602 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



the Paris basin was entirely destroyed. This is much to be 

 lamented in a scientific point of view, as it contained many 

 types. A ball also passed through a glass case containing 

 the unios and anodonta. 1 (7, 1871, 721. 



PENNY LECTURES IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



Several of the large towns in Great Britain have made ar- 

 rangements to continue the system already begun of having 

 penny lectures on science for the benefit of the working class- 

 es. The most eminent men in Great Britain are concerned 

 in this movement, and the attention paid to their addresses 

 has been of the most gratifying character. 12 A, November 

 23,1871,70. 



RELATION OF EUROPEAN NATIONS TO SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. 



M. Berthelot publishes a remarkable article in the Temps 

 on the scientific relations between Germany, France, and En- 

 gland, in which he points out that, without depreciating the 

 scientific position of the other countries of Europe and of 

 America, the lead in all great scientific discoveries and move- 

 ments has been taken by one or other of these three great 

 nations, often by all three simultaneously ; and he strongly 

 urges the necessity, especially as regards the first two, of a 

 complete cordiality and union, under the penalty of a general 

 loss to civilization. 



OPERATIONS OF THE BRITISH MUSEU5I IN 1871. 



Nature contains an analysis of the late report of the oper- 

 ations connected with the British Museum in the year 1871, 

 from which we find that, notwithstanding the desire of the 

 authorities, in view of the present crowded state of the col- 

 lections, to increase their magnitude as little as possible, 

 nearly 16,000 specimens have been added. The total increase 

 made during the last twelve years has amounted to over 

 662,000 specimens, of which 435,000 belong, to the depart- 

 ment of zoology, the remainder being divided between geol- 

 ogy, mineralogy, and botany. 



The zoological additions in 1871 were 10,577 specimens. 

 Reference is made in the report to the ultimate transfer of 

 the collections to the new buildings authorized by Parlia- 

 ment, and which are said to be under way. In their new 



