OPENING ADDRESS. 



of sliort oriKiunl articles of general interest, from students of 

 every branch of Natm-al History, Microscopy, &c. We shall 

 be glad to receive brief notes of original observations on any 

 Bubject suitable for our pages, and shall be grateful for juilicious 

 hints and suggestions. 



At jiresent, whenever a good paper is read before one of our 

 local societies its usefubiess is too often Hmited to the members 

 of that society, and generally to that part of them who chance 

 to hear it reacl. By piinting such papers, or abstracts of them, 

 in tliis magazine, their usefulness will be ^\'idely extended, and 

 all the Societies may benefit by them ; while to the younger 

 members, and the less infoinncd generally, they may prove of 

 incalculable advantage by aiding them in studies already 

 entered upon, or pointing out suitable ones to engage in. 



We should like our readers to l)ear in mind that this 

 magazine is not intended to supersede or in any wjiy to interfere 

 with tlie ])ublication of Transactions l)y individual Societies. We 

 shall on the contrary aid in making them known. 



Occasionally reviews of new scientific books will occupy a part 

 of oiu' space, and we hope to have it in om* power to aid such of 

 our Societies as recognise local antiquities and archa'ology as 

 part of their work. 



The ])ublication of ii diary of coming meetings and excur- 

 sions ouglit to prove most useful, and if members generally 

 will send their names as subscribers for the magazine they 

 will justify their Societies in ceasing to issue their monthly 

 jirograuuut's, tlie cost and postage of which at present forms 

 a considerable item in the sum of incidental expenditure, 

 especially in the larger Societies. 



If this mngazine is to be a permanent publication we must 

 secure a good circubition. We therefore ask the cordial co-opera- 

 tion of our subscribers l)y assisting us among their fi-iends. 

 In lielpuig us tliey will be helping tliemselves. If every reader of 

 this first number wlio npin-oves of our labours and object will be 

 good enough to ol)tain for us at least another subscril)er he will 

 materially aid us hi our endc^avours, ami increase our ]>ower of 

 making tlie magazine a useful medium for intercourse between 

 naturalists of all classes in the Midland Counties. 



METEOROLOGY.— In future miniliers it will be our aim to present 

 Rs complete a record ua i>ossible of, at all eventn, the Temperature and 

 Painfull in the Midland Counties. All observers who can aid in this 

 matter are requested to conmiimicate with Mr. W. J. Harrison, Town 

 MuReum. Leicester, who will forward forms on which to record observa- 

 tions. 



