i893. NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 237 



Mr. Greene Smith's collection of North American birds and of Humming 

 Birds has been given by his widow to the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 

 Harvard College. 



The plans of the new building for the Departments of Comparative Anatomy, 

 Palaeontology, and Anthropology in the Paris Museum of Natural History have 

 been approved, and it is expected that the extension will be completed by the summer 

 of next year. 



We regret to record the sudden death, on February 14, of Sir Charles Wathen, 

 through whose generosity the transfer of the Bristol Museum and Library to the 

 city is being effected. On the proposition of Sir Charles, the Bristol Town Council 

 unanimously decided, on the date mentioned, to adopt the Museums and Gymnasiums 

 Act, but before the conclusion of the business the city's benefactor died suddenly 

 from heart disease. 



The annual report of the Curator of the Museum of Comparati\e Zoology at 

 Harvard College for 1891-92 has just reached us. Professor Agassiz complains 

 that "the time which our professors give to elementary teaching is entirely out of 

 proportion to that allowed to them for higher instruction. Thus the facilities for 

 original investigation which might be attained at the museum, and for what it was 

 primarily intended, have been thrown away for many years, owing to the inability 

 of the authorities to appoint men whose duties should lie in this direction." He 

 complains that it is not the province of the museum to provide instructors ; that 

 belongs to the University ; and he strongly protests against undergraduate instruc- 

 tion, which threatens to overcome the higher purposes of the institution. Professor 

 Agassiz also has some strong remarks on the ignorance of those who, though uncon- 

 nected with the staff, compile Government reports or " circulars of information." In 

 this country the interference of the Government is confined to expenditure of money, 

 on which matter Treasury clerks have power to overrule the decisions of the heads of 

 the various scientific institutions. The description of the "Blake" and of the 

 " Albatross " specimens goes on apace. The final portion of the report describes 

 the progress of the Newport Marine Laboratory, of which some photographic views 

 of the rooms are given, and it points out the advantages of certain specified 

 extensions of this institution. 



On the iSth of the month, the " Report of Proceedings with the Papers 

 read at the Third Annual General Meeting, held in Manchester, July 5, 6, and 7, 

 1892," of the Museums Association was published. The volume (142 pp.) bears the 

 misleading date of 1892, and is edited by Messrs. E. Howarth and H. M. Platnauer. 

 The list of associates is small ; thus we notice only three members of the staff of 

 the British Museum (Natural History), but of these one is the Director, who, we 

 are glad to learn, will preside this year — the Association meeting in London. The 

 list of articles in the report is as follows : — The Organisation of a Botanical 

 Museum, by F. E. Weiss; The Cultivation of Special Features in Museums, by Rev. 

 H. H. Higgins ; The Colouring of Museum Cases, by E. R. Waite ; Museum 

 Notes, by J. W. Carr ; Dust in Museum Cases, by T. P. Teale ; Arrangement of 

 Rock Collections in Museums, by H. M. Platnauer ; several articles relating to Art 

 Collections, and, more important to the specialist, a " Catalogue of Types and 

 Figured Specimens in the Manchester Museum," by H. Bolton. This last and ex- 

 ceedingly useful list is an outcome of the suggestions of a Committee formed at the 

 British Association meeting of 1889, and adds another to the lists of types contained 

 in the Bristol, Bath, Brighton, Cambridge, and other centres already published. 

 But why did Mr. Bolton put in Cyclus scotti, H. Woodw., and Myriolepis hibernica, 

 Traquair, as new species ? In the first place, new species ought not to be described 

 in a publication of this kind, and in the second place they have both appeared 

 before this report was published {i.e., distributed to subscribers), though the unwary 

 are not given this information. 



