PREFACE. 



The first duty of the Editors is to thank their contributors and their 

 subscribers — the former for the excellence of the articles which have 

 during the year maintained the standard of The Naturalist at its 

 accustomed level, the latter for their appreciation and their kind 

 support. 



That the Editors have not been unsuccessful in doing justice to 

 all departments of their subject will be seen by a glance through the 

 volume. In Geology — the two admirable Reports on Yorkshire 

 Boulders, the papers on Coal-dust and Explosions in Coal-mines, 

 and on Igneous Dykes; in Botany — those on the Pennine District 

 Florula of Cumberland, Lincolnshire Marsh and Water Plants, 

 the Flora of Wensleydale, the Lichens, Hepaticse and Mosses of 

 Westmorland, the list of West Yorkshire Fungi and the numerous 

 additions to the Flora of AVest Yorkshire ; in Entomology — the 

 account of a visit to the Isle of Man, and the valuable list of 

 Lincolnshire Hemiptera-Heteroptera ; in Conchology — the list of 

 Airedale MoUusca ; and in Ornithology — the numerous records of 

 Pallas' Sand-Grouse ; all testify that the Editors have had provided 

 for them the means of catering for all classes of their readers. 



In addition to this, attention may be drawn to the valuable 

 paper on Heligoland, and the autotype illustration which by its 

 author's kindness forms the frontispiece to this volume. 



The publication of the Bibliography has been resumed, and 

 the ])resent volume contains several valuable instalments of it. 



As to the future, a change in the editorship has to be announced. 

 Hitherto The N'ati/raiist has had the benefit of being conducted by 

 two Editors resident in the same town, first by Messrs. Hobkirk and 

 Porritt at Huddersfield, and then by the present Editors at Leeds. 



