476 NATURAL SCIENCE. June. 



At a meeting held at the House of Commons on May ii, the Committee who 

 have prepared a draft charter for a Welsh University explained their views to the 

 Members for Wales. It is proposed that residence in the new University shall be 

 essential for graduation, but it is hoped that a large number of valuable scholarships 

 will be available for competition. 



The sum of /3,50o has been voted by the University for the improvement of 

 the Oxford Botanic Gardens. The glass houses, according to Professor Vines, are 

 in a very bad state of repair, besides being inadequate and old-fashioned. When 

 the gardens were leased from Magdalen in 1876, it was stipulated the University 

 should execute repairs at the cost of /s.sSo, but of this sum only ^2,000 have 

 hitherto been expended. The present vote is, therefore, a somewhat tardy fulfil- 

 ment of the obligation. 



A NEW American Marine Biological Laboratory, under the direction of Pro- 

 fessors C. L. Edivards and A. J. Smith, is being founded at Galveston by the 

 University of Texas. We have also received a circular from Messrs. Sinel and 

 Hornell, of Jersey, announcing the establishment of a Biological Station in con- 

 nection with their business in the Channel Islands. 



The Yale University, New Haven, U.S.A., is publishing bibliographies of the 

 writings of its Professors. A useful list of the numerous contributions of Professor 

 O. C. Alarsh to Vertebrate Palaeontology (1861-1892) is to hand. 



Research as a part of Technical Education is promoted, we are glad to see, by 

 some of the County Councils. We have just received from Dr. William Somerville 

 a " Report on Manurial Trials in the County of Northumberland," which gives some 

 useful results from a number of experiments on various artificial manures. 



Among recent bequests, it is reported that the Marquis Ricci of Genoa has 

 left a large sum for the foundation of a new scientific institution in his native city. 

 The late Earl of Derby bequeathed ;^2,ooo each to the Royal Society and Royal 

 Institution of London. 



Mr. F. Brady, C.E., has presented to the British Museum portions of the cores 

 of Carboniferous rocks from the Dover boring. Several pieces of shale contain 

 plant-remains sufficiently well preserved for identification, and they are now 

 exhibited in the gallery of fossil plants at South Kensington. 



The Manchester Museum has just added to its series of useful handbooks a 

 " Catalogue of the Types and Figured Specimens in the Geological Department." 

 The Catalogue is reprinted from the Report of the Museums' Association for 1892. 

 We have also received a second edition of Professor Marshall's " Outline Classifica- 

 tion of the Animal Kingdom," which is now supplemented by an " Outline 

 Classification of the Vegetable Kingdom " by Professor Weiss. 



We hear disquieting news from Brighton, where the Corporation is considering 

 proposals for the enlargement of the museum. The Booth collection of birds, which 

 was wisely placed by the founder in a situation as far as possible from the sea air 

 and town smoke, is, we understand, in danger of being removed to the midst of the 

 town, close to the shore. The Natural History collections in the museum, including 

 the unique series of Sussex Cretaceous fossils, are also destined to be very inade- 

 quately provided for, judging from the plans we have had the privilege of inspecting. 

 Surely, if the members of the Corporation committee are inexperienced in such 

 matters and cannot obtain the advice of any resident naturalists, it is their duty to 

 secure the services of an expert. We hope that wiser counsels will prevail. 



