i6 NATURAL SCIENCE. July. 



Tyrol (Ital.), havhisteU. The reference of several names from the dialects 

 of Corsica and Sardinia to that of the Basques may meet with some 

 opposition. We are glad to read the references to Homer, and to 

 find due recognition of his observations on natural objects. This is 

 not the first of these interesting contributions from Dr. Major's 

 pen, and it is to be hoped that his researches in European Miocene 

 Mammals, on Samos and on Madagascar will yet leave him time to 

 favour us with more of this laborious and interesting philology, the 

 greater part of which is the result of personal investigation in the 

 localities themselves. 



In the June issue of the New Review' the Rev. S. A. Barnett 

 makes some remarks on University Extension Teaching which are of 

 interest as regards Natural Science. The Societies are just now 

 threatened by the demand for popular teaching. Signs are not 

 wanting that the popular lecturer is supplanting the thorough 

 teacher, and while the former fills the largest hall in the neighbour- 

 hood, gives his twelve lectures, gets in fees which cover expenses, 

 and satisfies everybody, the latter, " who handles his subject humbly 

 and would make his students humble " and eager to learn, draws 

 small classes and hardly gets employment. University teaching, 

 says the writer, must dare to be unpopular, sending its teachers not 

 to meet but to create a demand. " One of the best teachers in East 

 London, whose mark remains after ten years, never drew a large 

 class and never was popular ; but he was thorough in his work, a 

 master of his subject, and by his enthusiasm made others enthusiastic." 

 Of course, this means that University teaching must be endowed. 



Another danger is the absence of organisation. " Each society 

 keeps, as it were, a shop, of which its lectures are the stock, and they are 

 labelled with attractive titles. Active local secretaries for country 

 towns or London districts come to the shop to buy, and are often led 

 to the purchase only by appearances." There is thus a want of 

 continuity, and the practice of taking " tit-bits " here and there is far 

 too prevalent. 



A concerted plan of action between the three great Societies and 

 the establishment of definite series of courses stretching over two or 

 three years would avoid the serious waste of time and effort which 

 under existing conditions must sometimes occur. 



In one respect, the second Romanes' lecture at Oxford, like the 

 first, was disappointing. Professor Huxley, like Mr. Gladstone, has 

 a great reputation for the manner and form as well as for the matter 

 of his addresses, and many of the audience of this second lecture, like 

 many of the audience of the first, came expecting a brilliant display 

 of the arts of oratory ; but the Sheldonian theatre is among the worst 



