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Introductory Paper . 
long, to swell into a mighty stream of civilization, they 
have been anxious to impress upon that stream, while it 
is yet susceptible of it, a salutary direction towards 
liberal and scientific pursuits. And the hope which 
especially animates them is, that their exertions, humble 
and feeble as they are, may be the means of rousing abler 
minds to put forth their energies in the same noble cause. 
They consider themselves only in the light of pioneers 
—humbly leading the way to the accomplishment of a 
most worthy and desirable end ; and, while they are 
conscious of the slenderness of their resources for such 
an important object, they are not without hopes that the 
excellence of their design will in some measure atone for 
the imperfection and faultiness of its execution. 
The leading and characteristic object of this Journal 
is to furnish original papers upon the Natural History 
and Physics of Tasmania. It is intended in the first 
instance to embrace more particularly the departments 
of Zoology—Botany—Geology—and Meteorology. An 
important part of the plan at present contemplated, and 
of which this first number may be considered as affording 
an average specimen, i9 to publish in consecutive articles 
all the species of indigenous plants and animals which 
are yet known, as well as such as may from time to time 
be discovered; accompanying the scientific description of 
each with such details of its economy, habits, geographical 
distribution, and other particulars, which can only be 
satisfactorily ascertained and described by those who have 
had opportunities of examining the individual in its living 
and natural state. It is also intended to give occasional 
papers upon peculiarities in the structure and physiology 
of the many curious plants and animals which are natives 
of this country, some of the most interesting of which are 
still desiderata among scientific men in Europe. 
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