PREFACE.
The first volume of the "Transactions" contained several Communications and Essays that had accumulated from previous years, and it was therefore anticipated in the Preface that the succeeding volumes would not equal it in size. The present issue, however, has not fallen off in this respect, as it contains almost an equal number of pages, which are of larger size; while the number of original Articles has increased from twenty-three to sixty-three, contributed by thirty-two different authors.
The arrangement of the work has been improved by dividing it into Sections, according to the subjects treated of.
Part I. contains the original communications of the various Societies, during the Session of 1869, which have been selected for publication by the Councils of the Societies, and approved by the Board of Governors of the Institute.
These Articles have been classified, for convenience of reference, under the following Sections: I. Natural History,—II. Botany,—III. Chemistry,—IV. Geology,—V. Miscellaneous.
There are three exceptions to this arrangement, owing to the papers not having been received in time for insertion in their proper places:—a Zoological paper by Dr. Haast, "On the Ziphid Whale," and one on a Botanical subject by Mr. Buchanan, appearing among the Miscellaneous Articles; and at page 385, near the end of the volume, an Ornithological paper, by Mr. Buller, has been inserted.
Part II. contains Lectures on Scientific subjects, delivered during the year, in addition to one, by Mr. Fitzgerald, reserved from last year.
Part III. consists of the Minutes of the Proceedings of Meetings of the various Incorporated Societies, which have been condensed from Reports furnished by the Secretaries. Among these Reports will be found abstracts of papers that have not been printed at length, and the Annual Addresses of the Presidents of the Societies.
In the Appendix will be found an abstract of the Meteorological Returns for the year.
The number of members of affiliated Societies, who are entitled to receive copies of this volume, gratis, according to the lists published in the
