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140 the memory, but it did not exercise the capacity for observation and reasoning upon observation, which was the special value of scientific teaching. . . . A daughter of the late Robert Chambers, some years ago, took much interest in introducing the teaching of animal physiology into primary schools, and she used to go into one of the schools in the Cowgate, Edinburgh, twice a week, and give lessons in it, and no doubt her teaching was of the most attractive kind; at any rate, the children were so much interested in it that some of the clerical managers of the school were annoyed that the children cared so much more for this subject than for their ordinary lessons. No doubt there was a great deal of teaching about the dimensions of the tabernacle, and the number of fringes on the high-priest's garments, and so on, which the children did not appreciate so much as the animal physiology, and the result was that Miss Chambers was asked to discontinue; but the children held a meeting, and passed resolutions that they would not come to school at all if she were not allowed to go on; and, as she described, the clergy came and requested her to continue her teaching. This was a good illustration of the fact, which all who attended to the subject knew, that science well taught was apprehended by children in a remarkable degree. A very young child apprehended what was put before it intelligently; and, in an older child, reasoning went on concurrently with observation." Dr. Armstrong, who also joined in the discussion, remarked that "schoolmasters might say to men of science: 'You are no doubt right in the main in urging us to teach science, but you have not yet put before us a proper method of teaching science; it is not yet sufficiently developed; there are too few teachers.' And when a schoolmaster asked what book you would recommend him for teaching any particular science, they were compelled to confess that they could not honestly recommend any, for most text-books were tainted, more or less, with the vice which had been alluded to—that they tended rather to teach bare facts than to develop the intellectual faculties. What was wanted was more co-operation on the part of those who understood the subject, not a few people here and there introducing systems of their own. They also wanted instruction as to the meaning of science; the public generally did not know what science meant; and had no idea that the intention was to teach boys and girls to use their eyes and their minds."

A Crab-Shell Barometer.—The southernmost province of Chili comprises the Chiloe Islands, on which a remnant of the Araucanian Indians still exists, in a population of whites, Indians, and mixed. There is so much moist and wet weather on these islands that the prognostications are mainly directed to tell the fair weather. The natives use a curious instrument for this purpose, known as the "Barometro Araucano" It is the exuviated or cast-off shell of an Anomuran crab, probably of the genus Lithodes. This dead shell is peculiarly sensitive to atmospheric change. In dry weather it remains nearly white, but with the approach of moisture small red spots appear on the shell, increasing in number and size with the increase of humidity, until the rain comes, when the shell becomes all red, and retains this color throughout the wet season.

The Swiss Society of Natural Sciences.—The Swiss Society of Natural Sciences held its sixty-sixth annual reunion at Zurich in August, and was attended by men from many countries. The meeting was opened by M. Cramer, Professor of Botany in the University of Zurich, with an address, in which, besides reviewing the progress of the natural sciences, he laid particular stress upon the study of the minute organisms which have recently been brought into prominence. Professor Meyer traced the progress of chemistry under the influence of the ideas of Mendelejeff and L. Mayer, and showed how a classification had become possible of all simple solids under five distinctly separated families. The likenesses on which the classification is based are so strong that the discovery of gallium was foreseen; its density and atomic weight were determined three years before the element was actually separated by the French chemist M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Professor Meyer concluded his address by showing how science is indebted to men who think, who found theories on experiments, and then verify the truth of their hypotheses by renewed investigations. Professor