PREFACE. 



In glancing over the Table of Contents of this Third Volume of 

 the Magazine of Natural History, the reader cannot fail to ob- 

 serve the great increase in the number of its contributors. As 

 nine tenths of these are personally strangers to the Conductor, 

 and write for the promotion of science or for their own instruction, 

 he cannot but consider this circumstance a proof of the increas- 

 ing interest of the work, and of the gradual advancement of a 

 taste for Natural History in this country. It would argue a 

 want of generous feeling on his part, were he not to acknowledge 

 how much he is gratified at having projected a work which seems 

 to have supplied the wants of the times, in the department of 

 which it treats. 



Periodical works may be divided into two classes : those which 

 are supported by the voluntary contributions of their readers ; and 

 those which are forced into circulation by the hired communi- 

 cations of eminent writers. In our opinion, the first class alone 

 answers the legitimate object of a Journal of Science. A forced 

 periodical of any kind is like an exotic plant, which requires to 

 be continually nursed in a hot-house : a self-supported journal, or 

 one naturally arising from the wants of the times, is like an indi- 

 genous plant, or a plant that has been naturalised, and which will 

 thrive with ordinary care and culture in the open air. A self-sup- 

 ported Magazine of Natural History may be considered as repre- 

 senting the wants and wishes of the lovers of Natural History of the 

 time and country in which it appears: a forced journal of any 

 kind can only be considered as representing the personal wants 

 and wishes of the parties concerned in its production. The latter 

 description of periodical may for a time be more conducive to the 

 fame and profit of its authors and owners : the former will naturally 

 at first be defective in these objects; but in both of them it may 

 be reasonably expected to increase as it proceeds. 



Such is the theory which we have deduced from our experience 

 in the conducting of periodicals ; and it is partly in conformity 

 with that theory, and partly to comply with the request of a 



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