LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON, XV 



whole of the science, is now, by a species of reaction, often treated 

 with contempt. This is, however, surely a mistake. Without a 

 good system, clearly identifying the subjects of observation, -no 

 biological inquiries can have any practical advantage ; and, in aU 

 our reviews of the progress of our science, we ought equally to 

 appreciate the labours of the systematist, the physiologist, and the 

 biologist, provided that each in his own department has duly 

 called in aid the results obtained in the others. 



In laying before you a few notes on some of the principal pub- 

 lications in Natural History, since I last referred to the several 

 departments (in my addresses of 1862, 1863, and 1864) I have, in 

 respect of zoology, been enabled to avail myself of the kind assist- 

 ance of Mr, "W. S. Dallas, of the Museum at York, On applying 

 to him for data on which to found this part of my address, he has 

 remitted to me a general sketch which appears so well adapted to 

 the purpose, that I cannot do better than to insert it at length in 

 his own words, as giving a far better account of the progress of 

 the science than I could otherwise have obtained. I would my- 

 self, however, particularly call your attention to the 'Eecord of 

 Zoological Literature,' of which the importance is by no means 

 overrated by Mr. Dallas, who takes, I believe, himself a large 

 share in the labour of its preparation. Not only is it earnestly to 

 be desired that it may receive sufficient support to ensure its con- 

 tinuance, but it is to be hoped that a similar compilation may be 

 undertaken for botanical literature. It is one of those works 

 which, for the sake of the real working man of science, every 

 amateur who has the means ought to encourage. 



In approaching the consideration of the literature of Zoology 

 during the past two years, we are met at the outset by the diffi- 

 culty, that the mass of memoirs of more or less importance pub- 

 lished on different zoological subjects is so enormous that those 

 to which we can refer must bear a very smaU proportion to the 

 whole ; and the task of selection is thus rendered by no means 

 easy. In the following notes the endeavour has been to call at- 

 tention to those papers and other works which seem to have done 

 most for the advancement of our knowledge of the particular de- 

 partment to which they relate, or promise to lead to general zoolo- 

 gical progress ; but even these are so numerous that in many cases 

 little more can be done than to indicate their titles. 



Of works directed specially to the advancement of our general 

 zoological knowledge, the most important that has appeared for 



