156 NATURAL SCIENCE. april. 



Paris may well be claimed as the birth-place of palaeontology, and we sympathise 

 with the present eminent professor at the Jardin des Plantes, M. Albert Gaudry, when 

 he pleads for the due recognition of this branch of science in the Paris Museum of 

 Natural History. As the Professor remarks in the Revue Scientifique of February 20, the 

 building at the Jardin des Plantes forty years ago was the finest museum of Natural 

 History in the world ; whereas to-day, except in the new galleries for Zoology, it is far 

 behind most national institutions of this character. The palaeontological collections are 

 arranged for the most part in a temporary shed and in small rooms, with incon- 

 venient cases. In many departments the series of specimens is unique, and it would 

 be more than a national calamity if, by any accident, under existing circumstances, 

 they should be damaged or destroyed. M. Gaudry institutes a comparison between 

 the liberality of the British Government and that of the French Government in pro- 

 viding for the custody of its Natural History Museum, and we hope his claim for 

 further support from the French Treasury will meet with the attention it deserves. 



The Manchester Museum, Owens College, is issuing a series of small handbooks. 

 The "General Guide," by Mr. W. E. Hoyle, is based on the plan of the British 

 Museum Guide Books, well illustrated, and published at the low price of twopence. 

 It will suffice admirably for ordinary visitors, and is in nearly all respects well up 

 to date. We would only point out that the "giant Ant-eater" (Macrotheriuni) of 

 the " Mid-Meiocene " age was several years ago proved to be a myth, and it is thus 

 misleading to reproduce Dawkins' outline restoration of the animal. Professor 

 Marshall's "Outline Classification of the Animal Kingdom," price one penny, is 

 much less entertaining, being a mere list of names of groups, intended as an index 

 for students. The same Professor's " Descriptive Catalogue of the Embryological 

 Models," price one shilling, is a most valuable little handbook, and deserves to find 

 a place in the library of every zoologist who wants a concise epitome of the stages 

 in the development of some of the leading types of animal life. We presume it 

 contains something of the essence of Professor Marshall's forthcoming Manual of 

 Embryology. 



The usual series of Museum Lectures at the Owens College, Manchester, is in 

 progress this session. In addition to the short courses by the Professors of Zoology, 

 Botany, Geology, and Mineralogy, three free holiday lectures are undertaken by 

 Mr. W. E. Hoyle, Keeper of the Museum. On the morning of December 26th, Mr. 

 Hoyle addressed a large audience, chiefly children, on " Unnatural History." The 

 subjects announced for Easter Monday and Whit Monday respectively are " Strange 

 Fishes " and " Elephants (ancient and modern)." 



The annual meeting of subscribers to the Dorset County Museum was held on 

 January 20th last, when the chairman of the Council, Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell, 

 F.L.S., contributed a short summary of progress. One of the latest additions to 

 the museum is a case illustrating, both with specimens and photographs, Mr. 

 Mansel-Pleydell's discovery of the Pliocene elephant (Elephas meridionalis) at 

 Dewlish, Dorset. 



An important extension of the Leicester Town Museum has just been completed, 

 and the collections are now being re-arranged in accordance with modern methods. 

 A convenient laboratory and workshop has been provided for the Curator and his 

 assistants beneath a new room specially built for the Leicester Literary and 

 Philosophical Society. 



At the meeting of the Liverpool City Council on March 2, the retirement of Mr. 

 T. J. Moore, A. L.S., from the curatorship of the Free Public Museum was announced. 

 Mr. Moore's term of service extends over nearly forty years, and his many friends 

 will regret to learn that failing health prevents his continuing an active interest in 



