48 The " Coming- of- Age " of the Geological Magazine. 



present President Prof. Bonney, will always be associated, and for which the Royal 

 Microscopical Society and Mr. Frank Crisp have laboured energetically and long. 



Probably no better sign of the utility of the Geological Magazine could be 

 given than the fact of the abundant supply of materials to fill its pages which the 

 Editor receives. 



Having started the present serial in 1864, it is very agreeable to be able to state 

 that after the first year, during which my friend Prof. Rupert Jones undertook (at 

 Messrs. Longmans' request) the task of Chief Editor— I have had the sole charge of 

 the Geological Magazine and have passed each number through the press myself, 

 nor have I relegated the duty to other hands on a single occasion. 



Like other ephemerides, the Geological Magazine has had its periods of financial 

 depression. At 18 months it was given over for dead by its first publishers (Messrs. 

 Longmans & Co.'), and again at 10 years old it hardly seemed likely to pull through, 

 and Messrs. Triibner & Co. were rather doubtful as to the advisability of letting it go 

 on ; but thanks to the generous support of friends, it recovered from both crises and 

 has still, I trust, the promise of many years of usefulness before it. 



Having arranged its contents month by month for so many years, witb my own 

 hands, I have sometimes imagined it to be all my own ; but it would indeed be a 

 miserable failure were it not for the long list of distinguished contributors whose 

 papers give value to its pages, and without whom the Geological Magazine would 

 years ago have ceased to exist. 



As regards its financial position, the Geological Magazine has the disadvantage 

 of being a Class-periodical — appealing only to Geologists,- Palaeontologists, and 

 Mineralogists. 



The ' ' Annals and Magazine " and " Silliman's Journal " have much broader bases, 

 taking cognizance of all branches of Natural History, and, in the case of Silliman, of 

 Chemistry and Astronomy also. 



But notwithstanding our limited sphere, we have been able to sustain life for 

 2 1 years, and a few degrees of warmth on the part of our geological friends, in adding 

 to our list of subscribers, would produce a marvellous effect in an increased circulation, 

 ^ratifying alike to Publishers, Printers, Artists and Editor, who have done their best 

 to keep the production of the Geological Magazine up to the standard of the 

 present time. 



If any stimulus were needed by myself as Editor, my friends have this day applied 

 it in the form of a very substantial recognition of my services, for which I am bound 

 to reiterate my warmest and most sincere thanks. I trust, Sir, that you will long 

 continue, with my other friends, to give me that kindly aid and support which is so 

 essential to the future success of the Geological Magazine. 



"Work on British Petrography. — Messrs. Watson Bros, and 

 Douglas, of Birmingham, announce the publication of a work on British Petro- 

 graphy, being a Description of the Ordinary Rocks of the'jBritish Isles, by J. J. 

 Harris Teall, M.A., F.G.S., etc., illustrated by 50 Chromo-Lithographic plates 

 from original drawings of typical microscopic slides. To be completed in 25 Imperial 

 Octavo Monthly parts, including 100 figures and about 350 pages of text. The first 

 part is announced to be published in February next. From a previous acquaintance 

 with Mr. Teall's able and careful labours in petrography, we anticipate that this 

 work will be a most valuable Book of Reference for the use of Professors and 

 Lecturers in Geology and Petrography, and for all who are interested in the study of 

 British Rocks. 



