88 ADVERTISEMENT. 



cals devoted to critical summaries, and other considerations, induced a 

 temporary suspension of the project ; while it was added that with every 

 effort to secure prompt attention to the more important details of the 

 survey of the annual proj?ress of scientitic discovery, experience has 

 shown that it is impracticable to obtain all the desired reports in each 

 department within the time prescribed, that the plan attempted of 

 bringing up the deficiencies in subsequent reports has not proved en- 

 tirely satisfactory, and that in view of these delays, of the ever-increas- 

 ing range of complexity of the subjects to be treated, and of other con- 

 siderations, it is probable that it may be thought advisable to revert to 

 the accustomed, and, it is believed, more widely acceptable plan of pub- 

 lishing yearly papers selected with a principal view to their general 

 scientific interest, rather than to attempt the continuation of summaries 

 chiefly of importance to the professional student. 



The earlier established plan of the annual reports is followed in this 

 volume, though not to the exclusion of such summaries as may be con- 

 nected with the recognized fields of labor of the Institution. 



