NATURAL HISTORY. 



In the month of May last, a very important change was made in 

 the constitution of the Society. The monthly meetings, being largely 

 attended by members who took only a general interest in natural 

 history, had naturally acquired a very popular character, and it 

 was found impossible to introduce much strictly scientific matter 

 on these occasions. It was decided, therefore, while continuing the 

 good work already done in popularising the subject of natural his- 

 tory, to make better provision for the study and advancement of the 

 science by the formation of sections as follows : — 



1. Mammals and Birds. 



2. Reptiles and Fishes. 



3. Insects. 



4. Other Invertebrata. 



5. Botany. 



Those members specially interested in any branch of natural his- 

 tory were invited to join the corresponding section, elect a President 

 and Secretary, take charge of that portion of the collections 

 which appertained, to their division, and hold, their own meetings, 

 thus forming practically a separate Society affiliated to the general 

 Society. All the sections have now organised themselves and made 

 their own arrangements for carrying on the work of their respec- 

 tive branches. 



This has prepared the way for another important and necessary 

 step — the publication of a journal in which whatever of value or 

 interest is transacted at the sectional meetings may be permanently 

 put on record. Till now there has been no publication in the Bombay 

 Presidency devoted to natural history or any of its branches, and, 

 perhaps, as a consequence of this, there is scarcely any Presidency or 

 Province the fauna of which has received so little attention. It is 

 hoped, that the introduction of this journal will stimulate lovers of 

 Nature, especially in all parts of this Presidency, to record and com- 

 municate their observations. In accordance with the character which 

 this Society has assumed from the beginning, the aim of its journal 

 wiil be, as far as possible, to interest all students of nature, ever 

 remembering that there are many Naturalists, in the highest sense of 

 the term, who have not such a technical knowledge of any particular 

 branch of the science as to be able to enter with interest into ques- 

 tions of nomenclature and the discrimination of closely allied species. 

 The Secretaries of the Sections would therefore invite sportsmen 



