BIBLIOGRAPHY. 423 



majority of persons. Two points, however, must be borne 

 in mind: (1) the list of periodicals is by no means perfect; 

 and (2) the annual records of the progress of science in the 

 different departments are catalogued under the periodicals, 

 immediately after the magazines, and not under the special 

 sciences to which they relate. 



The annual records have been thus classified together on 

 account of their periodical nature, and for the convenience 

 of librarians and others who may wish to procure the valu- 

 able epitomes of scientific literature which these represent. 

 These volumes are generally not expensive, and most of them 

 are very full in their notices of the literature of their respec- 

 tive subjects. They could readily be obtained by second 

 and third rate libraries even, and would be of great use to 

 the seeker after the most recent scientific facts ; and yet the 

 libraries that have even one of these valuable issues are ex- 

 tremely rare. It should be the duty of librarians to provide 

 such complete summaries of scientific knowledge before al- 

 most anything else; but, as has been just indicated, the neg- 

 lect to do so is very general. This neglect is probably due 

 rather to the ignorance respecting the existence or value of 

 such works than to any other cause; and it will probably 

 be a surprise to many to know that such publications exist 

 and have been long in the course of passage through the 

 press. 



Those journals have been referred to for the notices of 

 books which are most generally accessible to ordinary read- 

 ers on account of the nature of their circulation. They are : 



(1.) The American Journal of Science and Art. Editors 

 and Proprietors, James D. Dana, B. Silliman, and E. S. Dana 

 (etc.). Third series. Vol. XIII. (Whole number, CXIII.) 

 Nos. 7378, January to June, 1877 (et seq.). New Haven: 

 Editors. 1877. (Published monthly, at $6 per annum.) 



(2.) The American Naturalist: an Illustrated Magazine of 

 Natural History. Edited by A. S. Packard, Jr. Associate 

 Editors, Prof. G. L. Goodale, Department of Botany ; Dr. R. 

 H.Ward, Department of Microscopy. Volume XL (et seq.). 

 Boston: H. O. Houghton and Company. 1877 (et seq.). 

 (Published monthly, at $4 per annum.) 



(3.) Nature : a Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. 

 Volume XVI. May, 1877, to October, 1877 (et seq.). Lon- 



