ADVERTISEMENT. 



The present work was undertaken by Dr. H. C. Bolton, some time 

 before the publication of the valuable "Catalogue of Scientific Serials" of 

 Mr. Samuel H, Scudder, by Harvard University, in 1879. 



Mr. Scudder's Catalogue includes the transactions of learned Societies 

 in the natural, physical, and mathematical sciences ; but, excepting to a very 

 limited extent, does not embrace technical journals. Dr. Bolton's Cata- 

 logue is confined to scientific and technical " Periodicals " proper, (exclusive 

 of Society jiroceedings and transactions ) — yet, by this extension to the wide 

 field of periodicals devoted to the "applications" of science, considerably 

 exceeds the other in the number of titles. The former Catalogue is arranged 

 geographically by the countries and cities of publication ; and it extends 

 from the earliest records to the year 1876. The present Catalogue is alpha- 

 betical throughout ; — the dictionary form presenting undoubtedly the great- 

 est facility of reference: and it is brought down to the year 1882. It will 

 be seen therefore that the two undertakings are quite different in their scope 

 and that the interest of science is involved in the publication of the second 

 work. The compiler has devoted a number of years to this arduous task — 

 amid the exactions of his duties as teacher of chemistry — without any expec- 

 tation of remuneration, and purely as a labor of love for the benefit of 

 scientific students and others. 



The Catalogue met the warm approval of Mr. A. R. Spofford, the 

 Librarian of Congress, who desired to have the work published under the 

 auspices of the National Library. The failure to secure the necessary 

 appropriation from Congress prevented however this consummation. It 

 was then undertaken by the Smithsonian Institution. 



Various unexpected delays have somewhat retarded the production of the 

 volume, which had been confidently looked for at least a year earlier. 



The numerous cross-references will enable the student to find a periodical, 

 when carelessly cited by merely the editor's name, — which may happen 

 to be a purely local designation. The "Chronological Tables" appended 

 supply the useful knowledge of the date of a. cited volume— a point too often 

 neglected in popular references. And finally, the "Library Check-List" 



(iii) 



