Excerpt from Hardwicke's Science-Gossip, Vol. 18: An Illustrated Medium of Interchange and Gossip for Students and Lovers of Nature HE necessity to write a few lines by way of Preface to the present volume reminds us that science-gossip has been in existence for eighteen years. That period includes, perhaps, the most important epoch in the history of Natural Science. The doctrines of Evolution and Natural Selection have practically arisen, so as to influence scientific research in every direction, within the space of time our journal has been in existence. Zoology, Botany, Geology, and Microscopy especially have assumed new aspects, or started on fresh lines of inquiry. And, notwithstanding the immense number of new subjects which have sprung up, it cannot be denied that all tend to unify our knowledge of Nature, rather than to perplex us. We flatter ourselves that the volumes of science-gossip which have appeared during this historical period will be found well to the front in recording new discoveries, in popularising them, as well as partaking in the active scientific work of the time. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.