PREFACE. 



IN presenting to the public the second volume of the Annual 

 of Scientific Discovery, the Editors desire to say a few words 

 concerning its objects and character. It is not our intention to 

 notice all that transpires of interest in the world of science from 

 year to year, but, exercising a proper discretion, to select and 

 condense what we deem of general importance and interest, so 

 as to bring it within the space allowed us. This course we have 

 endeavoured to pursue impartially, sparing neither labor nor ex- 

 pense ; and if it may seem that undue prominence has been 

 given to transactions or discoveries emanating from any partic- 

 ular locality, a reason will be found in the fact, that either more 

 has been accomplished there, or that what has been accom- 

 plished has received greater publicity. While we have, in 

 general, made our selections from standard authorities, we have 

 yet, in some cases, departed from this rule, and we may here 

 say, once for all, that we do not hold ourselves responsible for 

 the accuracy of the statements made, our task being to present 

 a correct abstract of what we meet with in our examinations. 



The Report of the New Haven meeting of the American 

 Association not having been officially published, we have de- 

 rived our notices of its proceedings from the full reports pub- 

 lished in some of the newspapers, and from private sources. 



The general features of the work remain unchanged, but 

 important additions have been made, and no pains have been 



