i893. NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 317 



A PRELIMINARY circular announces the organisation of a botanical survey of 

 Nebraska, to be conducted by the Botanical Seminar of the State University at the 

 expense of the members. Systematic botany evidently holds a far higher position 

 across the Atlantic than in our English Universities. 



Professor Hermann Credner, of Leipzig, has issued a pamphlet, in English, 

 explaining the methods and rate of progress in the Geological Survey of Saxony, of 

 which he is Director. We observe that the greater part of the maps are already 

 published, and that two or three years hence we shall see the completion of the 

 Survey on the scale of i : 25,000. 



According to the Botanical Gazette, Professor Bolly, of the State University at 

 Fargo, will e.^hibit at the World's Fair jars containing the tubercle-bearing roots of 

 about forty species of North Dakota leguminous plants. The monumental work 

 by Engler and Prantl (the progress of which, by the way, has somewhat slowed down 

 of late), "Die Natiirlichen Pflanzenfamilien," will be specially displayed by the 

 publisher, W. Engelmann, of Leipzig. 



From the same journal we learn that Beloit College has recently dedicated a new 

 building, known as "Pearson's Hall of Science," in which admirably arranged 

 botanical laboratories find a conspicuous place. 



Professor Burdon Sanderson, F.R.S., has been nominated to preside at the 

 Nottingham meeting of the British Association. The following gentlemen have 

 also been nominated to act as presidents of sections at Nottingham : — Section A, 

 Mathematical and Physical Science, Professor Clifton, F.R.S. ; Section B, Chemistry 

 and Mineralogy, Professor J. Emerson Reynolds, F.R.S. ; Section C, Geology, Mr. 

 J. J. H. Teall, F.R.S. ; Section D, Biology, the Rev. Canon Tristram, F.R.S. ; 

 Section E, Geography, Mr. Henry Seebohm, Sec. R.G.S. ; Section F, Economic 

 Science and Statistics, Professor J. S. Nicholson; Section G, Mechanical Science, 

 Mr. Jeremiah Head ; and Section H, Anthropology, Dr. Robert Munro. 



Indian Engineering for February iSth has some remarks on "The Directorship 

 of the Indian Geological Survey," from which we reprint the following: — "The 

 Geological Survey has a lot of stiff geology before it yet in India which should be 

 cleared off; though, as a matter of fact, the present director has been obliged to keep 

 this geological progress back, in deference to the wishes of the Government to have 

 mineral areas more thoroughly explored, and this doubtless goes against his reputa- 

 tion with his brother Geological Directors in Europe and America" The writer 

 does not at all like the idea of " amalgamating the small scientific departments under 

 a covenanted civilian," and prays, in view of such a contingency, for a special Mining 

 Department. He goes on to say " The Geological Survey has been very judiciously 

 kept away from the latter [gold and other mines] ; though we are not so satisfied 

 about the Department being kept, as appears to be the general policy, from making 

 a proper sui-vey of the gold and other mineral areas." 



TnK Report of the Meeting of the British Association, heXd'm Edinburgh last year, 

 has just been issued. Among the reports of the Committees we notice the follow- 

 ing, which may be of interest to our readers: — -lath on the "Earthquake and 

 Volcanic Phenomena of Japan"; 19th on the " Rate of Increase of Underground 

 Temperature downwards in various localities of Dry Land and under Water " ; 

 i8th on the " Circulation of Underground Waters " ; 20th on " Erratic Blocks " ; 

 3rd of the Committee to arrange for the " Collection, Preservation, and Systematic 

 Registration of Photographs of Geological Interest in the United Kingdom " ; final 



