300 Figures and Descriptions of Canadian Organic Remains. 



in London, it appeared doubtful which of the three that were in 

 hand would be first ready for publication. He, in consequence, 

 caused to be registered on the plates, as the number of the decade, 

 the figure which indicates the order in which it was commenced. 

 It therefore appears as the third decade, but being the first 

 ready, and the subject quite distinct from those of the other two, 

 no hesitation is experienced in placing it first before the public. 



" Mr. H. S. Smith, who, as already stated, supplied three of the 

 plates, has been induced to come out to Canada with the design of 

 devoting his attention to the representation of the fossils of the 

 Provincial collection ; and it will therefore in future be unneces- 

 sary to go out of the country for the illustration of them, unless it 

 be to procure the aid of the best authority oa some special subject. 



"Of the third decade an edition of 2000 copies is issued. Of 

 these 500 copies are reserved for the members of the Legislature ; 

 and it is intended to fix upon the remainder a moderate price, and 

 dispose of them to the public through some respectable bookseller. 

 By this means it is hoped that they will fall into the hands of those 

 who will really appreciate them. The same course will be pur- 

 sued in respect to the first and second decades, when they are 

 ready. 



" A fourth decade is now in hand which will illustrate the Co- 

 noids of the collection." 



The first and most important paper in the work is that by Mr. 

 Billings on the Cystidese ; an able essay in which Mr. Billings is 

 emphatically on his own ground, and gives an earnest of much 

 good work in Canadian Palaeontology. We cannot do better than 

 allow Mr. Billings to explain the nature of these curious denizens 

 of the ancient seas, only remarking that to introduce them in a 

 popular style, is in the best possible taste. In a national work 

 published at the public expense, it is more than pedantry to refrain 

 from such popular explanations as may enable the non-scientific rea- 

 der to understand at least the nature of the subject. Yet this has too 

 often been done, much to the detriment as we believe of science, 

 and we are glad that a better example is here set. 



" As several elaborate and beautifully illustrated memoirs upon 

 the structure and affinities of the Cystideae have appeared during 

 the last few years, it would be superfluous, on the present occa- 

 sion, to enter upon a re-examination of the subject, were this de- 

 cade designed to circulate only among scientific men, for whom it 

 would be sufficient to give nothing more than the most concise 



