72 : THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
NATURAL HISTORY CLASSES AT THE SYDNEY 
TECHNICAL COLLEGE. 
A sHort account of the courses in Zoology and Botany at the 
Technical College, Sydney, is given here in order that any 
young students of Natural History who have felt the need of 
some systematic training in this work may know where such 
instruction is imparted. 
ZOooLoy. 
In the Zoology classes the subject has been approached in 
such a way that students are enabled to refer an organism 
which they may happen to meet to its class, and generally to 
its order; to tell something of its anatomy, its life-history, its 
economics, and its relationship to other animals. The subject 
is dealt with as a whole in preference to specialising a class or 
an order. his is an advantage from the point of view of 
Nature Study. The materials for class study are chiefly 
drawn from the fresh-water ponds and the sea beaches. 
As an introduction to the subject, the Amoeba, regarded as 
one of the lowest and simplest of animals, is studied. Then 
the various classes and orders of unicellular animals (Protozoa) 
are dealt with, the microscope being used in examining examples 
of each. Then follow the description and examination of 
typical animals belonging to the various Phyla, such as 
sponges (Porifera), Polypes, jellyfish and other Coelenterata ; 
flukes and tapeworms (Platodes) ; round worms (Nematodes); 
earth and marine worms (Annulata); examples of Crustacea, 
Insecta and Arachnida (Arthropoda); of Mollusca; and, 
finally, of Vertebrates, e.g., fish, frog. lizard, bird and rabbit. 
_In the practical class, examples of many of the above are 
dissected, whilst others are examined microscopically. The 
students are encouraged to make collections, and are taught 
how to prepare specimens for the microscope, and how to 
preserve larger varieties. Hxcursions are taken at frequent 
intervals to give the students an opportunity of collecting and 
of observing living animals in their normal conditions. In ad- 
dition, his interest in nature is stimulated to a greater degree. 
The economics of the various classes are mentioned. Animal 
parasites receive considerable attention, and, when interesting 
to ordinary nature students, their life histories are given. 
Borany. 
The work of the course in Botany extends over two years. 
In the first year the external morphology of plants is first 
considered, dealing with the structure and various modifica- 
tions presented by the several organs of the plant’s body— 
stem, root, leaves, flowers ; then a short sketch of the structure 
of the tissues, followed by an account of the Physiology of 
Plants—fertilization, formation of the seed, and development 
