1893. NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 237 
Mr. GREENE SmitTuH'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, 
Paleontology, 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 Comparative 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 18th 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 Featuresin 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. 
