INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 



It is necessary to say a few words with regard to the publication of this number of the 

 Transactions. Dr. MacGillivray's paper was formally laid before the Society in December, 1894, 

 and ordered by the Council to be printed and published. The manuscript and drawings 

 remained in the possession of Dr. MacGillivray who, up to the time of his death, was busily 

 engaged in superintending the drawing of the plates, and making the few additions necessary to 

 render the letterpress and illustrations complete. 



On the death of Dr. MacGillivray the whole of the plates, except Plate XV., had been 

 lithographed, but only the first few pages of letterpress were in print. An examination of the 

 manuscript showed that the descriptions of a small number of species, towards the end of the 

 paper, were not complete, and that a few drawings remained to be made of certain species of 

 Retepora the descriptions of which had been written. Those species of which the descriptions had 

 not been written were already named and drawn by Dr. MacGillivray. Under these circum- 

 stances it was decided to print the manuscript without any additions or alterations, and to include 

 the names of the species not described with reference to the plates in order to preserve Dr. 

 MacGillivray's names already attached to them in manuscript. 



The monograph so far as page 135 is therefore printed exactly in the form in which it was 

 left by Dr. MacGillivray. 



Mr. T. S. Hall very kindly undertook to write the descriptions of the species which were left 

 incomplete by Dr. MacGillivray, and these have been inserted in the form of an appendix (pp. 

 136-146). 



All the illustrations were complete except Figures 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 on Plate XV.; 

 these I have drawn from Dr. MacGillivray's named specimens, and I have also added an index to 

 families, genera and species which will perhaps be found useful for purposes of reference. 



It is hoped that but few errors have crept into the work, the greater part of which in passing 

 through the press has, unfortunately, not had the advantage of being revised by the author. It 

 will be noticed that the monograph refers exclusively to the species represented in Dr. 

 MacGillivray's collection ; whether or not it was his intention to have subsequently added 

 references to species described by other workers, specimens of which were not in his collection it 

 is impossible now to say. No manuscript or notes referring to such can be found, and it has been 

 thought best therefore, with the exception of Mr. Hall's appendix completing Dr. MacGillivray's 

 own work, to make no additions. 



The type specimens have been purchased by the Trustees of the National Gallery and 

 Museums of Victoria, and will be placed in the National Museum, Melbourne, to which Dr. 

 MacGillivray had during his life-time generously presented his very valuable series of type 

 specimens of recent Australian Polyzoa. 



W. BALDWIN SPENCER, Hon. Sec. 



