1887] Biological Instruction in Universities, 519 
the subject further here. ‘It suffices for the present to say that 
no one of them can be adequately represented by less than two 
instructors; and some of them require, at least, as many as four 
or five. 
It must be evident to all that no approximation to such a 
standard of organization is anywhere to be found ih this country. 
It is a common error to suppose that zoological instruction is liber- 
` ally provided for by one professor and one assistant. You will 
find that this idea, or a worse one, still regulates the policy of 
our leading colleges and universities. The result is that we find 
the professor trying to make a single course of lectures cover 
anatomy, histology, embryology, cytology, physiology, distribu- 
tion, evolution, and in fact everything that can be legitimately 
squeezed in. Allowing that there are circumstances which make 
it appear advisable to spread so exceedingly thin,—and that is 
fully enough to concede,—is it not perfectly evident that, where 
this is the best that can be offered, no claim can be justly made 
to providing for the higher needs of lecture-courses? But what 
shall be said of those institutions which aim to take foremost 
rank among our universities, and yet regard zoology as too nar- 
row a field for one man, requiring the professor to shoulder the 
burden of directing the instruction in zoology and botany, and in 
some cases physiology too? And ought we to let it go un- 
mentioned that some colleges and universities of high respecta- 
bility still abide in the typical Linnean stage of development, 
leaving one man to grapple with the whole system of nature? 
Still greater marvels of persistent ancestral types might be placed 
before you, but certainly they would not improve the picture. 
Our need is a few creditable examples, and to those who know 
what such examples call for we must look for oar ultimate 
attainment. 
~ 
