XXXIV PROCEEDINGS, 



to the growth of roses, now at their best. Amongst the 

 numerous choice kinds which were pointed out was a beautiful 

 and comparatively new variety named after Mrs. Mawley, who 

 presented the ladies of the party with bouquets of the choicest 

 blossoms. 



Mr. Mawley is the Hon. Secretary of the National Rose 

 Society ; he is also well known for the meteorological investiga- 

 tions which he has carried on for some years at Berkhamsted, 

 and previously at Croydon, and he is a past President of the 

 Royal Meteorological Society. He exhibited and explained the 

 construction and uses of his mnnerous meteorological instru- 

 ments, by means of which careful observations are taken of the 

 temperature of the air, in the shade, in the rays of the sun 

 by day, and at night exposed to radiation, and also of the 

 temperature at one foot and at two feet beneath the surface of 

 the ground ; of the rainfall and the amount which percolates 

 through three feet of soil, in one gauge with grass growing 

 on the surface and in another kept free from vegetation ; of the 

 duration of bright sunshine ; of the force and direction of the 

 wind ; and of the pressure of the atmosphere, determined of 

 course by readings of the barometer. Some observations are 

 taken daily, at 9 a.m. or 9 p.m., some at both these hours, and 

 some also at 3 p.m. Several instruments are self-registering, 

 continuously recording pressure, temperature, rainfall, sunshine, 

 and wind — both its direction and velocity. 



The weather was perfect, and, owing to the arrangements 

 made by Mr. and Mrs. Mawley, a very interesting and enjoyable 

 afternoon was passed, the members on leaving cordially thanking 

 their host and hostess for their kind attention and hospitality. 



Conversazione at St. Albans, 13th November, 1906. 



The President and Mrs. Morison received a party of between 

 fifty and sixty members and friends at the Hertfordshire County 

 Museum, the evening's entertainment being divided between 

 music and science. 



The musical programme included songs by Mrs. Finn, Miss 

 Marie Rose, Mrs. F. T. Usher, and Mr. H. t. Carringtou, and 

 orchestral pieces by Mrs. A. E. Gibbs and Mr. Matthews (first 

 violins). Master G. F. Usher (second violin), Mr. Ernest Bennett 

 ('cello), and Mrs. F. T. Usher (piano). 



Mr. James Saunders gave a lecture on the Echinoderms or 

 " sea-urchins," graphically describing the structure and habits 

 of these interesting Invertebrata. He said that their organs 

 were arranged from the centre radially so that they could move 

 in any direction and by their feelers and spines easily crawl 

 along the sea-bed and creep up the perpendicular sides of sub- 

 merged rocks. They had a high antiquity. Always covered 

 more or less with spines, in the present day the spines were 



