NATURAL SCIENCE: 



A Monthly Review of Scientific Progress. 



No. 41. Vol YII. JULY. 1895. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Finis coronat Opus. 



''PHE publication of the Report of the " Challenger " Expedition 

 •i has been brought to a close with the issue of the two volumes 

 reviewed in our May number. It is our English custom to accept 

 our great deeds with equanimity, as no more than fitting, or even as 

 inevitable. There is a merit in this peculiar form of pride, and yet 

 it has its dangers. It is to be feared that Englishmen do not really 

 appreciate this undertaking at its full value; they count the cost, but 

 fail to see the profit. This is natural, for such explorations imme- 

 diately appeal to only a limited class, however much their ultimate 

 results may benefit the world at large. Moreover, in the present 

 instance, the mere magnitude and duration of the performance 

 remove it from the grasp of the individual ; there are few who can 

 form an adequate conception of all the results. We have, therefore, 

 attempted to play the part of the philosophic historian, to show the 

 " Challenger " Expedition in its true perspective, and to estimate the 

 worth of its additions to science. We could not have made this 

 attempt without the cordial assistance of the numerous eminent 

 authorities, many of them the actual writers in the " Challenger" 

 Report, who have so generously answered our call. Our heartiest 

 thanks are here offered to them, and to many others whose names do 

 not appear on our title page, but who have given help in revising, 

 suggestions, and good-wishes. To our foreign friends we are speci- 

 ally grateful ; it was only fitting that they, without whose help the 

 "Challenger" collections could hardly yet have been worked through, 

 should have the opportunity of personally appearing in this summary. 

 W^e regret that obstacles of time and space have prevented yet more 

 of them from contributing. Warm thanks are also due to the 

 " Challenger " Office in Edinburgh for the loan of the wood-cuts that 

 illustrate the present number. 



B 



