CHAPTER V. 



THE LABORATORY. 



Every museum should have connected with it a laboratory 

 for practical work. This is especially desirable in connection 

 with College "Museums, as there is but one way in which Zo- 

 ology should be taught : direcdy from the specimens. There 

 are iti the United States some 370 institutions which rejoice 

 in the name of college or university, but not ten per cent, 

 afford'their students the slightest facihties for practical work. 

 It is sincerely to be hoped that the day is not far distant, 

 when this condition of affairs will be changed and specimens 

 will replace the text-book instruction. 



The laboratory should be a commodious, well-lighted room, 

 with, if possible, a northern exposure, and furnished with 

 every convenience for the student. Tables for the students 

 should not be varnished, as in that case any accidental spilling 

 of alcohol will render them sticky and unpleasant. Instead, 

 the tables may be oiled and thus they will not be stained and 

 may be readily washed. Either pine or cherry is a good wood 

 for tables. A convenient size for tables for single students 

 is four feet by three, and two and one-half feet in height. 

 Should it be necessary to place more than one student at a 



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