CHAPTER X 



THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



THE principal scientific publications of the Society of a serial character are 

 the 'Philosophical Transactions' (4to) and the 'Proceedings' (8vo). There 

 is also published annually 'The Year-Book of the Royal Society', and at 

 intervals ' The Record of the Royal Society ', of which the present volume is 

 the third issue. The 'Catalogue of Scientific Papers' for the Nineteenth 

 Century, which has been in course of publication in a long series of volumes 

 since 1867, is now approaching completion (p. 275). 



THE 'PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS'. 



Some account of the origin of the ' Philosophical Transactions ' has already 

 been given (pp. 39, 161). The original form, initiated in 1665, was in small 

 quarto with the title ' Philosophical Transactions : giving some Accompt of 

 the present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours of the Ingenious in many 

 considerable parts of the world '. In 1792, in the 82nd volume, a larger quarto 

 was introduced, which has been continued down to the present time. From 

 1887 the 'Transactions', beginning with volume 178. have been divided into 

 two series : Series A, containing Papers of a Mathematical or Physical 

 character, now in volume 212 ; and Series B, containing Papers of a Biological 

 character, now in volume 202. The individual papers which they comprise 

 have also since 1875 been published separately and placed on sale to the 

 public, The Council in 1906 enacted regulations for the sale at reduced rates 

 of series of past volumes, which are advertised from time to time in the 

 Proceedings. The early volumes are now difficult to procure. Eighteen 

 volumes of an abridgement of the Philosophical Transactions up to 1800 

 were prepared by Hut ton, Shaw, and Pearson in 1809. 



THE 'PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY'. 



At a meeting of Council on May 10, 1832, it was 'Resolved That the 

 printing of the Abstracts of such papers as have been printed in the 

 " Philosophical Transactions " from the year 1800 inclusive be proceeded in ; 

 and that the Treasurer and Secretaries be requested to superintend the 

 printing of the Abstracts '. The first volume of these Abstracts, comprising 

 the years 1800 to 1814, was published the same year, and the Abstracts for 

 the years 1815 to 1830 in the year following. 



Up to this point the series presents merely a collection of abstracts, 

 arranged in the order of the full papers as they had been issued in the 

 ' Philosophical Transactions ' ; but with the third volume a new system was 

 adopted, the Abstracts being arranged under meetings and following the order 



