University and Educational Intelligence

Abstract

CAMBRIDGE.—The Cambridge Museums are every year the scene of a large increase of work, new departments being continually added, even under the present conditions of impecimiosity. The annual reports recently issued on the condition and progress of all the departments testify to much excellent work. The death of Prof. Miller, who for forty-nine years occupied the Chair of Mineralogy, has brought a valuable bequest to the museum he presided over, in the shape of 300 volumes of books and many specimens and scientific instruments, including his famous goniometer and the physical apparatus, balances, thermometers, and barometers employed by him in his investigations for the restoration of the standards of weight. Prof. Lewis, who has succeeded to the Chair of Mineralogy, ably assisted by Mr. Solly, is cataloguing the museum, and already half the work is accomplished. Valuable specimens besides Prof. Miller's bequest have been added to the museum by purchase as well as by donation, including a small case of minerals belonging to the late Dr. E. D. Clarke, given by the Rev. B. S. Clarke, Boxted, Colchester. Prof. Lord Rayleigh's Apparatus Fund has reached 2025l., including 500l. from himself, which has been spent partly upon instruments required to be multiplied, in consequence of the increased number of students; but the additions during the year also comprise a large electro-magnet with heavy glass and nicol; a 2½inch achromatic telescope; Joule's apparatus for investigating the maximum density of water; telephones and various optical apparatus, including new double refractive apparatus for combining prismatic colours. Many important pieces of apparatus have been made for the Cavendish Laboratory in Prof. Stuart's laboratory. Professors Liveing and Dewar report that with the 200l alloted to them they have purchased several pieces of apparatus permanently useful in a variety of investigations. Prof. Stuart's department (mechanism) has progressed very considerably during the year. The apparatus, machines, tools, and materials in connection with the department have been recently valued at over 1500l., of which only about 250l. is University property, the rest having been provided by the private enterprise of Prof. Stuart. In the Geological Museum, despite the want of suitable workrooms, Mr. Tawney has succeeded in arranging the petrological collection. Mr. Keeping reports the addition of many important fossil specimens both from England and America. Prof. Humphry reports further additions to the rich collection of human skulls under his charge. Mr. J. W. Clark, Superintendent of the Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, calls special attention to the beautiful coloured drawings of animals that cannot be preserved in spirit, or are too small to be seen without a microscope, added by Prof. A. C, Haddon, late Curator in Zoology. His successor, Mr. A. H. Cooke, Fellow of King's College, has commenced the work of determining and cataloguing the Woodward and Hepburn collections of shells. Mr. Clark has added a series of preparations showing the structure of the manatee, from a specimen presented by the Directors of the Brighton Aquarium. The very fine skeleton of the musk-ox brought home by the North German Polar Expedition of 1872 has been purchased. The skeleton of Ceratodus Forsteri, from the specimen presented by Prof. Liversidge, has been prepared in the museum. Many additions have also been made to the reptilian, ornithological, and other series. Dr. Michael Foster notes that his classes for histological work have become so large that a new bench, less convenient as to light, has been added. The numbers attending his courses are between sixty and seventy men and twenty women for the elementary classes, and fifteen men for the advanced classes. He remarks that his students would profit more if not so much harassed by striving to attend too great a number of lectures and courses. Prof. Babington records a large amount of herbarium work, including the naming of Gardners collection of Brazilian plants, numbering 5000 specimens, presented by the professor. He has also obtained, at a very moderate cost, the entire collection of the late M. Gaston Genevier of Nantes, consisting of about 7000 species from France, Spain, Algeria, Asia Minor, &c., and all the typical specimens—over 500 in number—of the Rubi, described m his monograph of the genus Rubus. A proposal has been made by the Cambridge Philosophical Society to make their large and useful scientific library available for scientific students generally, and to allow it to be the nucleus of a much-needed library of science in the new museums, if the University will provide the salary of a librarian for it. It is desired that this library shall be placed in a room vacated by Dr. Michael Foster's classes, and formed by the amalgamation of two old classrooms.