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of the State of Illinois, authorized and provided for by the Legislature 

 in 1885, and will be prepared under the direction of the Illinois State 

 Laboratory of Natural History. 



In the autumn of 1S90, the Editor had an opportunity of visiting 

 Champaign, and was kindly shown over the entomological and botanical 

 laboratories by Professors Forbes and Burrill, and is therefore able to 

 form some idea of the excellent methods of work adopted at the 

 University of Illinois, in the branches of research over which these 

 gentlemen preside. 



Having no doubt that some account of this splendid addition to 

 the facilities for the prosecution of good natural history work in 

 North America would be of interest to our readers, the editor 

 wrote to Prof. Forbes, asking him to give some data concerning 

 the Institution itself, and the dedicatory ceremonies. In reply to this 

 request the following letter was received : 



Champaign, Illinois, U.S.A., November i8th, 1892. 



Your kind note and the copy of the " Ottawa Naturalist" 

 were duly received and especially appreciated. I am pleased that you 

 thought of making some mention of our new building, and take 

 pleasure in giving you such particulars as it seems to me you are most 

 likely to want to use. 



The building was put up at an expense of $70,000, exclusive of 

 furnishing, appropriated by the State Legislature. It is 134 feet in 

 length by 94 in width, and three stories in height above the basement. 

 There is a spacious, well-lighted central hall, around which on all sides 

 are situated laboratories, lecture rooms, closets, stcre rooms, and dark 

 rooms, a full series for each department. 



As an example of the arrangement and equipment of this building 

 a general description may be given of the provision for zoology. The 

 students' laboratories in this department are three in number on the 

 first floor — for elementary, advanced, and postgraduate work respec- 

 tively. In the first, table room is given for thirty students: in the 

 second, for sixteen ; and in the last, for ten. Adjoining the first is the 

 private laboratory of the Assistant in Zoology, and next this the lecture 

 room. Directly over the Assistant's laboratory is that of the Professor 



