1893. NEWS*OF -ONIVERSITMES, ETC. B17 
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 1 : 25,000. 
AccorpING to the Botanical Gazette, Professor Bolly, of the State University at 
Fargo, will exhibit 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, hassomewhat 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. 
Joy palienealli SERS 5) section D>) Biology, thegkey. Canon Dristramy huk.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 18th 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 acontingency, 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 survey of the gold and other mineral areas.”’ 
THE Report of the Meeting of the British Association, held in 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:—r12th on the ‘Earthquake and 
Volcanic Phenomena of Japan’’; roth on the ‘t Rate of Increase of Underground 
Temperature downwards in various localities of Dry Land and under Water”; 
18th 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 
