[Gutenberg 46362] • The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 4 (of 4) / Plates

The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume III (of 4) by Francis Maitland Balfour

The present volume completes my treatise on Comparative Embryology. The first eleven chapters deal with the developmental history of the Chordata. These are followed by three comparative chapters completing the section of the work devoted to Systematic Embryology. The remainder of the treatise, from Chapter XIV. onwards, is devoted to Organogeny. For the reasons stated in the introduction to this part the organogeny of the Chordata has been treated with much greater fulness than that of the other groups of Metazoa.

My own investigations have covered the ground of the present volume much more completely than they did that of the first volume; a not inconsiderable proportion of the facts recorded having been directly verified by me.

The very great labour of completing this volume has been much lightened by the assistance I have received from my friends and pupils. Had it not been for their co-operation a large number of the disputed points, which I have been able to investigate during the preparation of the work, must have been left untouched.

My special thanks are due to Mr Sedgwick, who has not only devoted a very large amount of time and labour to correcting the proofs, but has made for me an index of this volume, and has assisted me in many other ways.

Dr Allen Thomson and Professor Kleinenberg of Messina have undertaken the ungrateful task of looking through my proof-sheets, and have made suggestions which have proved most valuable. To Professors Parker, Turner, and Bridge, I am also greatly indebted for their suggestions with reference to special chapters of the work.