AVANT-PEOPOS. 



help so freely given. The contributors who from time to time fill the 

 sixteen pages devoted to " Articles/' the correspondents who supply- 

 monthly little facts in Zoology, Botany, or Microscopy ; those who ask 

 questions and those who answer them in our Notes and Queries ; and 

 last, not least, those good friends and true who identify and name the 

 specimens sent to us for that purpose, and perform labours sometimes 

 calling for the sacrifice of much valuable time with scarce any recogni- 

 tion but the initials following the names of mosses, lichens, ferns, 

 seaweeds, beetles, flies, bees, bugs, mites, spiders, &c. &c, in our 

 "Answers to Correspondents/' — these, and all of these, have our 

 heartiest thanks, and for them especially we desire " a Merry Christmas 

 and a Happy New Year/' 



There are doubtless many others who deserve our thanks ; those 

 who praise, and those who condemn us ; those who recommend us, or 

 help to make our journal known ; those who cheer and encourage us ; 

 and those who point out our faults. To each and all of these we proffer 

 thanks ; it is all we have to give, but we give it freely, with the hope 

 that for many years they may continue to enjoy health and strength to 

 persevere in the same good work. 



Thus much for the past, but what of the future ? Hitherto we have 

 always abstained from promises, knowing how dangerous it is to make 

 promise for the future. All we can venture to write on this subject is to 

 express a hope that we shall not be found wanting at the close of the 

 Seventh Volume in any of the merits, but deficient in all the failings of 

 the sixth. If all those who have for six years done so much to help us 

 continue their efforts, and exert their influence with others, we cannot 

 doubt for the future. Under such conditions, our seventh will be our 

 most successful year, and, with faith in such a prospect, we shall 



Not come for one, but come for many, 

 Many and many a happy year. 



