The instruction is given by lectures, fully illustrated, and the students are advised to pursue the subjects in standard works suited for general instruction. It is believed that by the attention given to these important laws of life and health, the student may save himself from many painful and dangerous diseases, or, in case of sickness in himself or others, may assist nature in her attempts for his recovery.

The lectures on Zoology, also thirty in number, are given in the first half of the third year, based on the previous knowledge of human physiology, and are intended to present such a view of the principles of animal life as every educated person should have, and to serve as a basis for the subsequent lectures on Palæontology which is of such importance to the geologist and mining engineer and the student of natural science. Of course, in thirty lectures such a vast field can be only partially covered, and no attempt therefore is made to do more than to give the elements of the science, such as will display the distinguishing characters of the great classes and their principal sub-divisions, - show the gradual progress in time and development from the simplest protozoon to the highest mammal- and to indicate, as far as may be, the plan of creation, which is equally significant whether we regard it from the Darwinian or the Cuvierian point of view. The lectures are fully illustrated by diagrams belonging to the Rogers collection, and by specimens from the Boston Society of Natural History.

SAMUEL KNEELAND, Professor of Zoology and Physiology.

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REPORT UPON THE INSTRUCTION IN PHYSICAL GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY.

President Runkle:

DEAR SIR: As no report upon the instruction in this department has been presented before, it may be well, at this time, to briefly notice it from its beginning.

The work began four years ago, with a single course of instruction in Physical Geography and Physical Geology, given to the students of the second year. The plan adopted of teaching in the same course those portions of geographical and geological knowledge, which by nature are inseparably associated, has been the foundation of all the good results thus far obtained. Each examination of the class has furnished additional proof that the students acquire greater accuracy and more completeness in geographical knowledge, by considering the surface features of the earth as the outward expressions which the geological structures beneath them have received through the agencies of geological change. This association of these subjects is one which advancing science is daily rendering more indispensable in any well organized course of instruction in this department, and it is, therefore, one which the Institute should carefully perpetuate.

Although the first results of the instructions given were better than I had anticipated, yet the rearrangement of the different courses of study at the Institute and the introduction of

Political and Industrial Geography as a fourth year study, have made the present results far more satisfactory.

The classes in Physical Geography are so large, that it becomes almost necessary to give a large portion of the instruction by lectures. The students are required to take brief notes in the class and to carefully write them out in full at their rooms. Most of their note books have shown a logical arrangement of topics, a correctness in definition, a clearness in description and explanation, and a fullness of statement, which have been creditable to the students. The course has been so arranged as to give a general knowledge of the subject, rather than a minute one of its details, that it may be adapted to the students of the different courses, and that it may serve as a general introduction to the more specific branches of science.

The class in Political and Industrial Geography, being much smaller and composed of students of the fourth year, a somewhat different method in the instruction can be pursued to advantage. While lectures are given upon such topics as can be better presented by them than by other means now at our service, topics are also assigned, either to the class or to individual members, upon which they recite, giving such information as they may have obtained from authorized sources; and personal observations are sought as much as possible.

This course is designed to teach the association of the earth's productions with certain geographical features, geological structures and climatic conditions. The influences which these productions, together with the physical forces acting in the inhabited portions of the earth, exert in determining or modifying the characteristics of races, nations, habitations, modes of life, industries and civilizations of men, are made subjects of special consideration in this course.

The progress attained in each of these courses has been limited to the more careful arrangement and better presentation of the topics, and to the increasing interest which the students have shown in the work.

To make this department what it should be, room and apparatus are indispensable. The subjects taught are of such a nature that good representations are required for the proper presentation of them. Thus far, however, the illustrations have been those furnished by the instructor, there being no available room for the keeping of such materials. I hope the day may be hastened, when a proper room can be appropriated by this department, where the best maps of various kinds, charts, models and other illustrations, may be safely kept and used for this instruction. Until that time, the progress, if there be any, must be very slow, for the difficulties which now arise are more than the instructor can overcome. May we not even anticipate the day, when we shall have a geographical room so well appointed that it shall be to the geographer, what a museum of natural history is to the naturalist, a repository of such valuable materials and a centre of such instructions, as shall lead the more advanced student and the specialist to seek the opportunities offered. Respectfully submitted,

W. H. NILES,

Professor of Physical Geology and Geography.

THE COURSE IN PALEONTOLOGY.

To the President:

The section of Palæontology and special Zoology has now a Laboratory which has been fitted up in the basement of the Museum of the Boston Society of Natural History. This room is commodious and is comfortably furnished with cases for the storage of an educational collection. The present collections of Palæontology available for class purposes are considerable and quite efficient, though by no means complete. Considerable additions however, are made every year by the Assistant, Mr. Crosby, as he works over and picks out the duplicates of the collections, which are being prepared for exhibition in the Museum of the Society. There are many forms absolutely indispensable to the system of instruction, which can only be attained by direct purchase and these should be obtained without too great delay. The system of instruction consists in completely illustrating all the more important points of any one lecture, either with specimens or with diagrams, or with both, if essential. Specimens are placed in the hands of the students during the lecture, and they are obliged to make sketches which shall show that they have seen the characteristics described from the rostrum. One would suppose that a very small amount of ground would be gone over in each lecture, and that the compensation for this would be found in the thoroughness with which the main points of the lecture could be comprehended. Such was my own impression until I found to my great surprise,