THE HISTORY OF THIS WORK. 



IN November, 1902, amongst the letters written to 

 our late Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Wiltshire, I found one 

 dated 8th July, 1902, commencing thus : 



" A life-long friend, Mr. James Cash of Manchester, has 

 devoted thirty years' time, special knowledge, and enthusiasm, 

 to the writing of a Monograph on the Rhizopoda. He has 

 also done with his own hands an excellent and adequate 

 equipment of plates to illustrate the text, and, I speak as an 

 old Quekett man, these drawings are distinguished by an ideal 

 measure of faithfulness to nature, loving care, and artistic 

 beauty." 



This letter was from a bookseller, Mr. A. F. Tait, 

 of Queen Street, Cheapside, and then proceeded to 

 name two of our chief publishers, both especially well 

 known as publishers of natural history books, who, 

 while expressing approval of the work, would not 

 undertake it unless the author would bear the whole 

 risk of publication, which he was not prepared to do. 

 The letter concluded : 



" As there is no British Monograph of the Rhizopoda, 

 possibly the Ray Society might be disposed to entertain the 

 question of publication, if so I would be glad to forward Mr. 

 Cash's MS. for inspection." 



In reply Dr. Wiltshire appears to have written for 

 fuller information about the work. Mr. Tait was then 

 with Mr. Cash at Criccieth and promised to give this 



