468 NATURAL SCIENCE. Dec. 



Science at Oxford University will lose a friend in Professor Sir Henry W. Acland, 

 who has stated that he will resign the Regius Professorship of Medicine at the close 

 of the year. He has fought the cause of Science for many years at Oxford in the 

 teeth of much opposition, and has carefully promoted and watched over the develop- 

 ment of museums and educational matters in the University. But no doubt his 

 withdrawal from the cares of office will not altogether deprive his colleagues of his 

 valuable aid. 



Cambridge University benefits under the will of the late Mr. Samuel Sandars 

 to the extent of ;^2,ooo. The money is left for the endowment of a reader in 

 Bibliography. 



In our third volume (p. 451) we published an account of the proposed Sedgwick 

 Memorial Museum at Cambridge, by Mr. H. Woods. We regret to learn from 

 the Cambridge University Reporter that " even on the lowest tender, the cost of the 

 building would exceed by ^'4,500 the estimate which was before the Senate when 

 the Grace approving the plan was passed." Since it is considered that the University 

 cannot afford so large a sum, the Syndicate appointed to report on the matter have 

 recommended that the plan be reconsidered, and if necessary a new one substituted 

 for it. 



Among the examiners for the Natural Science Tripos at Cambridge will be 

 found Professor Lewis and H. A. Miers for Mineralogy ; Philip Lake and Professor 

 Cole for Geology ; W. Bateson and Professor Hickson for Zoology ; Professor 

 Oliver and W. Gardiner for Botany, while for Human Anatomy Professor 

 Macalister and Dr. RoUeston, and for Physiology W. B. Hardy and Professor 

 Schafer have been appointed. 



From the Report of the Director of the Science and Art Museum, Dublin, we 

 learn that the electric light will be extended to the Natural History Museum and 

 various other buildings during the current year. We wish the same could be said 

 of our London institution. One of the most valuable additions made to the collec- 

 tions last year was the collection of British Marine and Land Mollusca formed by 

 Edward Waller. This collection contains a large number of the rarities belonging 

 to Gwyn Jeffreys, whose own collection was unfortunately allowed to go to 

 America. A small timber museum is being prepared, and arrangements are being 

 made for the exhibition of illustrative sets of Irish plants from various localities. 

 The Botanical laboratory is now in good going order, and original investigations on 

 Ii-ish Marine Algae are in course of progress by Miss Hensman. The attendance of the 

 public at the Museum is in excess of previous years, and the daily average was 

 1,000. With regard to Sunday attendance the average for the Museum was 979, and 

 that for the Botanic Gardens 5,386. This is most encouraging. The Director 

 insists on the importance of keeping up the library, the grants being insufficient for 

 the purpose of the purchase of books necessary for the determination of the 

 specimens. This is a want also keenly felt in our London institutions. 



We regret that the Raffles Museum at Singapore is still without a curator. It 

 will be remembered that about a year ago. Dr. Haviland, who had come from the 

 Sarawak Museum in Borneo, and who had done much to improve the condition of 

 the Raffles Museum and to save money to its Committee, was compelled to resign 

 on account of the insufficiency of his salary, only 200 dollars {£20 i6s.) a month, 

 which the Government refused to increase. This valuable museum has since then 

 been, in the charge of a clerk, at 150 dollars a month, nor is there any immediate 

 prospect of a more competent individual being appointed. We regret the financial 

 position of the Colony, but hope that it will not be thought necessary to extend 

 this penny-wise policy to other of its scientific appointments. 



