HYATT: REPORT OF THE CURATOR. 
357 
The work consisted of two hours a day upon each of the three 
subjects and excursions and laboratory exercises. Dredging, collect¬ 
ing, and the use of tow-nets, and even methods of preservation and 
mounting were taught to a limited extent. 
In addition to the regular courses, three evening lectures were 
given. The following were the subjects: Air and life, by AIr. 
Howe ; Plants and their natural surroundings, by Mr. Preston ; 
Scenery of the New England coast, by Mr. Grabau. These lectures 
were open to the public and were well attended. 
The total number of students who registered was 17. 
Woods Hold Excursion. 
A three days’ excursion to Woods Holl was made in June under 
the guidance of Mr. A. W. Grabau. The party consisted of 11 
persons. They left Boston Friday afternoon, June 15, returning 
Monday afternoon, June 18. As on previous excursions of this 
kind, a study of the invertebrate fauna of the region was under¬ 
taken, the lessons being a continuation of those given in this locality 
in previous years. 
Lowell Free Courses. 
A course on structural geology of fifteen lessons of two hours 
each was given by Prof. Geo. H. Barton in the lecture room of the 
Society during the past winter. This was the third series in a four 
years’ course. The instruction was given by means of lectures, illus¬ 
trated by diagrams, charts, and a large number of specimens both for 
class and table use. The stereopticon was also used whenever good 
illustrations of the subject in hand were to be obtained. Examina¬ 
tions as usual were an essential part of the work, one of twenty 
minutes’ length being held at each exercise ; and a final examination 
of three hours was held at the close of the term. The average rank 
in these examinations was high and shows an extreme interest in the 
work when it is recognized that this is carried on in the spare time 
of the teachers who are also heavily burdened with the necessary 
work of the week in school. The average attendance for the term 
was 99.1. 
