184 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. Vlio'^ 



per cent, of water. These numbers correspond to hydrates nSiO 

 + Aq, in which n lies between 4 and 8. Air-dried silica retains 

 13 to 36 per cent, of water. The latter of these numbers cor-^ 

 responds to SiO + 2aq, and the former to Si02 + Aq. 



— Jou7\ Chem. Soc. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Professor Ward's Natural Science Establishment/ 

 AT Rochester, N. Y. — When Professor Agassiz gave his open-- 

 ing lecture in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge 

 in 1860, he said that American students had been forced to visit 

 Europe if they were desirous of making any extended study in: 

 the natural sciences, but that he intended to reverse this and 

 compel European students to visit America ; and by his judicious 

 purchase of type collections abroad (thanks to the liberality of.^ 

 citizens and our State) he has made his promise good. 



Professor Henry A. Ward of Rochester, New York, formerly, 

 a student of Professor Agassiz, and since Professor of Geology- 

 and Zoology in the Rochester University, has, under humbler- 

 auspices, long been working toward the same end. His large 

 cabinet of geology and mineralogy at Rochester is well known to> 

 many of our readers. He long ago felt the necessity of bringing: 

 before the American student examples of those larger and rarer- 

 fossils known to geological science, ot which only single specimens, 

 existed. 



For this purpose he visited Europe, engaged accomplished 

 workmen and commenced the foundation of a collection of casts,- 

 With untiring patience and sagacity he secured the moulds of 

 nearly everything of importance, at enormous expense, carrying 

 his workmen from one museum to the other, and taking moulds 

 of the choicest specimens, for a period of three years. 



The difficulties encountered in some of his experiences would^ 

 form an interesting chapter. After many difficulties, he managed' 

 to secure moulds of rare Megatherium, Glyptodon, Deinotherium,. 

 Diprotodon, Sivatherium, Colossochelys, Mosasaurus, Plesiosau- 

 rus, and many other unique specimens in European museums... 

 Thorough and methodical in all his work, he felt that this col- 

 lection of casts should be symmetrical and complete, as an educa- 

 tional collection, and so was commenced the famous War(^ 



