1881.] 
188 
[Annual Reports. 
Birds. 
Mr. William Brewster lias revised the New England collection 
of birds and attended to the numbering and purchasing of two 
lots of specimens, and donated several to the Society, which will 
be more fully reported on when this work is farther advanced. 
Donations have been received from Messrs. Barnard, Ober, Swift 
and Prof. C. O. Whitman. 
Prof. Whitman’s collection lately donated to the Society con- 
tains 158 specimens, about half of which have been selected for 
the New England collection. Unfortunately the catalogue has 
not been sent to us, but the Custodian has written to Mr. Whit- 
man, now in Japan, and hopes to secure this and settle the locali- 
ties. The indentified portion of the General and New England 
collection, has been labelled with printed labels. About one- 
seventh of the New England collection is not yet worked over. 
Teachers’ School of Science. 
After lying fallow for a year this department has once more 
come into active operation. 
Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw and Mrs. Augustus Hemenway have 
shown their sympathy for our efforts in behalf of education by 
most generously assuming the whole expense of the lessons given 
this year. 
The first intimation I received of their intention was given last 
August through Miss Lucretia Crocker, Supervisor of Natural 
History in the Public Schools. Immediate measures were taken 
to carry out a plan arranged several years ago, and for which we 
have been endeavoring to prepare an audience among the teach- 
ers. This idea consisted in giving a series of lessons which would 
be a good preparation for a course in Physiography. In 
accordance with this plan Professor Cross was engaged and 
gave eight lectures on Physics. The Custodian followed with 
eight on the Physical Relations of Animals to the Earth, and 
Professor Goodale then gave four (all that he could afford the 
time to give) treating of plants in the same way. Mr. W. O. 
Crosby is now concluding the course with four lectures on the 
Relations of Geological Agencies to Physiography. 
