Xll PREFACE. 



cieties are not entered at all as such, unless they bear some distinctive 

 or unusual title, but instead the society itself is entered ; this saves 

 much space (as very many societies publish more than one serial) and 

 answers every purpose. An Index of Subjects is added for the con- 

 venience of those who would like to discover the serials treating of 

 special subjects ; but it has been purposely confined to limited topics, 

 as it would be useless to collect in this way the serials in those broader 

 fields (e. g. archaeology, natural history or physics) which can be 

 found upon nearly every page of the catalogue. The absence here of 

 any topic embraced within the scope of the work indicates that the 

 serials are too numerous to be worth specifying. 



It should be particularly noticed that no attempt has been made to 

 carry any of the titles beyond the year 1876, and all serials com- 

 menced after that date are of course omitted ; the only exceptions are 

 in some volumes running through several years and completed in 

 1877, and in the few Japanese journals, imperfect memoranda of 

 which were received from the librarian of the University of Tokio 

 through Prof. E. S. Morse. 



In conclusion, the compiler desires to suggest a scheme for the con- 

 tinuation of this work on a co-operative plan. The work for each 

 country should be done in each country and in a similar manner ; and 

 for convenience of reference and common binding, the size and gen- 

 eral plan of the present volume should be taken as a standard, unless 

 by general agreement a better is devised. The compiler therefore 

 recommends that at least for each geographical division as given in this 

 list, one person should publish in the year 1880 a list of emendations 

 and additions to the present work for that country, bringing it down to 

 the end of the year 1879.* And that every ten years thereafter a sup- 

 plement should be published for the preceding decade. The lists 

 should be offered for sale that libraries may collect them all into a 

 single volume. The convenience of such an arrangement and the 

 value of such a series of publications must be manifest ; and it is 

 hoped that the publication of this pioneer list will prove a sufficient 

 incentive. 



SAMUEL H. SCUDDER. 

 Cambridge, Aug. 13, 1879. 



* This early date is recommended because in addition to the three years adden- 

 da, there will necessarily be many corrections and omissions to notice in the 

 present work, and it would be desirable to have it revised as soon as practicable. 

 The even decades would also be most convenient for future addenda. 



