SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
Tune collections of the late Professor Cope, which were bequeathed 
to the biological department of the University of Pennsylvania, have 
been turned over to the university. The most valuable of these are 
the books, the library containing many sets of journals, as well as a 
very large collection of monographs, separata, and books of reference. 
Next in order came the collection of skeletons of recent vertebrates, 
the nucleus of which was the collection of fish skeletons made by the 
late Professor Hyrtl, of Vienna, and purchased by Professor Cope 
over twenty years ago. These formed the basis of the work by 
Professor Cope on the classification of fishes. Besides, there were 
very considerable collections of shells and of minerals. The univer- 
sity has also received botanical collections from Biltmore, N. C., and 
from Prof. J. T. Rothrock. 
The Washington Academy of Sciences is now organized, as a result 
of the affiliation of the various scientific organizations in that city. 
The officers for the present year are: president, J. R. Eastman; vice- 
presidents, J. W. Powell, L. O. Howard, H. N. Stokes, W. H. Ashmead, 
A. Graham Bell, Chas. D. Walcott, I. C. Busey, and F. H. Bigelow; 
secretary, G. K. Gilbert; treasurer, B. R. Green; managers, Marcus 
Baker, H. S. Pritchett, Geo. M. Sternberg, F. W. Clarke, C. Hart 
Merriam, Lester F. Ward, Frank Baker, and Carroll D. Wright. 
Professor MacMahon, of Cornell University, has been elected 
general secretary of the American Association for the Advancement 
of Sciences, in place of the late Professor Kellicott. 
The University of Pennsylvania will reopen its summer laboratory 
at Sea Island City, N. J., this summer. Dr. Milton Greenman will 
be in charge. It was established some eight years ago, but has been 
closed for the past five years. 
On June 28-30, there will be conferences of science teachers in 
connection with the Omaha exposition; Prof. Conway Macmillan, of 
the University of Minnesota, will take charge of the botanical con- 
ference; Prof. Henry B. Ward, of the University of Nebraska, ‘of the 
zodlogical conference; and a selection is yet to be made for the 
geological conference. 
