EDITORIAL NOTES. 
xi 
case at least have not covered actual expenditure in connection with 
the work of the Expedition. 
The great difficulty in carrying through an undertaking of this nature 
arises from considerations of time. The researches of the specialist tend 
ever to become more elaborate : in no case were the authors of the larger 
Special Reports able to terminate their work within the original estimates as 
to time and bulk. The limitations in reference to expenditure imposed bn 
me by the Government often rendered it imperative to curtai] the in- 
vestigations, and to cut out matter from the Memoirs when in other 
circumstances I would gladly have fallen in with the views of contributors 
and collaborators. 
The care exercised in all the arrangements connected with these publica- 
tions is indicated by the fact that every Special Memoir which was commenced 
has been completed and published. The plan and proportion of the several 
parts of the Report have been largely determined by the complicated and 
changing conditions under which the work has been carried on, and this in 
turn accounts for an apparent want of unity in the contents of the volumes as 
issued from the press during the past fourteen years. Great care has been 
taken to insure accuracy in statement and to make the Report, in the first 
instance, a faithful record of the observations, investigations and scientific 
results immediately bearing on the work of the Expedition. The researches 
and publications connected with the Expedition might have been extended 
in several directions with advantage to science had the allotted time and funds 
permitted ; as it is, a few collections have not been thoroughly examined, 
and some observations have not been fully discussed. 
In June, 1872, I was appointed one of the naturalists of the Challenger 
when the Expedition was being fitted out. During the past twenty-three years 
my time has been wholly taken up with the work of the Expedition and in 
the study of those subjects which the Expedition was organized to investigate. 
The direction of the whole of the work connected with the publication of the 
Scientific Results passed unexpected^ into my hands, and I have done my 
best in the circumstances to place on permanent record a trustworthy account 
of the labours of this famous Expedition. It has been my earnest endeavour 
to complete the publications in a manner worthy of the naval position and 
scientific reputation of this great Empire. Notwithstanding the trouble- 
