<■ THE RECORD AND JOURNAL. 



ously consented to act as their President and to do every thing that he 

 could to encourage and assist them. Having ah-eady laid the founda- 

 tions of a Cabinet of Natural History in Pennsylvania College, which 

 the Trustees of that Institution very properly designated by his name, 

 he continued his exertions in the same direction for the Linna;an Asso- 

 ciation, and by his characteristic energy and liberality, and his extensive 

 acquaintance among men of kindred pursuits, a splendid Museum seem- 

 ed springing up as if by magic and rapidly filling and ornamenting one 

 of the largest rooms in the College edifice. The active members of the 

 Association, of course, imitated this noble example according to the ex- 

 tent of their ability, and that zealous Missionary of the Lutheran Church 

 in hidia, the Rev. C. F. Heyer, having even before his departure from 

 this country suggested the idea, continues to send by every opportunity 

 the most interesting productions of that quarter of the globe. 



At the very commencement of its operations a "Committee of Pub- 

 lication" had been appointed for the purpose of giving to the press 

 those communications addressed to the Association, which might seem 

 worthy of public notice. But, in addition to this, it soon became evident 

 to the zealous and studious members of the Association, that they were 

 greatly in want of fundamental and elementary instruction in the various 

 departments of Natural Science, to which they were devoted, and the 

 fact of their having so many men of high scientific and literary attain- 

 ments connected with them, suggested the idea that they might obtain 

 from them precisely what they needed. It was with this object that the 

 publication of our periodical was undertaken, and having ascertained 

 that the number of subscribers necessary to sustain it could be obtained, 

 they committed its management to the '■'■Publisldng Committee.,'''' consist- 

 ing of one of the Professors of Pennsylvania College, a Professor in the 

 Medical Department located in Philadelphia, the Principal of a Select 

 Mathematical and Classical School in Gettysburg, and two Graduates of 

 Penns3dvania College, who have distinguished themselves by their zeal 

 and energy in this matter. The Chairman of this committee having 

 already had some experience as an Editor, they requested him to act in 

 that capacity, leaving the arrangement of the materials to his discretion. 



As the title of our Magazine implies, it is to be a liicrarif as well as 

 a scicniific and practicul Journal of JVaturctl Science. The reason for 

 this is obvious. General literature has an interest for all the persons 

 whom we expect to reach, but especially for students in our Colleges 

 and higher schools of education, who, we expect, will make up the 

 great body of our readers. It shall be our object to make this depart- 

 ment of as varied a character as our limits, abilities and means admit. 



