HYATT: REPORT OF THE CURATOR. 
287 
field lessons on marine zoology was given by Mr. Grabau. The 
attendance averaged twenty persons. The same places were 
visited as those previously named in the account of the spring course, 
but the aim of the excursion was somewhat different. The main 
object was the study of animals in their various habitats. 
During the winter Mr. Grabau gave a course of twelve lectures 
on zoology to a class of twenty teachers in the Society’s lecture 
room on Saturday mornings. A small fee was charged for this 
course. . 
Mr. Grabau informs me that one of the results of this work was 
the formation of the Hale House Natural History Club, 6 Garland 
St. This is a club of teachers and others banded together for the 
purpose of promoting the study of natural history. Field meetings 
are to be held under the guidance of competent persons, classes in 
natural history for children are now being formed, and a large 
number of papers upon elementary subjects have been read and 
discussed at the winter meetings. 
Lowell Free Courses. 
Professor Barton’s spring course of field lessons in geology began 
on April 24 and ended on June 26, 1897. The average attendance 
was 84. The regular number of lessons for this course is ten, but 
at the close by special request of members of the class three addi¬ 
tional lessons were given free of charge, one at Nobscott Hill, a 
second at Clinton, and the third at Marblehead Neck. 
The spring course for 1898 has been begun by Professor Barton 
and will be noticed in detail in my next annual report. 
The autumn course of ten field lessons began on Sept. 11 and 
closed on Nov. 13, 1897. The average attendance was 29. The 
majority of the field lessons were given at points near Boston, 
occupying a half day’s time, but a few excursions were made to 
more distant points, such as Clinton, Fitchburg, and Mt. Holyoke 
during the spring, and Newport, R. I., and the Iloosac Tunnel 
region during the autumn. The work at these more distant points 
had a direct bearing upon the lessons given in the vicinity of 
Boston and at the same time had a wider application to the general 
subjects of the course. 
The winter course of fifteen lessons in historical geology was the 
