XVlll PROCEEDINaS OF THE 



in our Transactions or Proceedings. There are three Societies 

 especially, from which papers might, on this plan, be communi- 

 cated, — the Zoological, the Entomological and the Microscopical. 

 With regard to the first of these, it would be impossible for us, 

 without considerable pecuniary assistance, to publish the luxuri- 

 ously beautiful illustrations which, from the pencil of the first 

 animal draughtsman of this or perhaps any former period, have, 

 for some years, rendered the octavo publication of that Society 

 the most beautiful and elegant periodical work on the Natural 

 History of Animals that has ever appeared. Nor does it seem 

 necessary or desirable, even were it possible, that the description 

 and figuring of every new species should devolve upon the Lin- 

 nean Society. There are many very valuable papers requiring 

 few and inexpensive or perhaps not any illustrations, which, from 

 their more abstract scientific character, would form suitable and 

 important matter for our publications ; and these may either be 

 read at the meetings of both the Societies, or sent directly to us 

 from the Publication Committee of the other Society ; or it may 

 be so far understood that papers of this description are not con- 

 sidered as their legitimate object, as that authors would send their 

 papers immediately to us. 



The proposal of this change in the publishing province of that 

 important Institution, cannot be considered as in any degree dis- 

 respectful to its scientific members. It is in fact perfectly consist- 

 ent with a step in the same direction which the authorities of the 

 Society have themselves adopted. By the recent discontinuance 

 of the quarto Transactions, they have virtually implied the future 

 refusal of such papers as require quarto illustrations; and the 

 change which I have now suggested is only another step in ad- ■ 

 vance of their own progress. They have repudiated a certain 

 class of papers upon no principle whatever having relation to 

 either the matter or design or character of such papers ; but only 

 with reference to the size of the plates required for their illustra- 

 tion ; and there can be no sacrifice of principle involved in the 

 further change suggested, but only an extension upon principle 

 of a course already arbitrarily commenced. And it must not be 

 forgotten that the whole scientific element of that great Society 

 (the abolition of which element, be it remembered, is not within 

 the terms of my proposition) is but an adjunct to its original 

 constitution and aim, organized too by an almost suicidal act of 

 the Zoological body of this Society, who converted a very pro- 

 mising auxiliary of their own raising into a powerful and successful 



