PREFACE.

The Magazine of Natural History, our readers, we trust, will agree with us in thinking, improves as it proceeds ; and this Fifth Volume, now brought to a close, will be found to excel all that have preceded it, in the variety and interest of the communi- cations which it contains.

For this superiority we are mainly indebted to our contributors, among whom, it will be found, are not only some of the first naturalists of this country, but also others, whom this Magazine has been the means of exciting to enter on this branch of study.

Our readers cannot have failed to observe that this work, as well as the Gardeners Magazine, has derived the greatest advantage from the industry and talent of our excellent co-editor, Mr Denson.

In consequence of the increasing number of communications, we have, for more than a year past, contemplated the idea of publishing the work monthly ; and we have solicited, from time to time, the opinion of our readers and correspondents on this subject.