8 NATURAL SCIENCE [July 



one of the orang-utan skeletons is mounted, after having been 

 several months in the case, began suddenly to sprout, and bore 

 green twigs for several months, during which period it proved 

 the chief attraction in the Museum. 



We never yet knew a Curator who did not require more room. 

 Needless to say Dr Hanitsch proves no exception. 



Lessons from Chicago 



We have received the Annual Report of F. J. V. Skiff, the Director of 

 the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, for 1896-7. The staff of this 

 Museum comprises : G. A. Dorsey, Acting Curator of Anthropology ; 

 C. F. Millspaugh, Curator of Botany ; 0. C. Farrington, Curator, and 

 H. W. Nicholls, Assistant Curator, Department of Geology ; D. G. 

 Elliot, Curator, and S. E. Meek, Assistant Curator, Department of 

 Zoology ; C. B. Cory, Curator of Ornithology. The Librarian is 

 J. Dieserud, and the Recorder, D. C. Davies. These and others 

 have given numerous lectures on subjects connected with the 

 Museum or with the explorations of its officials. The Museum 

 issued during the year eight publications, of which the most 

 important was " Archaeological Studies among the Ancient Cities 

 of Mexico," by W. H. Holmes. The library is making satisfactory 

 progress ; but since the Museum only receives, by purchase or 

 exchange, ninety-two periodicals, it cannot be considered particu- 

 larly complete in that department. We notice, however, that a 

 list of all the periodicals in all the libraries of Chicago has been 

 prepared, and this no doubt will lead to the co-operation of the 

 numerous institutions in that city. 



Among the accessions to this Museum are several hundred 

 Etruscan antiquities of earthenware and bronze, excavated under 

 the direction of Prof. Frothingham in 1895-6 ; Egyptian anti- 

 quities, presented by Prof. Flinders Petrie ; ancient pottery from 

 ( Jeorgia ; a meteorite from Mexico, and specimens from eighteen 

 other meteorites. Among the notable collections obtained by the 

 Botanical Department during the past year are Pringle's Mexican 

 plants, Palmer's Durango collection, Nash's and Pollard's Florida and 

 Mississippi plants, theSandberg Idaho collection, Gaumer's last Yucatan 

 species, Jenman's British Guiana and Eusby's Orinoco collections, 

 Schlechter's South African species ; the complete lichen herbarium of 

 Calkins; and the important persona! herbarium of the late Dr Schott, 

 the latter including plants from Yucatan, Panama, and Mexico. 



We have not mentioned the numerous collections obtained by 

 D. G. Elliot and the members of his expedition to Somali Land. We 

 have received a special report on the fish they collected, containing 

 descriptions of some of the new and rare species. With reference 

 to this expedition Prof. Elliot writes : " It is the only proper 



