2 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
another, and also materially to help one another by interchange 
of ideas and by suggestions. Anyone reading an original contri- 
bution for publication (in due course) in the ‘“‘ Transactions of the 
New Zealand Institute,” will also secure priority of publication for 
names, descriptions, &c., by sending an abstract to our columns, 
Articles in English or Foreign periodicals which deal with New 
Zealand scientific matters, or which are of general interest and 
value, will be reproduced either whole or in a condensed form. 
This in itself will prove an important branch of our work, as it is 
only in a few of the more important centres of population that 
current scientific literature is accessible to those who take an 
interest in it. Again, there are many persons who devote the tew 
spare hours of a busy lite to scientific pursuits, and who in the 
course of their researches accumulate a considerable amount of 
valuable information, but they shrink from publishing what they 
consider their fragmentary knowledge in our recognised channel 
for scientific work. But they need no longer hesitate to communi- 
cate the knowledge thus acquired, however fragmentary it may be. 
Indeed, it is hoped that such amateur workers—and there is a 
considerable number of them in the Colony—will freely avail 
themselves of the facilities now offered to them, and will make the 
“Notes” of this journal one of its most interesting and valuable 
features. Our columns will be open to all who desire to communi- 
cate or obtain information on scientific subjects. 
It is hoped that the Secretaries of all scientific societies in 
the Colony will aid by forwarding notices of their meetings, 
together with abstracts of original papers read at them, to the 
Editor. And if all those interested in the cause of science will 
give their assistance to the publication now commenced, there 
need be little fear for its immediate and lasting success. 
Finally, it may be well to add that the animating spirit shits 
has led to the publication of THe NEw ZEALAND JOURNAL OF 
SciENCE is solely the desire of spreading knowledge, and of en- 
couraging the search for truth. It is hoped that it will be always 
carried on ina similarly genuine spirit, and so we adopt for our 
motto, and as our standard for guidance, the old but true words 
of Lucretius— 
Fudicio perpende : et si tibi vera videntur 
Dede manus : aut st falsum est, adcingere contra. 
