542 Jar dine' s Magazine of Zoology and Botany. 



altered the position of affairs, and placed matters on a totally 

 different footing. 



It is obvious enough that there is a very strong feeling in 

 favour of the Magazine of Natural History, and that it will be 

 supported, not only by a class who observe the varied pheno- 

 mena of nature as an amusement or recreation, but by those 

 who are engaged in the higher departments of scientific re- 

 search. It, then, becomes a matter worthy of consideration, 

 how far the interests of science are promoted by the public- 

 ation of two journals, having similar objects in view, when the 

 effect produced must, to a certain extent, be that of crippling 

 the powers of each ; at least, in so far as they may be dependent 

 upon direct proceeds. From a knowledge of the actual sale 

 of the various scientific journals published in this country, 

 we are well aware that there is not the slightest proba- 

 bility for a demand to meet the expenses of two periodical 

 works devoted to zoology in connexion with other branches 

 of natural history ; and whatever tends to promote the 

 circulation of one must, under ordinal y circumstances, be at 

 the expense of the other. 



Now, supposing the Magazine of Sir W. Jardine and that of 

 Mr. Loudon to stand equally well with the scientific public as 

 channels for communicating the observations of those engaged 

 in the study of zoology, botany, &c. ; the latter has this great 

 advantage over the former, that, although its sale may not pro- 

 duce anything like a fair equivalent for the labour and anx- 

 iety unavoidably attendant upon a monthly publication, yet it has 

 a larger circulation than any other scientific journal in this 

 country embracing the same general plan of publication. 

 Our scientific periodical literature seems, certainly, at the 

 present time, carried forward in any but an advantageous 

 form, whether we take into consideration the labour which 

 editors give for nothing, or the comparatively small circulation 

 which each individual publication can command, and the con- 

 sequent tardy introduction of facts and observations, which 

 ought often to be disseminated as widely and as rapidly as 

 possible. It is much to be regretted, that many of the papers 

 which appear in the Entomological Magazine are limited to 

 so small a circle of readers ; since articles which, if they had 

 only a more extended circulation, might be the means of mak- 

 ing entomologists, as the case stands, are, generally speaking, 

 only in the hands of those who have acquired the taste, and, 

 perhaps, made some proficiency in the study. This disadvan- 

 tage will always be present where a periodical embraces only 

 one branch of natural history; indeed, there are many reasons 

 which induce us to consider that, within certain obvious 



