eral specimens, as well as the various geological specimens, are mounted in strong cloth-lined card-board trays, with bevelled front, also constructed after the patterns of the United States Museum. These trays were made in Mobile, are of equal excellence as the specimens from the Smithsonian, and cost much less than the Smithsonian authorities paid for their trays or than they could be reproduced for at the North. "Second. An octagonal case, in centre of the corner room, holds a collection of the iron ores, coals, clays, marbles, and building stones, gold ores, manganese ores, and other mineral products of the State. "Third. Three upright show-cases, containing a full and typical collection of the Alabama tertiary shells, about seven hundred specimens. This collection is probably the most complete of its kind in existence, and embraces many new forms not to be found in any other museum. "Fourth. A collection of Indian relics from various parts of the State, including many handsomely decorated vases, engraved or etched stone discs, etc., obtained from the well-known locality at Carthage, in Alabama, and presented to the University by E. N. C. Snow and Prof. Eugene A. Smith. Besides these articles there are also many specimens of pottery, stone axes, celts, spear points, beads, etc., presented by friends. of the University. A large steatite bowl, dredged from the Tombigbee River by Major Abbott, and presented by him, is worthy of special mention. It has been copied in plaster by the Smithsonian Institution. "Fifth. A collection of the beautiful fossil fish from Wyoming, and of the fossil bird tracks from the Connecticut Valley. These are in a case with drawers. "Sixth. A collection of the fresh water mollusks of Alabama, made principally by Dr. Eugene A. Smith and named by Dr. Lewis, of New York. This collection is supplemented by a number of specimens presented by Mr. T. H. Aldrich, of Blocton, to whom the University is also indebted for a fine collection of the tertiary shells from Caloosahatchie River, in Florida. "In the second room there are two drawer cases, with sloping-top show-cases, containing duplicates of the tertiary shells and of the Alabama coal plants. "Adjoining the museum rooms is a large room for the geological lecture and recitation room, furnished with wall cases on three sides. These cases hold the collections used for teaching and practice; in all about two thousand specimens. "Still another room, adjoining the recitation room, is used as a preliminary store-room for the collections made from year to year by the geological survey, and is now filled with specimens which more than outnumber those displayed in the cabinets above described. As yet most of this material is unclassified, and from want of space remains in the boxes in which it was originally sent. "In addition to the geological and other collections above described, the cabinet possesses a very complete herbarium, containing dried specimens of nearly all the phenogamous plants and mosses growing with out cultivation in Alabama. These plants were collected by Dr. Charles Mohr and Dr. Eugene A. Smith during many years of field work. The two collections were united and have been carefully worked over, properly poised, and mounted by Dr. Mohr, and the combined collection forms by far the most complete herbarium of Alabama plants in exist ence. A preliminary list of the plants in this collection was published some years ago, but since that time the number of specimens has been nearly doubled. A new list is in course of preparation and will be published as soon as finished. A valuable collection, consisting of dried mosses, liverworts, fungi, and lichens, was presented some years ago to the University cabinet by Judge T. M. Peters of Moulton, Ala., and supplements the herbarium above mentioned, since it contains most of the classes of plants not included in the other. "The collection has also been recently enriched by a donation from Dr. E. R. Showalter, of Point Clear, Ala. This donation contains duplicates of Dr. Showalter's fine and well known collection of tertiary shells. "A handsome collection of Arizona copper ores, including malachites, cuprites, and azurites, was presented to the cabinet last year by Mr. J. L. White." THE CHEMICAL LABORATORY. This building, recently erected, is so designed as to permit additions hereafter, should occasion arise, without marring the architectural design. In accordance with a resolution of the board of trustees the name of Tuomey Hall has been given to it, in recognition of the distinguished services of Professor Tuomey. As at present arranged it consists of a two-story part forty by seventy feet, and a one-story part thirty by seventy feet. In the two-story part are, upon the lower floor, a workroom and balance-room and office for the geological survey, a room for assaying, a room for the assistant in chemistry and for advanced students, and a store-room for apparatus to be supplied to students. Upon the second floor are the lecture-room, the preparation room and private laboratory of the professor, a store-room and dark-room for photographic work, and a room for balances and library. The onestory part is intended as a general laboratory for the students, and has one large room, twenty-seven by sixty-eight feet inside, and a smaller room for balances. The general laboratory is provided with ten work tables, intended to accommodate each four students, and, in front of the windows, with places for twelve more. Between the windows are twelve draught closets, connected with flues for carrying off disagreeable or poisonous gases. The work tables are of modern design, and are made after the plan of the tables in the new laboratory of Professor Hofmann, in Berlin. At each end of the students' laboratory are the boilers for heating, supplying distilled water, etc. A large flue and openings in the ceiling provide for the general ventilation of this room. This and the other rooms are supplied with burning gas and |