Personal and Scientijic jSTews. l31 
Mr. F. W. Denton, formerly professor of mining and civil en- 
gineering in the Michigan Mining School, and at present min- 
ing engineer for the Minnesota Iron Company, will thi.s fall as- 
■sume the duties of associate professor of mining and metallurgy, 
Johns Hopkins University. At the annual commencement 
an oil portrait of the late Professor George Huntington Wil- 
liams was presented to the university by Professor Wm. B, 
Clark on behalf of the former students and colleagues of Pro- 
fessor Williams. President Oilman announced that the 
widow of Professor Williams had given a sum sufficient to es- 
tablish a lectureship in geology in commemoration of her hus- 
band. The trustees of the vmiversity have invited as the first 
lecturer Sir Archibald Geikie, director of the Geological Sur- 
vey of Great Britain and Ireland. Messrs. G. K. Gilbert and 
Bailey Willis, of the U. S. Geological Survey, who have given 
special courses of lectures in geology the past year, will give 
similar courses the coming year. Dr. E. B. Mathews, in- 
structor in mineralogy, has been promoted to be associate in 
mineralogy. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy was con- 
ferred upon the following gentlemen who have been pursuing 
geological studies : Rupus Mather Bagg, of West Springfield, 
Mass. ; Samuel Walker Beyer, of Ames, Iowa ; Henry vStewart 
Gane, of Chicago, 111. Mr. Bagg's thesis was entitled, " The 
Cretaceous Foraminifera of New Jersey ;" he is assisting Prof. 
W. B. Clark in his work on the Eocene of the Atlantic Coastal 
plain. Mr. Beyer's thesis was entitled, " The Sioux Quartzite 
near Sioux Falls in South Dakota, with especial reference to an 
Intrusive Diabase;" he becomes assistant professor of geology 
and zoology in the Iowa Agricultural College, and is also con- 
nected with the Iowa Geological Survey. Mr. Gane's thesis 
was on " The Neocene Corals of the United States ;" he becomes 
an assistant on the U. S. Geological Survey and this summer 
will work under Dr. Whitman Cross in Colorado. 
The Geological Society of America announces a week's 
excursion through the crystalline area of western Massachu- 
setts. This will be under the direction of Professors B. K. Em- 
erson and Wm. H. Hobbs. Geologists desiring to join this ex- 
cursion will meet on Monday evening, Augi-.st 19th, at the 
American House in Pittsfield, Mass. The i)arty will reach 
Springfieldearly Tuesday morning, August 27th, in time for the 
opening session of the Geological Society. It is particularly 
desired that all persons who wish to join in this excursion 
should communicate in advance with Prof. B. K. Emerson. 
Amherst, Mass. The following geological excursions are pro- 
posed for the week of the meetings : 
( 1 ) Russell and Chester on the Boston & Albimy R. R. The 
kaolin quarries at Blandford, the Atwater ir;irbl;> quarry at 
Westfield, and the enieiy mines at Chester will bi' visited on 
