type of architecture, - form together a scene of magnificence which needs the brush rather than the pen to even imperfectly reproduce. The cost of the Temple was one million three hundred thousand dollars; and five years were occupied in its erection." Surely the external architecture, and internal finish and furniture, of this wonderful edifice, indicate that the Anti-Masonic excitement of 1828-30 is among the things of

yore.

THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES was founded in 1812, and incorporated in 1817. The old building, nearly opposite

Samson Street, on Broad, thought to be very large when it was erected, some thirty years since, became entirely inadequate to the necessities of the institution. It has the largest collection of natural curiosities in the United States, and has published eight octavo and seven quarto volumes, entitled "Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia; " also twentyfour octavo volumes, entitled "Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia." These volumes contain, on an average, four hundred pages each. The library has about twenty-five thousand volumes. The institution has six

thousand minerals, nine hundred rocks, sixty-five thousand fossils, seventy thousand species of plants, one thousand species of zoöphytes, two thousand species of crustaceans, five thousand species of myriapods and arachnidians, twenty-five thousand species of insects, twenty thousand species of shell-bearing mollusks, two thousand species of fishes, eight hundred species of reptiles, thirty-seven thousand birds, two hundred birds'

nests, and eggs of fifteen hundred species, one thousand mammals, and nine hundred skeletons and pieces of osteology. Most of these species are represented by four or five specimens each. The new building, at the corner of Nineteenth and Race Streets, a representation of which may be seen in the cut, is designed to contain all these, and more than have been described.

THE NEW CITY HALL, occupying the whole of what was once Penn Square, will, when completed, be the largest single permanent building on this continent. Its dimensions are four hundred and seventy feet from east to west, and four hundred and eighty-six feet and a half from north to south, covering an area, exclusive of the court-yard, of nearly four acres and a half.

The superstructure consists of a basement-story eighteen feet in height, a principal story thirty-six feet in height, and an upper story of thirty-one feet, surmounted by another of fifteen feet. The small rooms opening upon the court-yard are each

subdivided in height into two stories, for the purpose of utilizing all space. Access to the several stories will be by four large elevators, placed at the intersections of the leading corridors, making easy the approach to courts, public offices, and departments of city government.

There will be a grand staircase in each of the four corners of the building, and one in each of the centre pavilions on the north, south, east, and west fronts.

This structure is to be built of white marble; and the walls facing the yard are to be of light blue marble, which combination will be extremely pleasing. It will contain five hundred and twenty rooms, fitted with every possible convenience, including heat, gas, and ventilation; and it is said the whole will be fire-proof and indestructible. When ready for occupancy, it will contain the following offices: the mayor will require for his use, for his officers and for the police, at least twelve commodious rooms; the city council chambers and their officers, fifteen; city comptroller, five; city treasurer, three; law department, six; water department, seven; highways, bridges, and sewers, four; survey department, four; markets and city property, two; building inspectors, two; health office, six; fire department, four; receiver of taxes, five; police and fire-alarm telegraph, two; guardians of poor, three; port warden, two; city commissioners, six; coroner, four; Girard estate, two; comptrollers of public schools, six; gas-office, one; park commissioners, one; board of revision, four; collector of delinquent taxes, three; recorder of deeds, four; register of wills, four; sheriff, four; courts, thirteen, with accommodations for the prothonotaries and clerks, for the law library, witness and jury rooms, and district attorney.

It is computed the entire cost of this building will be upwards of ten millions of dollars.

The city of Philadelphia, in the construction and beauty of her bridges, may cherish a just pride. She has had some of the best bridge-builders in our country. For several years the Market Street Bridge was the only one leading across the Schuylkill from the old settled part of the city to West Philadelphia. This bridge was a strong, well-constructed, and per