19 
REPORT ON THE INSTRUCTION IN GEOLOGY, PALZ- 
ONTOLOGY, AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
By Proressors N. S. SHALER and W. M. Davis. 
DuRineé the past year this instruction was given by sections, 
field and laboratory teaching as follows, viz. : — 
1. An elementary course in Descriptive Geology, consisting of sixty 
lectures and fifteen days of field work on the geology of Eastern Massa- 
chusetts. Students in this course were also required to pass an examination 
on the more important parts of Dana’s Manual of Geology. Those who 
desired to pursue the higher courses in Geology mentioned below were 
required to take a course on Determinative Mineralogy, given by Mr. 
O. W. Huntington, Instructor, in the mineral cabinet. The total number 
of students in this course was one hundred and sixty-five. 
2. A course in Advanced Geology, designed to give an acquaintance 
with the history of the science, with criticisms upon its methods of in- 
quiry ; together with some practical knowledge of the methods of field 
work. In addition to the sixty lectures, the students were required to 
become familiar with Lyell’s Principles of Geology, and also to pursue, 
under the immediate direction of Prof. W. M. Davis, a systematic course 
in field work. ‘This course was attended by twenty-five students. 
3. A course in advanced field work, in which the students are required 
to study a selected geological field, and to prepare a report on the same, 
with a geological map and sections. This course was attended by four 
students. 
4. A course in Palzontology, open only to those who have taken the 
elementary course in Zodlogy as well as the two courses in Geology 
named above. Sixty lectures were given in this course, and the students 
were required to become familiar with the synoptic collection of the 
Museum, as well as with the small systematic collection of the teachers’ 
cabinet. In addition to my own Lectures on this subject, a short course 
on Fossil Plants was given by my Assistant, Mr. R. T. Jackson. This 
course was attended by seventeen students. 
