Miscellaneous Intelligence. 293 
9. Cabinet and Observatory at Amherst College, Mass. 1 « hand- 
some building has recently been erected at Amherst, for the purposes 
of natural history and astronomy, and on the 28th of i une = there was 
a gathering of the friends of the institution to celebrate its completion. 
Amherst is indebted for this structure to 6 donations of over forty in- 
dividuals, among whom Hon. Abbot Lawrence stands at the head with | 
a subscription of $1,000, and Samuel. Sahin, Esq., of Townsend, Mass., 
follows next with nearly. the same amount. The cabinet is an octago- 
wing, ending in a tower eighteen feet in pts _ forty- a in 
height to the dome, which is well adapted for astronomical. purpos 
The cabinet consists of two stories; the lower is eure by sotail 
ical specimens, among which the fossil footprints, the collections 
Pres, Hitchcock, are of surpassing interest. ‘There are in all 250 spe- 
cimens, and die: belong to forty-nine different species of animals, in- 
cluding “twenty-three of birds, ten of bipeds and perhaps of the Batra- 
= s or frog family ; twelve certainly quadrupeds ;' two creeping ani- 
three of doubtful character.» Besides these, there are large 
Geasiins of geological specimens. from Europe and England, —_— 
Asia; an extensive suite of. Massachusetts specimens obtain 
the course of the geological surveys of Pres. Hitchcock; rocks id 
minerals from Connecticut, collected by Prof. C. U. Shepard ; from 
faa Slleclad by Prof. C. B. Adams, while in the survey of that 
ee besides collections from other parts of the Union, and the West 
ndi 
In the second story, a single beautiful room with a gallery, is mainly 
occupied by the mineralogical cabinet, deposited by Prof. C. U. Shep- 
ard. The collection is one.of, remarkable completeness and elegance. 
Besides minerals, it embraces a very. large number of meteorites, and 
numerous geological specimens and fossils: The first suggestion that 
led to the erection of the new building, was the offer of Prof. Shepard 
to deposit his cabinet with the College, provided a fire-proof building 
could. be built for its reception ; this cabinet alone is well worthy of the 
fine structure now containing it. ¢ 
ing 400 speci 
10,000 individuals. These collections reqjaire still another building for 
their reception’ They are displayed in the old cabinet room and 
li — 
psi th its wealth, more. is oe fot Sintary ~~ 1 scientific progress 
coal, will Wield about a p of bromine to thirty ga gallons 
Each of the wells produce on an average about 150 gehons of bittern 
Secowp Sznizs, Vol. VI, No. 17.—Sept., 1848. PPceton * 
