It should be quite understood, in the first place, that, as has been stated in the Introduction, the original conception of the work is due to the genius and energy of the late Sir Victor Brooke, under whose supervision the greater number of the plates and other illustrations were prepared, and I need hardly say that it is greatly regretted by the authors that Sir Victor did not live to carry out his plan. Sir Victor was elected a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London in 1864, at which time I knew him only as an ardent sportsman, much attached to Natural History. Some time in the year 1870, I think it was, he called upon me at my office, and stated that he had been attending Sir William (then Professor) Flower’s lectures at the College of Surgeons, and had quite determined to commence serious work in Natural History, being deeply interested in that subject. After talking over the matter with him for some time it was suggested that the Ruminant Mammals, with many of which Sir Victor as a sportsman was well acquainted, offered an excellent subject for work, and I promised that I would take every opportunity that fell in my way of putting at his disposal specimens of this class. I was, of course, delighted at getting a recruit for Natural History of such energy and ability. I may mention here that amongst other questions which I asked him at this interview was whether he knew German, as without a knowledge of that language it would be impossible for anyone in these days to do good work in Natural Science. Sir Victor in reply regretted his ignorance of this language, but stated that he should set to work and learn it at once. A few months afterwards I found to my surprise that he had kept his word, and was already able to translate passages in the German authorities to which he had occasion to refer. I may add that I have given the same advice more than once to other would-be students of Natural History, but that I never recollect it having been followed with such immediate and successful results.