PREFACE. 
Dr. Gunther having last year put into execution his long- 
meditated intention of resigning to me the editorship of ' The 
T rriRD OF Zoological Literature/ and its publisher being 
t c ' illing to continue an unprofitable undertaking, it fell to me, 
p ‘ to the friends I consulted, to devise some plan whereby that 
v^;k, which had been warmly encouraged by such zoologists as 
V. . re acquainted with it, should be carried on. 
The British Association for the Advancement of Science 
h iving again repeated its grant of ^6100 towards the publica- 
' on of a Zoological Record, I was at first in hopes that the 
Hay Society would help the cause, and I accordingly ad- 
dressed a proposal to that effect to the Society’s Council. This 
proposal was declined; and, however much I may regret the 
fact, I cannot, when regarding the large number of works to 
the publication of which the Society is pledged, complain of the 
decision, made known to me as it was in most courteous and 
complimentary terms. 
No further hope of aid existing in this quarter, a meeting of 
the Zoological Record Committee, appointed by the British 
Association, was summoned on the 11th of January, 1871 ; 
and, after due deliberation, it was resolved that its members 
a2 
