VI . PREFACE, 



opposition ; however adverse appear the speculations of the Evolu- 

 tionist to the narrower views and asphations of the Factist, and 

 however strenuous the advocacy of either, no advocate vnll convince 

 his opponent of error, yet will always remain in the enjoyment of his 

 own views. It might be relevant, as an addendum to this allusion 

 to a prevalent belief, to complain of the persecution the ' Zoologist ' 

 has suffered, as it were, "for conscience sake," but "the querulous" 

 can never be " the dignified," — can never command respect; and it is 

 a satisfaction to know that in all ages of the world persecution has 

 been the weapon of error, and has always failed to accomplish its 

 object, the suppression of truth. 



Then with regard to the value of communications published during 

 the present year, there is no ground for regret. Passing by the vast 

 amount of reliable facts communicated in shorter notices, the longer 

 contributions of Mr. Balkwill on system, Mr. Cordeaux on the bhds 

 of Lincolnshhe, Eev. A. E. Eaton on Spitsbergen, Dr. Gray on British 

 Cetacea, Mr. Harting on British Heronries, !Mr. Gervase Mathew on 

 flyuig fish, Mr. Potts on the night paiTot of New Zealand, with very 

 many others, must ever be regarded as permanent additions to the 

 store of zoological knowledge. 



The publication during the present year of Dr. Wj'villc Thomson's 

 narrative of the ckedging cruises of H.M.SS. 'Lightning' and ' Por- 

 cupiue' must be regarded as developing a most unportant era in 

 zoological science : this work will not only be regarded as a vast 

 revelation of fact, — though in this respect it stands almost un- 

 rivalled, — but it will also serve to dissipate a large amount of 

 speculation and error, and will all but inaugurate a new science ; 

 it may be said to have i^loughcd, and ploughed deeply, a field 

 of Zoology far more productive than any that had been previously 

 tilled : there seems no limit to the additions which this phase of 

 discovery will make to our knowledge of Zoology, and it teaches, 

 moreover, that many of those creatures hitherto supposed to be 

 extinct, are still living on to gladden the eyes of the truth-seeker 

 and reward his perseverance : it shows that "iinality" in Science is 

 a di-eam, the di-cam of the indolent, and that the best knowledge 

 is that which shows us how little we know. 



Edward Newman, 



