INTRODUCTION. 



lication have been put in their possession. In so doing, 

 they propose to exclude entirely all papers of mere theo- 

 ry, — to confine their communications as much as possi- 

 ble to facts — and by abridging papers too long for publi- 

 cation in their original state, to present the facts thus pub- 

 lished, clothed in as few words as are consistent with per- 

 spicuous description. 



Well aware that much leisure and superfluous wealth 

 are not always found in company with an ardent love of 

 science, they mean their proposed publication to be as 

 cheap and as unostentatious as the nature of the subjects 

 will admit; so that it need not encroach unnecessarily on 

 the funds of the society, or of those who may wish to pur- 

 chase it. In short, they are desirous of coitributing their 

 share to the mass of knowledge, as early in all cases, and 

 with as little show, and as small expense as possible. The 

 present publication will be a specimen of what they pro- 

 pose in future. 



They invite the lovers of science generally, and par- 

 ticularly all those who are anxious for its encouragement 

 in the United States, to aid in promoting the objects of 

 this institution, and to encourage the present publication, 

 so long as the contents of it shall prove deserving of pub- 

 lic approbation. 



All papers intended for publication in this Journal, 

 must be post paid, and directed, under the proper signa- 

 tures of the authors, to the Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 No. 2iS Arch- street, Philadelphia. 



