IV PREFACE. 



With regard to the Naturalists of our own country, it has 

 been a source of great satisfaction to the Editors, that their 

 Journal should have been instrumental, from its circulation at 

 home and abroad, in diffusing a knowledge of their labours : and 

 to what extent it has been efficient for this purpose will be 

 evident from the multitude of references to the original commu- 

 nications which have appeared in it that are to be found in foreign 

 Journals, and in the Reports on the various branches of Na- 

 tural History by Wagner, Miiller, Von Siebold, Erichson, Bronn 

 and others, as may be seen in the translations which have been 

 published by the Ray Society. 



Of the manner in which their endeavours have been seconded 

 by the lovers of Natural History, the Editors can speak with 

 much gratification, as the pages of the Annals have been conti- 

 nually honoured with contributions from Naturalists of the first 

 eminence : and they regard as the most satisfactory testimony 

 which they could receive as to the conduct of their Journal, that 

 its successive Volumes have been enriched by the original com- 

 munications of so great a number. 



For the principal Bodies connected with the study of Natural 

 History in this country, the monthly numbers of the Annals 

 furnish an early and faithful record. Authentic reports of the 

 proceedings of the Linn^an, Zoological and Entomological 

 Societies of London, and the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 

 are officially communicated through its pages. 



The commencement of this New Series affords the Editors 

 a fit occasion for expressing a hope that they may now receive 

 an accession to the number of their supporters. They would 

 urge how much their means of giving additional interest and 

 value to the Annals, both as to quantity of matter and en- 

 gravings, must depend upon the extent of the sale ; in the hope 

 that those lovers of Natural History who are not already sub- 

 scribers may take this convenient opportunity of increasing the 

 number of those by whose support the work has been upheld. 



