A. EARLAND : A PLEA FOR A NEW " WILLIAMSON." 269 



figures being drawn from exotic or deep-sea specimens are 

 more or less unrecognisable when compared with British types. 

 In the Journal of the Royal Microscojncal Society for 

 December, 1887, the late H. B. Brady published a "Synopsis 

 of British Recent Foraminifera," giving a complete list of the 

 varieties recognised at that date, some 260 in all, with full 

 references to authorities, etc. But there are neither illustrations 

 nor descriptions of the forms, and for these reasons the paper, 

 though invaluable to the advanced student, is almost useless to 

 a beginner, who naturally shrinks from consulting such a mass 

 of authorities at the start. 



It has become almost a recognised axiom that nothing stimu- 

 lates research or popularises a subject so much as the publication 

 of a good text- book. Take the instance of the Mycetozoa. 

 Ten years ago the average microscopist hardly knew of their 

 existence. Yet the publication of well illustrated books on the 

 subject by Lister, Massee, Fry, and others, has within a few 

 years raised the group to one of popular interest. I believ^e 

 that similar results would follow the publication of a good 

 Handbook on British Foraminifera. The time for its production 

 seems particularly ripe, for during the last few years there has 

 been a pause in the flow of papers on the subject, and very 

 few new varieties have been added to the list of our Fauna. 



Probably it would be a difliicult matter at the present day 

 to find a society willing to undertake the publication of such a 

 work, though it falls within the scope of the .Ray Society's 

 scheme. The question therefore arises wdiether such a work 

 could be brought out commercially with any hope of success. 

 I believe that modern reproductive processes would enable this 

 to be done, and that the publisher of a new " Williamson," 

 revised and brought up to date, would have no reason to regret 

 his venture. 



The range of such a work can hardly be discussed here, but 

 the essential features in my opinion should include — 



(1) A figure or figures of every recognised British variety 

 drawn from British speci?nens, with brief but sufficient description 

 of its characters. 



(2) A Bibliography, complete so far as British Foraminifera 

 are concerned, and also including the most important works of 

 reference on Foraminifera generally. 



JouRN. Q. M. C, Series II.— No. 50. IS 



