INDUCTION. 
53 
INDUCTION. 
To THE LEADERS OF THE “ MlDLAND NATURALIST.” 
The Council of the “ Midland Union of Natural History 
Societies ” has asked me to undertake the responsibilities and 
duties of co-editorship, on its behalf, of the “ Midland 
Naturalist.” In acceding to its wishes I must at once 
candidly admit that I have been largely influenced by a 
desire to at least attempt to restore this magazine to its true 
position amongst scientific periodicals, by obtaining for it a 
larger amount of sympathetic assistance, whether in the form 
of contributions to its pages or of subscriptions, from the 
long list of Societies constituting the Union. It would be the 
merest affectation to assume that the present position of the 
“ Midland Naturalist ” is satisfactory, or that the journal itself 
is not susceptible of improvement. I hope its readers will 
not misunderstand me in saying that I should not have gone 
out of the way of my professorial duties merely for the 
purpose of preserving a status quo. 
I believe that the “Midland Naturalist” has a real 
purpose in existence ; that it does not more completely fulfil 
its purpose is not, however, the fault of its editors. What 
the “ Midland Naturalist ” offers to the societies constituting 
the Union is a means for the publication, the prompt publica¬ 
tion, of such portions of their Transactions as it is desirable 
should be immediately published, or as are of interest 
sufficiently general to warrant publication. And this it offers 
without expense to the societies themselves. More than this, 
in its reports of meetings it gives an opportunity for local 
societies to publish such a diary of their proceedings as 
“ Nature” gives to the learned societies of London, and this 
at a cost of no more labour than is involved in the secretary 
writing and sending the periodical notes. 
No doubt the “ Midland Naturalist” is small, and for its 
size perhaps some may think expensive. This again is a 
matter which ,can be rectified by others. Increase the 
number of the contributions, increase the number of sub¬ 
scribers, and the editors will gladly respond by increasing the 
size of the “Naturalist” to the extent the funds will allow. 
Indeed, if its pages were used by the societies constituting the 
Midland Union in the way in which they may and ought to 
be used, enlargement would become a necessity; though it 
need hardly be said that if both ends are to meet, as both 
ends must be made to meet, the members of the societies 
