i894. NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 469 



On the completion of the decorations and renovation to which we have already 

 referred, the Bristol Museum was re-opened by the municipal authorities on 

 November 12. The hours are now extended from 10 a.m. to g p.m. daily. A 

 Reference Library has been added. An extension of the Oldham Public Library 

 and Museum has also been opened this month, in the form of a lecture-hall capable 

 of seating goo people. Free lectures are given each Saturday evening during the 

 winter. The Art Gallery at Oldham is already famous among Lancashire 

 institutions, and it is now proposed to devote attention to providing an adequate 

 Natural History Collection. 



The Royal Society Medals have been awarded as follows : — Professor Cleve, of 

 Upsala, receives the Davy medal for his researches on the rare earths ; Professor 

 Huxley, the Darwin Medal ; Professor Victor Horsley, one of the Royal Medals. 

 No more appropriate award could be given to Professor Huxley, and we are glad to 

 hear that Professor Horsley is to have a Royal Medal for researches so beneficial to 

 mankind, though mankind is already sufficiently grateful to so distinguished a 

 benefactor. 



We learn from the Birmingham Post that the card catalogue in the library of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons will be utilised, when finished, as copy for a new 

 catalogue of the library. A printed catalogue of this rich medical library would be 

 of great service, as many books dealing with general natural science are contained 

 therein. The College has also acquired a ground plan of John Hunter's house in 

 Leicester Square, drawn by William Clift, Hunter's pupil, which shows the arrange- 

 ment, not only of his rooms, but much of their contents. 



At the opening meeting of the Zoological Society, held on November 6, Pro- 

 fessor Sir William Flower exhibited and read extracts from a letter and diaries 

 from Emin Pasha. The letter recorded the dispatch of specimens for the British 

 Museum, but was undated. The diary commenced on May 2g, i8g2, and was 

 continued till October 12, i8g2, when Emin was close to Stanley Falls. It con- 

 sisted chiefly of notes on the birds he had collected on this his last journey. The 

 collections have never been received in this country, and it is probable they were 

 destroyed by the band that murdered the traveller. The manuscripts had been 

 received by Sir William Flower from the agent of the Congo State at Brussels. 



The Geologists' Association inaugurated their session on November 2 by an 

 exhibition of lantern slides of photographs of places of geological interest, instead 

 of holding the usual conversazione. The exhibition, which seemed to be of much 

 interest to the members, was chiefly remarkable for some views taken in deep 

 mines in Cornwall, by Mr. W. Thomas, and others of the Festiniog district, taken 

 by Mr. J. C. Burrows. The views were confined to British subjects, and Messrs. 

 Preston, Lardeur, and Hiddon showed excellent results taken during the various 

 excursions of the Association. 



At the next meeting of the Association, on December 7, Mr. A. Smith 

 Woodward promises a note on the Megalosaurian teeth that have been discovered 

 by Mr. J. Alstone in the Portlandian of Aylesbury, after which (the Honorary 

 Secretary asks us to state) Professor McKenny Hughes, Mr. H. W. Monckton, and 

 Dr. Frazer Hume will describe the geology of their recent tour in Switzerland. 



From the Journal of the Oxford University Scientific Club, of which no. 18 has 

 just reached us, we learn that Mr, M. D. Hill has been granted the use of the 

 British Association Table at Naples, where he intends to continue his researches on 

 artificial fertilisation. At a meeting of the Club on October 26, Mr. Garstang 

 read a paper " On some modifications of the Tunicate pharynx induced by the 

 violent ejection of water." 



Despite the exertions of this energetic Club, we regret to observe that the study 

 of geology still thrives so ill in this same University of Oxford. The examiners for 



