Zoological Society, ijoo 



ers to the pamphlet, to which we wish as wide a circulation as pos - 

 sible : — 



" If we look beyond the boundaries of Great Britain, and note the prac- 

 tice of our continental neighbours, we shall find it gives, in support of the 

 course here recommended, the unanswerable testimony of experience. On 

 this subject we have recently been put in possession of a well-arranged 

 mass of information, in the Report by Professor Bache. This gentleman 

 had been selected by the Trustees of the Girard College of Orphans, Phi- 

 ladelphia, to procure information with respect to the system of instruc- 

 tion pursued in similar establishments in Europe. For this purpose he vi- 

 sited England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, 

 Italy, and the principal states of Germany. It was not until two years 

 had been thus spent, and 278 schools of various kinds had been personally 

 inspected, that Dr. Bache prepared his very valuable Report. From it we 

 learn that, in the great majority of the continental schools, Natural History 

 forms a regular part of the course of instruction, and usually occupies from 

 two to four hours in the week. In some places it is connected with phy- 

 sical geography or with physics ; in others it stands out as a distinct branch 

 of education, and attention is given to its different departments in successive 

 years. The entire Report gives unequivocal evidence of its good effects ia 

 awakening * habits of observation and reflection ;' and also of its being 

 'eminently calculated to promote early religious impressions.' It also states 

 that the experience of the Prussian Gymnasia may be appealed to * as pro- 

 ving the entire compatibility of such instruction, with an otherwise sound 

 system ; and the entire possibility of accomplishing it without neglecting 

 other more important branches.' " 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 August 25, 1840.— W. H. Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair. 

 Specimens were exhibited of five new species of Kangaroo, form- 

 ing part of the collection made by Mr. Gould, who had just returned 

 from Australia, after an absence of two years and a half spent in the 

 investigation of the habits and oeconomy of the animals of that con- 

 tinent. 



The first of these Kangaroos to which Mr. Gould drew attention 

 was a large species, but little inferior in size to the Macropus major, 

 inhabiting the summits of the mountain ranges in the interior of 

 New South Wales. Mr. Gould observed, that it is a most powerful 

 animal, and very dangerous to approach. The unusual strength and 

 size of the Hmbs suggested the specific name of robustus, and Mr. 

 Gould accordingly characterized it as 



MACRorus (Petrogale*) robustus. Macr. artuhus anticis mag- 

 nis et prcerohustis ; vellere efusco cinereo, apud partes inferiores 

 pallidiore ; tarsis fuscis ; digitis antice nigris ; antipedihus, et 

 carpiSf nigris; capite fuliginoso leviter tincio ; utrdque gend 

 lined albescente notatd ; guld, guttureque alhidis ; caudd superne 

 fused, subtus pallidiore. 



* The Petrogale of Gray is probably identical with Heteropus of Jourdan. 



