vi PREFACE. 



The Chronological Tables are designed to give the date of the publi- 

 cation of each vohirae of the periodicals entered, as explained on pages 

 1018 and 1019. By these tables the date of a given volume in a given 

 series of a given work may be found, or the number of a volume may be 

 ascertained when the date only is known. Librarians will find the tables 

 of service in determining bibliographical data of series not in their col- 

 lections. The alphabetical list of periodicals should always be consulted 

 in connection with the Chronological Tables. An Index to the periodi- 

 cals contained in the tables will be found at their close. 



The Library Check-List, showing in what American libraries the 

 periodicals may be found, is an attempt to carry out on a continental 

 scale that which has been done by Librarians in several localities. The 

 data were gathered by means of circulars and forms distributed by the 

 Smithsonian Institution, to about 200 libraries ; the returns from 133 

 libraries were codified by the Institution, It is believed that the new 

 Check-List to the second edition is far more complete and accurate than 

 the former and justifies the delay of nearly twelve months in the publi- 

 cation of the volume. The number of periodicals noted is about 3160 

 out of the 8600 in the Catalogue. 



The material for this work has been gathered from all available bib- 

 liographies and by personal examination of the shelves and of the printed 

 and manuscript catalogues of many libraries in the United States, Eng- 

 land, France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. As a last resort circulars 

 were sent out through the Smithsonian Institution to publishers in sev- 

 eral countries asking for specimen numbers of their journals ; the titles 

 were then transcribed from the numbers received. 



The plan of this bibliography oi-iginated with the compiler, and he 

 alone is responsible for its defects ; its execution and its publication have 

 been rendered possible by the liberality of the Smithsonian Institution. 



In the preface to the first edition thanks were expressed to several 

 persons and to many Librarians for courtesies and assistance. In the 

 preparation of the second edition the undersigned acknowledges obliga- 

 tions to the following ; to Doctor Paul Dorveaux, Librarian of the School 

 of Pharmacy, Paris, for a painstaking revision of the Chronological 

 Tables, and for other data ; to Professor Bohuslav Brauner, Ph.D., of 

 the Bohemian University, Prague, for a list of Bohemian periodicals ; to 

 Artemas Martin, LL.D., of Washington, D. C, for the opportunity of 

 examining his private library ; and to Mr, Axel Moth, of the New York 

 Public Library, for contributions to the list of Scandinavian titles, as 

 well as for faithful and intelligent clerical assistance. 



Thanks are also due to the Librarians and Assistant Librarians of the 

 following Institutions for personal attentions : Biblioteca Nazionale, 

 Naples ; Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Vittorio Emanuele, Rome ; Is- 



