PEEFATOEY NOTE. 



"Washington, D. C, February, 1867. 

 To THE Readers of th^ "Annttal op Scientific Discovery:" 



Having been called to the supervision of a branch of the public 

 service, the duties of which are too engrossing and responsible to 

 allow of any diversion of attention or employment, the under- 

 signed is compelled to announce his withdi-awal (at least for the 

 present) from the editorial charge and management of the "An- 

 nual of Scientific Discovery." 



He has, however, the satisfaction of knowing that his with- 

 drawal is not to affect the continued publication of the work ; and 

 that, under the guidance of the eminent scientific gentleman 

 whose name appears on the title-page of the present volume, the 

 sphere of usefulness of the "Annual of Scientific Discovery" is 

 certain to be not only maintained, but greatly enlarged. 



With no little personal regret at being thus compelled to give 

 up a woi'k which for more than fifteen years has been followed as 

 a labor of love, 



I am, most respectfully, 



DAVID A. WELLS, 

 iii U. S. Commissioner of Revenue. 



^c>/q 



