8 



Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



STUDENTS COLLECTIONS. 



Provision should be made for these students, in the way of small 

 but typical sets, not only of hard, but soft, alcoholic specimens suitable 

 for dissection and sectioning. Local material is easily obtained, 

 hence particular attention should be given to salt-water species. 



.Moreover the preparation and publication of check lists and 

 artificial keys to certain of the local fauna and flora would not only 

 assist these young collectors, but be of great value to the teachers 

 of natural science working in this vicinity. 



LECTURE COURSE. 



The Lecture Course this year is the result of the work of the 

 Executive Board acting as a whole. For some unaccountable reason 

 the committee which was elected for the purpose was unable to form- 

 late a report in time for the season, hence the action of the Board. 



However, it has been shown by the large audiences present at 

 the first two lectures, that a shorter course better fulfills the aim of the 

 Society in offering them to the public. These short courses can be 

 made much more choice, at the same expense, than longer ones. 

 Consequently, if this accidental model is followed in the future the 

 committees will have a better opportunity of presenting to Cincinnati 

 audiences some of America's greater scientific lights. 



A programme of this year's course of free scientific lectures is 

 attached to and made a part of this report. 



The Society is to be congratulated upon the signs of increasing 

 interest in its work, as evidenced by the recent increase in membership, 

 the organization of the Lyceum and agitation concerning the 

 organization of a Botanical Section. 



If the closing three months of this year are any criterion, we may 

 well feel confident that the coming twelve months will be the banner 

 year of our history. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Seth Hayes, 



Director of the Museum. 



