ue 4 
450 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
shadow passes over 25°6 kilometres per minute, or 247-5 kilometres in 
9™ 408, From this the height of the atmosphere is calculated to be 340 
kilometres or 211 miles. 
4. Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge—Since our last 
(see pp. 295-299 this vol.) a new and most encouraging aspect has come 
over this important movement. The legislature of Massachusetts, after 
listening to the persuasive eloquence of Agassiz, exhibiting in the most 
catholic and unselfish spirit the claim of the subject upon the public 
purse, has appropriated one hundred thousand dollars for a zoological 
museum, on the condition that as much more should be subscribed, in- 
cluding the legacy of Mr. Francis C. Gray of $50,000, for the same pur- 
pose. The subscription soon amounted to $80,000 besides this legacy, 
or in all, including the bounty of the State, to the magnificent sum of 
$230,000 (t200 hundred and thirty thousand dollars). It is now proposed 
to make up the whole amount to a quarter of a million. 
It will be remembered that the legacy of Mr. Gray is for the expenses 
of the museum exclusive of salaries or buildings. 
_ This bounty of the State is derived from the sales of a large tract of 
land in the city of Boston reclaime the commonwealth from the 
“ Back Bay,” and hence called the “ Back Bay lands.” The whole pro- 
ceeds of this noble domain so far as by partition with the city and the 
contractors they belong to the State (and they are estimated by millions) 
solemnly dedicated to the cause of education—ever held most 
in great-hearted Massachusetts. Were it pertinent to our pages We 
should delight to transfer to them all that relates to this subject, but we 
will content ourselves by giving the act of incorporation for the “ Museum 
of Comparative Zoology, passed April 6, 1859.” 
“An act to incorparate the Trustees of the Museum of Comparative 
Zoology : 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assem 
; bled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 
Section 1. The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the President of the Senate, 
the s Representative retary of the Board o Edu- 
cation, the Chief Justice of the highest Judicial Court, ex oficiis, and Louis Agassiz 
and William Gray, together with Jacob Bigelow, James Walker, George Ticknot, 
Nathaniel Thayer, Samuel Hooper, Samuel G. Ward and James Lawrence, 
a 
‘ Trustees of Com Zoology, with all the powers and priv 
leges set forth in the Forty fourth Chapter of the Revised S ste so far as the 
Same are applica he purpose for which on is estab _— 
hereinafter mentioned, and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. — ol 
Secrion 2 poration may receive, hold, ‘ ca 
perso erty not exceedin, hundred thousand dollars in value, o ‘ne 
used and improved f rection, support and mainten . re 
parative Zoology at ge, in } nwealth; and the sum of pe e 
sand dol etofore contributed in aid of the Museu omparative rey 
by William Gra be a part of the sum required to raised 
len ate subscription for the said Museum, as a condition precedent to the payment 
the ages agg to said T of an part of the avails of the sales of 
ad in Back ve % 
or ngHON 8. The places of Louis Agassiz and William Gray, whenever the same 
‘® concurrent vote of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the 
Perak them become vacant by death, resignation or otherwise, sball be 
