and to bring out the hopeless divergencies existing; but
all that is important here is to state briefly what has been included
and what omitted.

Common English terms even if descriptive, when used in their
ordinary dictionary sense, have not been included as a rule; but this
is subject to many exceptions. Latin terms and derivatives, even if
used in their usual sense have been generally included; but
compounds made up of adequately defined descriptive terms are
generally omitted. Adverbial or adjective forms have been omitted
whenever it has been considered safe, and so have terms prefixed by
sub-, supra- and the like, indicating degree or position. In doubtful
cases the terms have been included and defined. All terms of venation
are, so far as possible, reduced to the Comstock system which is the
only one that has been satisfactorily worked out for all orders, and a
series of figures is added to explain this system so far as seems
necessary. It has not been considered feasible to determine the proper
use of terms applied differently in different orders or families; that is
scarcely within the scope of a work of this kind.

Terms used in embryological and histological study have been
included only so far as seemed necessary to an understanding of the
general works, and no attempt has been made to cover the terms
applied to musculature and other details of microscopic structure:
this has seemed rather to be outside of the scope of the present essay.

All color terms are reduced so far as possible to terms of the
Windsor and Newton system of water colors which are standard in the
English-speaking world, and the color plate shows solid blocks of
those colors that seem necessary to explain all modifications except
metallics, blacks and whites. {Scanner's note: color plate may be
excluded, partly because it is in poor condition.}

The figures illustrating body structures and other details have been
drawn under my supervision by Mr. John A. Grossbeck, and are
meant to be guides merely - else the glossary would exceed its scope.

In the admission that the work is incomplete, no apology is intended
for its publication; it is merely a statement of fact to encourage
constructive rather than destructive criticism. It is hoped that those
who note errors or omissions will communicate them to the writer so
that when another edition is needed, as it will be before many years
are past, a standard work may be possible.

JOH