LYCEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.
There was an unusually large attendance of members at the meeting of the Lyceum of Natural History, on Monday evening, the 6th inst., to listen to an address by Professor B. Waterhouse Hawkins, on the progress of the work of the restoration of the forms of extinct animals in the Central Park. Mr. Hawkins gave an account of the difficulties he encountered at the outset, in finding any skeletons of animals in New York, with which to make comparisons, and he was finally compelled to go to Boston and Philadelphia for this purpose. After much study and many delays, the casts of the Hadrosaurus were completed, and numerous smaller skeletons prepared. At this stage of the proceedings an entire change in the administration of the Park took place, and the newly appointed Commissioners decided to suspend the work upon the Palæozoic Museum, and they dismissed Mr. Hawkins from their service.
The announcement that an end had thus been summarily put to one of the most important educational projects ever started in this country, was received by the Lyceum with profound surprise. For a few minutes after the close of Mr. Hawkins' report, no one felt disposed to make any comment, but as the truth of the great damage became apparent, there was considerable disposition manifested to have the Society give expression to its sense of the value of Mr. Hawkins' services in the cause of education, and their regret that so important a work should be suspended at this critical period. Remarks were made by Dr. Newbery, Professor Joy, Mr. Andrew H. Green, Professor Seely, Dr. Walz, Mr. Squier, and others, and the following resolutions E. G. were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the Lyceum of Natural History, in the city of New York, has learned with deep regret of the temporary suspension of the work of restoration of the forms of extinct animals, as hitherto prosecuted in the Central Park, under the able superintendence of Professor Waterhouse Hawkins.
Resolved, That the Society considers the proposed palæozoic museum not only a valuable acquisition to the scientific treasures and resources of the city, but also as a most important adjunct and complement to our great system of public education.
WARMING AND VENTILATION OF RAILROAD CARS.
There has been enough of denunciation against the present general method of warming and ventilating railway cars. It produces no effect on the corporations who could, if they would, adopt appliances that would not burn people to death in cases of accident, nor regularly and persistently poison them with bad air.