I40. NATURAL SCIENCE. February. 



Smith. The attendance during two years was 160,000, of whom no less than 4,225 

 visited the museum on Whit Monday, 1S96. In the Ubrary an important move ha 

 been the collection in a separate room of all books and pamphlets connected with 

 Bristol, their number now reaching 2,129. It is also satisfactory to learn that the 

 excellent penny guide to the museum by Mr. E. Wilson meets with a ready sale. 

 We have, indeed, already received a copy of the seventh edition, issued September, 

 i8g6. It has a view of the museum as frontispiece. 



The East Wing of the American Museum of Natural History at New York was 

 opened on November 30, and e.Kcellent illustrations are contained in Science of 

 December 11. With the West Wing now in course of erection, the museum will 

 have a total floor-space of 148,258 square feet. The twenty-seventh annual report 

 states that a deficit of nearly ;^i,6oo was met by special subscription from the 

 trustees. The collections have been largely augmented from the various expeditions 

 sent out. Two new halls have been opened, one of Ethnology and the other of 

 Vertebrate Palaeontology. The collection in the latter, up to the summit of the 

 Oligocene, must be indeed unique if it contains, as asserted, with few exceptions, 

 more or less complete remains of every genus and species known. The south side 

 is occupied by the Perissodactyla, Rhinoceroses, and horses ; the north by the 

 Mesozoic animals, the meseutherian Amblypoda and Creodonta, the Tillodontia, 

 Rodentia, Insectivora, and Carnivora. In the ethnological department the material 

 is placed in geographical order ; where the collections are sufficiently complete the 

 following subjects are illustrated : Physical types, relation of man to nature, 

 industries, dress, trade, social organisation, and religion. 



The annual Report of the Auckland Institute and Museum for 1895-6 shows 

 that the revenue of the museum is likely to be increased, through some of 

 the Crown lands from which its income is derived having been taken up under 

 mining leases. The museum appears to suffer from the want of a taxidermist, 

 which prevented its acceptance of such important specimens as an adult leathery 

 turtle and a fine example of the true sun-fish, Lampris lima. The Ethnology Hall 

 has received from the Chief Hami Te Waewae the gift of a carved post or " tiki " 

 from Ota Kanini Pa, Kaipara, a fortress well known in ancient Maori history. It 

 will be remembered that some time ago Little Barrier Island was set aside as a 

 preserve for the rarer members of the New Zealand fauna. The Report states 

 that there are persistent rumours as to the slaughtering of the birds for sale, 

 and in consequence of this all Maoris have been removed from the island. 



A Botanical Institute in connection with the Garden has been established 

 at Miinster, Westphalia. 



The Castle Garden Aquarium at New York was opened on December 10, with 

 a collection of about 100 species of fish, which will be increased by importations. 



American botanists have taken up very eagerly the suggestion made by 

 Professor D. T. MacDougal that a tropical laboratory for botanical work should 

 be founded by them. The situation proposed is either the East Coast of Mexico 

 or an island near the Caribbean Sea. 



The Belgian Government has instituted, in the International Exhibition at 

 Brussels in 1897, ^ Scientific Section. This will be devoted to Physics- and 

 Mathematics and the Natural Sciences, with a department for Bibliography, a 

 subject much cultivated by our Belgian colleagues at present. The president of 

 the section will be General J. de Tilley, while Mr. Eugene van Overloop will act as 



