236 NATURAL SCIENCE. March, 



arranged, but full particulars of each and every excursion can be obtained from 

 M. le Prof. E. Renevier, Lausanne, or MM. Ruffieux et Ruchonnet, Agence Suisse 

 <ie Voyages, Lausanne. 



The Oxford University Junior Scientific Club announce that they will hold a 

 conversazione at the University Museum on May 22, and that Professor Macalister 

 of Cambridge will deliver the third " Robert Boyle Lecture " on 4th or 8th May, his 

 subject being " Some Morphological Lessons taught by Human Variations." At 

 the meeting of the Club on February 16, papers were read by Mr. M. S. Pembrey, 

 ■on "Histology of Organs after Extirpation of the Thyroid Gland " ; and Mr. F. Druce, 

 on " Some Characteristics of Cyclonic Storms." 



A LARGE quantity of natural history material, which was exhibited at Chicago, 

 has been purchased on behalf of the city of Philadelphia, and it is proposed to erect 

 a fresh building for its accommodation, instead of incorporating it with collections 

 already in existence. 



The Crystal Palace has fallen from its high estate, and is associated in the 

 minds of most people with no other science than that of pyrotechny. Still, how- 

 ever, it does something for the cause of natural history, and we learn from the 

 report of the directors of the company that /300 pey annum is spent on the natural 

 history department, while /800 goes to the attendants in the Aquarium, and as food 

 for fishes. 



The Haeckel Celebration (Special Account). 



On the i6th of February Ernst Haeckel completed the sixtieth year of his life. 

 On the 17th, the little town of Jena, in whose University Haeckel is Professor of 

 Zoology, was thronged by a great crowd of his friends, pupils and admirers, among 

 whom may be specially mentioned the Hertwigs (Oscar and Richard), Waldeyer, 

 Arnold Lang and Hermann Credner, besides many well known professors of Jena 

 itself. The chief ceremony of the day was the uncovering of the marble bust of 

 the great scientific worker and writer, from the chisel of the eminent sculptor, 

 Professor Kopf, of Rome. At noon the lecture-theatre of the Zoological Institute, 

 in which the greater part of Haeckel's life-work has been carried on, was crammed 

 from floor to ceiling, and Professor R. Hertwig, of Munich, the pupil, friend and 

 colleague of Haeckel, was called upon to unveil the bust. In an admirably-worded 

 speech he alluded to the main facts of Haeckel's life, and especially to his labours 

 in the cause of science and scientific freedom ; of these facts we give a short account 

 below. The unveiling of the striking bust was the signal for a great outburst of 

 applause, and when this had subsided, a deputation from some societies, the 

 Medicinish-Naturwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft of Jena and the Geographische 

 Gesellschaft of Thiiringen, offered to Professor Haeckel their honorary membership. 

 They were followed by a deputation from the students, who expressed in enthusiastic 

 terms their admiration and respect for the Professor of Zoology. Professor ]\Iax 

 Fiirbringer of Jena followed with details concerning the subscription to the bust, 

 informing us that there had been nearly 700 subscribers, who sent their tokens of 

 appreciation from all parts of the world ; he especially alluded to the gratifying fact 

 that many subscriptions had come from France. As a consequence of this, the 

 total amount exceeded the cost of the bust by at least ;^3oo, and this sum he had 

 pleasure in placing in the hands of Professor Haeckel, for him to devote to such 

 purpose as he might think best in the interests of science. 



After the ceremony, and after Professor Haeckel had, not without emotion, 

 acknowledged the honours showered upon him, the elect among the visitors adjourned 

 to a banquet in the Hotel zum Baren, where covers were laid for about 120 of both 

 sexes. The day concluded with that characteristic German institution, a " Commers, " 

 in which almost all the students of Jena seemed to be taking part. Cheers 

 for the Professor, songs and speeches in his honour, mingled with the clinking of 

 glasses, enlivened the old University till a late hour of the night. 



