The Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History, under whose auspices these bulletins are published, had its origin in 1862, as the museum of the old State Natural History Society of Illinois, and was continued in that relation until 1871, when, with the practical dissolution of the society, the museum was made over to the State. This action was taken in pursuance of an act of the State legislature making the continuance of certain appropriations previously granted in aid of the society contingent upon the transfer of the entire property to the State.
From the time of this transfer the establishment performed the functions of a State Museum of Natural History as far as its limited resources and restricted quarters would permit, until 1877, when it was converted, in accordance with the law establishing a State museum at Springfield, into a natural history laboratory. By this law it was relieved from the necessity of maintaining a display of specimens, and charged with the collection, preservation, and determination of all zoological and botanical material for the museum, with the supply to the state educational institutions of the natural history material needed for the proper performance of their work, and to the State Museum of a series of specimens illustrating the botany and zoology of the State. By subsequent laws it was made the source of supply of zoological specimens to the public high schools, and was charged with the elaborate investigation of various zoological and botanical subjects having especial economic or educational relations.
The operations of the laboratory now naturally took on the character of a more thorough and methodical natural history survey of the State than had been previously possible; and with a view to the publication of partial and preliminary reports of the results of this survey, and also for the purpose of giving to active local naturalists the encouragement afforded by a medium of prompt publication, this series of bulletins was begun in 1876..
The first number was issued as the bulletin of the Illinois Museum of Natural History, but the second, and succeeding numbers, as bulletins of the laboratory. 44
The series has now reached a size and importance which makes it desirable that the plan of their publication be changed for one more systematic and uniform. The six bulletins thus far published are consequently considered to form a single volume, and a new volume has been commenced, which will be paged continuously, and divided, not into "bulletins," but into articles, usually to he issued separately, as fast as ready.