76 NATURAL SCIENCE. Jan.. 



Under the direction of Professor Osborn, a series of lectures on the results of 

 current researches in Biology is being delivered this session at the Columbia 

 College, New York. The course is arranged to meet the requirements of advanced 

 students and biologists engaged in research. 



According to the American Nutuialist the new Natural History Institute of the 

 University of Illinois, at Champaign, was opened on November i6 last. The cost 

 of the building was about 78,000 dollars, and it will contain the Natural History 

 library (of 20,000 volumes), museum, laboratories, and lecture rooms. 



The Town Council of Ipswich has decided to open the Museum and Public 

 Library on Sunday afternoons. 



We are glad to learn that the Yorkshire Philosophical Society has reduced the 

 admission fee for the York Museum on Saturday afternoons to the small sum of one 

 penny. This generous concession to the public is much appreciated. 



The shareholders of the Bristol Museum and Library have now confirmed their 

 resolution, to offer their property as a gift to the City of Bristol. The discussion of 

 the subject seems to have been chiefly confined to the library, but we hope that 

 some naturalist of influence will be found to watch the interests of the museum. 

 Fortunately, the valuable collections are safeguarded by the endowment fund, which 

 necessitates the interference of the trustees of the British Museum, and their 

 sanction to whatever arrangements may be made. 



A FUND for the benefit of the widow and daughter of the late Mr. T. J. Moore, 

 formerly curator of the Liverpool Museum, is being collected by a local committee, 

 of which the Rev. H. H. Higgins is treasurer, and Mr. Richard Paden secretary. 

 Contributions addressed to either of these gentlemen at the Liverpool Museum will 

 be gladly received. 



The plans of the Sedgwick Geological Museum were under discussion at Cam- 

 bridge last month, and there now seems to be a prospect of the early realisation of 

 the long-projected scheme for a new Memorial Museum. The staffof the Geological 

 Department of the University is also to be increased by the addition of a Demon- 

 strator in I^ala;ozoology. 



A Handbook for the Department of Geology m the United States National 

 Museum is in course of publication. Part i., by Mr. George P. Merrill, deals with 

 the Materials of the Earth's Crust, and forms not only a useful guide to the Rock- 

 collection, but also a concise introduction to Petrology. It is illustrated with photo- 

 graphic plates that clearly show various kinds of rock-structure, as seen both in mass 

 and under the microscope. 



The Right Hon. John Morley was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of 

 London on December 15. 



The Royal Geographical Society's monthly Pi'oceedings appear this month and 

 henceforth under the title of The Geographical Journal. 



The section of Medicine and Surgery of the French Academy of Sciences some 

 time ago formed a committee to arrange for an address of congratulation to be 



