AuG..i893 NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 155 



The Essex County Council Technical Instruction Committee has issued a 

 prospectus of lectures and classes in Chemistry and Biology. The course of instruc- 

 tion is graduated in an interesting manner, there being first " pioneer lectures" on 

 subjects of every-day life, then short introductory series of a popular character, 

 and subsequently systematic and practical courses. There are also " County 

 Normal Classes " for the instruction of advanced students as teachers. Mr. David 

 Houston is Staff-Instructor of Biology, with Mr. "Wilfred Mark Webb as Demon- 

 strator. Mr. J. T. Cunningham, of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Plymouth, 

 has also arranged to commence lectures in October on the Natural History of 

 marketable sea-fishes and oysters. 



We have received the first part of vol. iii. (new series) of the Journal of the 

 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. In the report of the Director, 

 Mr. Edward G. Bles, reference is made to a change in the regulations by which the 

 shortest term for the renting of a table at the Plymouth Laboratory is reduced from 

 one month to one week. This should induce investigators to take any opportunity 

 which may occur at any time of the year to collect seasonable material, or to study 

 living animals and plants available for the time being. Among the papers there are 

 two important contributions to the fauna of the English Channel, one on Nemertines, 

 by T. H. Riches, and another on Turbellarians, by F. W. Gamble. Mr. J. T. Cun- 

 ningham discusses the " Immature Fish Question," and the colouration of the skin in 

 fiat-fishes. Dr. W. B. Benham gives a beautifully illustrated description of the 

 post-larval stage of Arenicola marina ; and there are two reports of economic interest 

 by E. W. L. Holt and W. L. Calderwood. 



The annual report of the American Museum of Natural History, New York, 

 for 1892, has lately been issued. The opening of the Museum on Sunday afternoons 

 appears to have proved a success ; and the popular lectures, arranged with the aid 

 of the professors of Columbia College, are highly appreciated by the public. 



The Department of Botany of the British Museum has purchased the great 

 collection of Diatoms made by Mr. Julien Deby, estimated to consist of about 30,000 

 slides. Although the Museum previously possessed a magnificent series, including 

 Greville's, William Smith's, Gregory's, O'Meara's, Ralf's collections, etc., there is 

 singularly little duplicate material in the Deby Collection, which was, before acquisi- 

 tion, the only rival of the Museum collection in importance. It has been handed 

 over in excellent order, fully indexed and accessible to students. 



The annual meeting of the Palasontographical Society was held on June 23, when 

 a satisfactory report of progress was presented. Only two non-members of Council, 

 however, attended. The Right Hon. Professor Huxley was elected President in 

 succession to the late Sir Richard Owen. 



The qaestion of the admission of Women as Fellows was decided in the negative 

 by the Royal Geographical Society, at a special general meeting held on July 3. 

 The voting was 172 against, 158 for. The result is disappointing, but is what might 

 have been expected under the circumstances. 



Next year the Geological Society of London publishes the fiftieth volume of 

 its Quarterly Journal. It has been decided to mark the event by preparing an 

 index to the whole series, which will probably be published early in 1895. 



