ANNOUNCEMENT. 
Tue present Number completes the Sixth Series of the 
‘Annals,’ and I avail myself of this occasion to pass the 
responsible editorship over to my Son, who for some years 
past has largely assisted me in the management, and who 
is fortunate in retaining the co-operation of the two co-Kditors 
whose names appear on the Titlepage, and whose advice has 
always been at my service during the twenty years I have 
been associated with them. 
It is now more than 60 years since, fresh from my studies 
at the University of Berlin, I was consulted by Mr. Richard 
Taylor as to the probability of such a Journal meeting with 
sufficient support. The two Natural History Journals then 
existing in this country were Loudon’s, subsequently 
Charlesworth’s ‘ Magazine,’ and the ‘ Magazine of Zoology 
and Botany’ conducted by Sir William Jardine, Dr. Johnston, 
and Mr. Selby. This latter Journal was about to be discon- 
tinued, and the same fate seemed likely to result in the 
ease of Sir William Jackson Hooker’s ‘ Botanical Companion,’ 
In these circumstances it was suggested to Mr. Taylor 
that by amalgamating the two there would be a greater 
chance of success. 
The two most important Journals on the Continent at that 
time devoted to Natural History were the ‘Annales des 
Sciences Naturelles’ and the ‘ Archiv fiir Naturgeschichte,’ 
recently founded by my friend and teacher Professor 
Wiegmann. 
At a meeting arranged by Mr. Taylor, at which Sir W. 
Jardine and Sir W. J. Hooker were present, and which I was 
