greater importance to tabulate the principal additions made to zoological science by such collections. Our 'Zoological Record' amply narrates the number of new species and forms added to the nomenclature, in fact, constitutes a Zoological Directory; we hope to receive some information as to how these accumulations have enlarged the bounds of zoological conclusions. It is well to remember in what Museum a fauna, or section of a fauna, is best represented. Again, well-known private collections are constantly, through death or other circumstances, either sold in their entirety or disposed of in parts by the auctioneer or natural-history agent; notes as to such removals will be always welcome. These are particularly valuable with regard to British collections. We often hear of the little done in Zoology by the "mere collector," and yet his collection, which in the hands of other naturalists could be made to tell its story, is allowed to be distributed—often virtually destroyed—without a record of its destination being published. No doubt the highest form of patriotism would be shown in bequeathing all such collections to the national or local museum; but human circumstances only too frequently make such a course impossible; or, again, a day may arrive when State or local funds are available to purchase them; but in the mean time it is at least advisable to chronicle the dispersal and migration of what has been achieved with so much labour, and may never in entirety be amassed again. The "mere collector" is not at all unimportant if his material subsequently reaches right hands. The ordinary subscriber to Mudie's is not necessarily a literary man, nor is the average collector always what we understand as a naturalist; but one has as much right to be encouraged as the other if we look to ideal potentialities and not to present fame or notoriety. Even the heads of the Church must have a congregation.
Finally, the present Editor solicits the special assistance of our British naturalists, and trusts that the pages of 'The Zoologist' may still be filled with facts and conclusions, whilst controversy and hyper-criticism may be thus crowded out.
January, 1897.
