336 NATURAL SCIENCE. May, 



evident. Relying upon various other contributions for its principal 

 support, the bibliographical service of the Bureau would be able to do 

 this work for the Record, provided the latter could assume merely a 

 small share of the entire expense. Indeed, an annual grant of, say 

 £j5, would, we believe, suffice. 



This, however, is not yet the entire solution of the difficulty. The 

 Record would doubtless be improved and the work of the Recorders 

 made easier. We have, however, thus far only increased the expense, 

 not lowered it. We can not even accept the solution proposed by 

 certain Recorders to tax them all for this aid, as if they were not 

 already underpaid ! If the Recorders are relieved from part of their 

 burden, let them rather endeavour to better their records. It is for 

 this that their skill and knowledge as specialists are needed, not for 

 collecting titles. 



Far better is it to face the question whether a properly organised 

 Record, which should appeal to the support of the entire zoological 

 world, could not be made to cover in large measure its expenses. It 

 has never been tried. The Naples Record only treats a part of the 

 field, the Berlin Record is behind time and is merely German, the 

 English Record is incomplete and is largely dependent on English 

 subscribers. Now, in spite of the competition, one of these, the 

 Berlin Record, has remained entirely self-supporting, while its 

 English rival has been losing ^350 annually. 



Here, then, is the opportunity of the Zoological Record. The 

 Naples Record has specialized in regard to Morphology, the London 

 Record in regard to Systematics and Faunistics : they have by this 

 fact almost ceased to be rivals. Let them take a slight further step. 

 Let them join forces in order that they may together constitute a 

 single complete Record for the whole field of zoology. Against such 

 a combination I have the assurance that the Berlin Record would not 

 endeavour to compete, but would gladly give up an unequal combat 

 and aid the new undertaking to success. 



This federation with the Naples Record would be an important 

 step in introducing the London Record into the Continent ; but at 

 the present moment we can offer quite exceptional aid in this same 

 direction. I refer to the federation of the two Records with the 

 Bibliographical Bulletin, which it is proposed to publish beginning 

 with January next. By this the entire work of recording would 

 become a continuous process, beginning with the first rapid classifica- 

 tion of the Bulletin and ending with the more perfect elaboration of 

 the Record. 



The new Bibliographical Bureau into which it is suggested that 

 the Record might enter is being founded upon the broadest possible basis. 

 To cite merely the case of France, where the movement chances to be 

 the most completely organised, there is a large and influential central 

 commission, nominated by the French Zoological Society and pledged 

 to the support of the Bureau in its various needs. Then there are 



