POPULAR MISCELLANY. 



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ic and paleontologieal equivalency. It con- 

 tains fossils related to those of the Purbeck 

 dirt-beds of England. It is overlaid by the 

 Neocomian, which extends also into other 

 counties, and is distinguished by its horizon 

 of dark, slate-colored shale. This formation 

 was first remarked by Prof. Jules Marcou 

 in the Indian Territory some thirty -five 

 years ago, but has received little attention, 

 and is still very imperfectly known. Its 

 thickness is variable, but probably nowhere 

 exceeds one hundred and fifty feet. It is 

 the same as the formation called by some 

 geologists Comanche ; but the term Neoco- 

 mian is preferred on account of its ref era- 

 bility to a European chronological equivalent. 



The Work of a Complete State Univer- 

 sity. — The Coming of Age of State Univer- 

 sities is the title of the charter-day address 

 of President T. C. Chamberlin, on the twen- 

 ty-first anniversary of the University of Ne- 

 braska, in which the work of the complete 

 State University is delineated. Such an in- 

 stitution will educate all its constituents in 

 all varieties of useful knowledge — with a 

 view to the common rather than to the in- 

 dividual good ; it will endeavor to develop 

 scholarship in its highest and most refined 

 expressions, as well as in its more material 

 and commercial phases — not for the sake of 

 the scholar as such, but for the ultimate re- 

 finement and elevation of the common life 

 of the whole people ; it will promote a gen- 

 erous spirit of inquiry, a trained habit of 

 investigation, an attitude of impartiality 

 toward evidence, and a supreme regard for 

 truth ; will endeavor to serve all other parts 

 of the public educational system by furnish- 

 ing fresh knowledge, amply trained teach- 

 ers, and the inspiration of higher educational 

 opportunities ; and will encourage, as an in- 

 herent factor and ultimate end of its efforts, 

 those sentiments of regard for the common 

 interests, those patriotisms of every-day life, 

 that constitute the soul of superior citizen- 

 ship. 



Four Commencement Days* — In human 

 life, says Dr. J. M. Bodine, in a valedictory 

 address to the graduating class of the Medi- 

 cal Department of the University of Louis- 

 ville, are four great commencement days — 

 when we begin to be, when we begin to 



learn, when we begin to practice, and when 

 we enter the existence beyond the grave. 

 On the third of these days the author ad- 

 vises his students, if business does not come 

 at once — " devote yourself to reading, and 

 use every opportunity to do something pro- 

 fessional. . . . See every operation, autopsy, 

 and pathological specimen you can. Study 

 botany in the fields, chemistry in the labora- 

 tory, and look into the invisible with your 

 microscope. If seen thus engaged, the peo- 

 ple will credit you with seriousness in your 

 profession, and your employment, without pa- 

 tients, will be your best advertisement. . . . 

 The route to preferment does not lie through 

 the salons of society, the village sports, and 

 is far away from the drink-shop. By com- 

 placency in yielding to the social and sport- 

 ive, you will get the name of ' good fellow,' 

 but when life is trembling in the parted 

 scales sobriety and skill are at a premium. 

 You must learn to labor and to wait. But, 

 while waiting, work for knowledge and 

 watch for opportunity. Win by applica- 

 tion ; woo by merit. ... Be able to do 

 something better than those around you, 

 and the call to do it is certain." 



Mountains of Arizona. — The region of 

 the San Francisco and Mogollon Mountains 

 of Arizona and New Mexico, as described 

 by Dr. H. H. Rusby, comprises an elevated, 

 open, somewhat barren table-land ; a still 

 more elevated forest belt; and a low, des- 

 ert, mostly sandy plain. The table-land is 

 traversed by a number of profound canons, 

 with precipitous walls a mile or more in 

 height, and by many others of less depth, 

 and is a never-ceasing source of surprises to 

 Eastern visitors. " During the greater part 

 of the year the surface is dry and desolate, 

 of an ashy-gray color ; but immediately 

 upon the occurrence of the annual rains it 

 changes with marvelous rapidity. Within 

 three days after the first important show- 

 ers, a distinct tinge of green is perceptible. 

 In a week the surface is of an almost uni- 

 form light green ; and in from ten days to 

 two weeks it presents an appearance of great 

 luxuriance. From this time on, until the oc- 

 currence of killing frosts, it is a paradise for 

 the collector." The San Francisco Forest 

 consists almost wholly of the Pinus ponde- 

 rosa, and is one of the most beautiful for- 



