28 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. [Apr. 



excavations made at this point were quite successful, affording a 

 large amount of material for determining the association of the 

 extinct mammalia of the West and the relation of the recent to 

 this fossil fauna. The expenses of these excavations were borne 

 in part by an ever generous friend of the Museum, Mr. J. M. 

 Barnard, and in part by the assistant himself. Arrangements 

 have been made to continue these excavations during the 

 coming summer. In addition to the materials obtained, much 

 information was gained, which it is hoped will make these 

 excavations even more successful, during the coming summer, 

 than they were during the last. The Museum is especially 

 indebted to Mr. Barnard for the assistance without which these 

 rather costly excavations would not have been undertaken, and 

 to Mr. C. A. McLaughlin, the owner of the ground on which 

 the excavations were carried on, for the privilege of making the 

 researches, and for numerous courtesies, while the work was 

 being done. In addition to this favor Mr. McLaughlin has 

 generously given to the Museum a number of valuable fragments 

 of a mastodon and a mammoth skeleton, now on exhibition in 

 the rooms of the Museum. A full report of the results obtained 

 from these researches, will be published in a forthcoming 

 number of the Bulletin of the Museum. 



The course of lectures and the systematic instruction in Zool- 

 ogy and Palaeontology, begun during the past year, has been 

 continued through both terms of the present year. This teach- 

 ing has afforded to those who were desirous of obtaining special 

 training in tliese sciences an opportunity of pursuing their 

 studies with the necessary guidance and an abundant supply of 

 the requisite materials. The plan of the course covers two 

 collegiate years, with four hours instruction per week. In ad- 

 dition to this specified instruction, those who were pursuing this 

 course have been allowed to spend their spare time in the Mu- 

 seum and have received such attention as their studies might 

 require. The attendance on these courses of instruction, although 

 never large, has been such as indicated that they supplied a want 

 in the University. Since their organization forty persons have 

 pursued a more or less extensive system of studies in the Mu- 

 seum, taking these lectures and practical exercises as the basis 

 of their work. This does not include a number who have at- 

 tended the lectures but have taken no part in the practical in- 



