766 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST.  [VoL. XXXIII. 
trate the history of meteorites, their constituents, forms, and 
structures. The smaller specimens are mounted on circular, 
ebonized blocks, the larger ones on individual mounts adapted 
to each specimen. 
In the paleontological division the arrangement of the col- 
lections is in order of time, beginning with the earliest and 
extending to the period of man. The fossil plants are placed 
in a series by themselves and occupy the first hall. With them 
are shown such indeterminate forms as Arthrophycus, Cruziana, 
and Bythotrephis. In the next hall, seeming somewhat out of 
order, is a dynamical collection arranged on a classification of 
Professor Heim of Zurich, also large specimens of ripple marks, 
basalt columns, glacial markings, etc. There are also shown 
stratigraphic series arranged in vertical order. In the three 
remaining halls follow, in order, specimens of the faunas of the 
Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic ages, the last, of course, occu- 
pying much the largest relative space. Together with each of 
these are shown series of the typical rocks, chiefly from Austrian 
localities, of the strata of each age. The only feature of instal- 
lation especially noted in the collection of fossils was the method 
employed for mounting incomplete skeletons. Black plaster 
forms having the shape of the body cavity and. containing 
properly shaped depressions for each bone are prepared and 
the bones mounted on them. - In this way the general form of 
the animal is presented to the eye and the bones are easily 
removable. 
The museum is free to the public on Sundays, Thursdays, 
and holidays. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays payment 
is required of 1 krone (about 20 cents). A charge of 20 hel- 
lers (about 4 cents) is made for checking umbrellas, canes, etc. 
Dresden. — The natural history collections are contained in 
the building of the rococo-baroque style of architecture which 
is the home as well of the art gallery so well known to Euro- 
pean tourists. It is not to be expected that a building of this 
type would be well suited to the purposes of a natural history 
museum, and it is pleasing to note that plans for a new struc- 
ture, expressly for the purposes of the natural history museum, 
