PREFACE, 
Taz Editor has to acknowledge the assistance of the following gentlemen in revising 
their papers for the press :—Messrs, Frankland, Kirk, T. W. Kirk, Buchanan, Knight, 
Skey, Kemp, and Newman. 
While doing so he would call the attention of writers to the necessity for great care 
in preparing their manuscript for the printer. It is impossible that a volume of such 
varied contents can be entirely free from error, but the difficulty of deciphering manu- 
script adds much both to the chance of error and the expense of publication. In some 
cases it has been possible to print papers with any approach to correctness only by a 
careful study of the author’s mode of forming letters, aided by reference to dictionaries 
and catalogues. A scientific record such as our Transactions is only of value if exact; 
and the Editor makes these remarks purely with the intention of averting the irritation 
often caused to writers by the occurrence of mistakes (arising from imperfections in the 
manuscript), which they are perhaps inclined to attribute to the editing branch of the 
Institute. 
An acknowledgement is due to Mr. Buchanan for drawing the illustrations on stone, 
and to Mr. Gore for the meteorological record. Also to the officers of the lithographic 
and photo-lithographie departments, who, by the kind permission of the Colonial Secre- 
tary, have assisted in the completion of the plates. 
