descriptions of eachspecies an account of its habits and range. These works, which I oweto the high talents and disinterested zeal of the above distinguishedauthors, could not have been undertaken, had it not been for theliberality of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, who,through the representation of the Right Honourable the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer, have been pleased to grant a sum of one thousand poundstowards defraying part of the expenses of publication.
I have myself published separate volumes on the 'Structure andDistribution of Coral Reefs;' on the 'Volcanic Islands visited duringthe Voyage of the Beagle;' and on the 'Geology of South America.' Thesixth volume of the 'Geological Transactions' contains two papers ofmine on the Erratic Boulders and Volcanic Phenomena of South America.Messrs. Waterhouse, Walker, Newman, and White, have published severalable papers on the Insects which were collected, and I trust that manyothers will hereafter follow. The plants from the southern parts ofAmerica will be given by Dr. J. Hooker, in his great work on the Botanyof the Southern Hemisphere. The Flora of the Galapagos Archipelago isthe subject of a separate memoir by him, in the 'Linnean Transactions.'The Reverend Professor Henslow has published a list of the plantscollected by me at the Keeling Islands; and the Reverend J. M. Berkeleyhas described my cryptogamic plants.
I shall have the pleasure of acknowledging the great assistance which Ihave received from several other naturalists, in the course of this andmy other works; but I must be here allowed to return my most sincerethanks to the Reverend Professor Henslow, who, when I was anundergraduate at Cambridge, was one chief means of giving me a tastefor Natural History,—who, during my absence, took charge of thecollections I sent home, and by his correspondence directed myendeavours,—and who, since my return, has constantly rendered me everyassistance which the kindest friend could offer.
DOWN,