2 REPORT OF THE RAY SOCIETY. 



Sowerby, is now in a state of great forwardness, and will be published as a Second 

 Volume for 1851. 



In their last Report, the Council announced that Mr. Templeton had placed at their 

 disposal a valuable Monograph on the ' Arachnida of the North of Ireland.' Since 

 that time they have been in correspondence with Mr. Blackwall, of Llanrwst, with 

 a view to the publication of a complete work on the 'Arachnida of the British 

 Islands.' They are happy to say that they have obtained a promise of Mr. Blackwall's 

 assistance; and they hope, in the course of a short time, to publish a Monograph, 

 with Plates, of the Species of the British Araneidae, through the conjoint labours of 

 Messrs. Blackwall and Templeton. Such a work will be an important contribution 

 to the Natural History literature of our islands, and will redeem an important 

 branch of Zoology from the neglect to which it has been too long exposed. 



The Council have still to regret, that the limited number of their members confines 

 their operations within a much narrower sphere than they are anxious to occupy. 

 The printing and binding of extra copies of their works after the first expense would 

 cost much less than the annual subscriptions, and for every additional subscriber 

 they are enabled to give to those already subscribing a larger amount of matter. 

 They hope that this consideration will induce all the members to use their exertions 

 to gain additional subscribers. 



They would also urge upon the friends of the Society the necessity of exerting 

 themselves to obtain new members, not only on the ground of their individual 

 benefit, but on that of assisting in the advance of science and the diflfusion of scientific 

 information. The works of the Ray Society already form an important contribution 

 to the Uterature of Natural History ; and the Council look for encouragement from 

 all those who have at heart the increased cultivation of the various branches of 

 Natural History and the general advancement of scientific knowledge. 



The following are amongst the works which the Council hope to be enabled to 

 bring out speedily : 



1. Part VI, being the conclusion of Alder and Hancock's ' Nudibranchiate 



Mollusca.' 



2. A continuation of the * Bibliographia Zoologiae et Geologiae.' 



3. A Monograph of the ' British Araneidae,' by Messrs. Blackwall and Templeton. 



4. The Travels of Linnaeus in West Gothland, translated by G. B. Lewin, 



Esq., M.A. 



5. Reports on the Progress of Zoology, edited by George Busk, Esq., F.R.S. 



6. A Monograph, with Coloured Illustrations, of the British Rubi, by Dr. Bell 



Salter. 



7. A Monograph, with Coloured Illustrations, of the British Freshwater Zoo- 



phytes, by Professor AUman. 



8. A Monograph, with Coloured Illustrations, of the Family Cirripedia, by 



C. Darwin, Esq., M.A., F.R.S. Part II. 



9. A Monograph of the British Diatomaceae, by Messrs. Ralfs and Jenner. 



The Council would once more urge upon their members the necessity of sending 



