THE 
AUSTRALASIAN SCIENTIFIC 
MAGAZINE, 
No. I. 
AUGUST i, 1885. Vol. I. 
OURSELVES. 
BY 
THE EDITOR. 
Considering how many men of learning there are in Australasia, and even 
in its separate parts, it is somewhat surprising that there is so little bond 
of union amongst them. The members of a Society are presumed to know 
one another after the ceremony of admission * but how often is that only a 
presumption ? and how often is it found to extend to the members of other 
Societies ? Except in individual cases, a whole class of enquirers upon 
certain subjects know nothing of enquirers upon kindred subjects, but 
what they may know from their writings ; and objects of common interest, 
when promoted at all, are left to individual effort, or to chance or accident. 
With such a magazine as the Australasian Scientific , which can, be readily 
obtained, there is no doubt but that the laudable enterprise of the proprietors, 
in publishing such a work, will be promptly and cheerfully responded to, and 
we hope that our undertaking will be speedily and successfully accomplished. 
When we consider how tardily public measures progress for the benefit of 
literature and science, how little has ever been done or thought of on such 
subjects, how hard it is to convince the public of the necessity, how ill 
understood and practised, both in public and private, are even the common 
subjects of classification and record, we must admit that things are not 
as they ought to be. The appearance of this Magazine is the first step 
in the right direction, and the support of the public will be the second. 
At present a member of any Society has no opportunity of informing him- 
self respecting the general progress of other Societies, except through their 
transactions. But their proceedings he does not see at all ; and the incidental 
