THE JOURNAL 



Mil icim OF iTiii iism 



VOL. 1. 



CINCINNATI, APRIL, 1878. 



No. 1. 



THE JOURNAL. 



The Ciuciunati Societ}- of Natural Histoiy, organized for the pur- 

 [)Ose of advancing Science, and diffusing knowledge, at last finds itself 

 located iu its own building, with a sufficient annual income to enable 

 it to do earnest work in promoting the objects for which it was estab- 

 lished. As one of the important means for accomplishing such work 

 is the publication of its proceedings, in permanent and authoritative 

 form, the Societj^ has determined to publisli a quarterly journal, under 

 the title of " The Journal of the Cincinxati Society of Natural 

 History." It is proposed that each number shall be issued as nearly 

 quarterh' as ma}' be found practicable, and that four numbers shall 

 constitute a volume. 



The Journal will contain a full report of the proceedings of the So- 

 ciety', all valuable papers read before or prepared for it, critical notices 

 of scientific books and publications, etc. 



One of the most fruitful sources of doubt in the determination of de- 

 scribed species, in the various branches of Natural Science, is to be 

 found in the too frequent habit of publishing the written diagnosis, 

 without any suitable figures by which the absolute identity of the thing 

 described can be determined. Eecognizing this, it has been decided 

 that all descriptions of new species shall receive proper illustration, 

 either by wood-cut, lithographic plates, or such other, methods as may 

 appear best adapted to the character of the object to be illustrated. ' 



It is coufidentl}' believed that this step will encourage investigation 

 and careful work, and that with the large store of unexplored material, 

 and of undescribed species in the department of paleontology in this 

 immediate vicinity, there will be no scarcitj' of original matter witii 

 which to sustain the publication and justifv the undertaking. 



