PREFACE. 



Entertaining this idea, we have endeavoured to widen the boundaries 

 of the subjects under discussion. Natural Science has a very extensive 

 cast-net, and we want to get as many fishes under as it can hold. If 

 there is any particular group of new fishes it is desirable to catch, 

 we shall always be glad if our readers would put us on their track. 



Our clientele is large, and our desire to please and profit every 

 student is larger. Our magazine is small and monthly. What can it 

 do among so many ? But it is delightful to find that SCIENCE-GOSSIP 

 is spoken of, generously and even thankfully, all over the world ; 

 and we venture to think there is no Encyclopaedia of Popular 

 Natural Science extant which comes up to our Twenty-Three Annual 

 Volumes ! That they are valued may be seen in any number of 

 the " Publishers' Circular," where back volumes of SCIENCE-GOSSIP 

 in the " original blue cloth," are constantly sought after among the 

 "Books Wanted." 



The New Year opens well, and promises brightly for our magazine. 

 Hitherto we have been generously helped by every reader. The 

 moment an Englishman likes anything, he wants somebody else to 

 like the same thing too, and he acts as a missionary to induce him 

 to like it. We want a few thousands of such ardent missionary 

 readers to go forth and compel other readers to come in. Then our 

 hands will be strengthened to do all that Editor and Publisher would 

 delight to do. 



