204 
will not object to our citing, verbatim et literatim, the equally pro- 
mising Preface. Here it is entire. 
“The design of the following pages is to endeavour to supply what 
seems to be a blank in the scientific literature of this country, for, 
although numerous treatises exist upon every branch, yet no work has 
hitherto appeared, comprising either succinctly or in detail, a compre- 
hensive outline of Natural History. It may appear be presumptuous on 
the part of the Authors to attempt to grapple with such an extensive 
range of subjects, which, they feel must be, in many instances, ina- 
dequately treated, still they trust that their effort to condense, within 
the limits of a portable volume, the leading features of Animate and 
Inanimate Nature, may prove of service to those at least for whom it 
is more especially intended. Their chief aim has been to render their 
work at once sufficiently popular for the general reader, without, at the 
same time, lessening its scientific value. For this purpose technica- 
lities have been avoided whenever their employment could be dis- 
pensed with, English names have been given to all the Classes, 
Orders, and Families, and the principal divisions have been prefaced 
by brief introductory remarks. The classification adopted is that 
which has seemed most closely to accord with the advanced views of 
the time; and throughout the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms a 
uniform system has been employed, so that similar subdivisions are 
designated by a cognate nomenclature.” 
Proceepines or SocietTizs, §c. 
BoTaNIcaL Society OF EDINBURGH. 
May 11, 1854.—Professor Balfour, President, in the chair. 
Donations. 
To the Library and Herbarium. —‘ Proceedings of the Royal 
Society,’ from Professor Sharpey ; Norwegian plants from Dr. Ander- 
son; British plants from Mr. Parker, Torquay; and Arctic plants 
from Mr. Lithgow. 
To the Museum of Economic Botany at the Royal Botanic Gar- 
den.—From Daniel Oliver, Esq., strip of the bark of the cashaw (Pro- 
sopis juliflora), received from Jamaica, along with a note, stating that 
