178 THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON xm 



by them, have exercised a considerable influence upon the 

 progress of zoological knowledge, not only by the reading and 

 discussing of communications formally brought before them, 

 but also by the interchange of ideas at the informal social 

 gatherings over the coffee- table in the Library afterwards, 

 which have great value as affording a common meeting-ground 

 and bond of union for all the working zoologists of the 

 country, as well as for many visitors from foreign lands. 



The more important scientific communications to these 

 meetings have from the commencement been published in 

 the form of quarto Transactions and octavo Proceedings, 

 which constitute a series of inestimable importance both for 

 the value of the material contained in them and for the 

 excellence of the illustrations of new or rare forms of animal 

 life with which they are embellished. In later times they 

 have also formed a vehicle for communicating to the world the 

 important results obtained from the dissection of animals 

 which have died at the Gardens, and which, since the 

 establishment of the office of Prosector in 1865, have been 

 systematically used for this purpose. 



In connection with the scientific meetings must be men- 

 tioned the Library, the first formation of which is described 

 in the report of the Council for the year 1837, and which 

 has been steadily growing ever since by donations of books, 

 by exchange of publications with other learned Societies, and 

 by judicious annual expenditure of money, until it has become 

 one of the best-selected, well-arranged, and most accessible col- 

 lection of works of reference that it is possible for the zoological 

 student to enjoy. Its value has been greatly increased by the 

 publication within the past month of an excellent catalogue, 

 which contains the titles of about 6560 works. 



The most recent addition to the functions that the Society 

 has undertaken with a view to carry out the purposes of 

 its foundation is the publication of an Annual Kecord of 

 Zoological Literature, containing a summary of the work done 

 by British and Foreign naturalists in the various branches of 

 Zoology in each year, a publication of the utmost value to the 

 working zoologist. Such a Eecord has been carried on for 

 some years past by a voluntary association of naturalists, but, 



