PREFACE. 





Griset, T. D. Cockerell, and others, in illustration. 



All the chief events 



in Natural Science have been discussed with an open mind. Nothing 

 of importance in this department of modern research and observation 

 has been left out. 



Men's lives wear out, and old and zealous contributors die off. New 

 ones take their places, and one of the chief pleasures of the Editor's 

 experience is the geniality displayed by his numerous correspondents. 

 The price of SCIENCE-GOSSIP is not likely to bring its publishers a mine 

 of wealth, but the Editor can testify to their zealous co-operation and 

 sympathy with its aims and work. On this account alone, therefore, 

 he asks the individual aid of every one of its present subscribers to 

 introduce the Magazine they evidently like so well to their friends, so 

 as to ensure a still larger circulation. The hands of both Editor 

 and Publishers would be much strengthened thereby, and the fame of 

 the now familiar old " Gossip " would be spread wider than ever. 



Christmas is the season for greetings, and although the apparently 

 official task of writing a few lines of Preface for twenty-two years 

 successively at length approaches the nature of a task, it is not 

 because of the lack of sympathy manifested by readers and con- 

 tributors. Their name is Legion. Christmas comes but once a year, 

 but it enables the Editor to shake cordial hands, metaphorically, 

 with all his unseen friends, and wish them all a warm 



Christmas Greeting. 



