SESSION 1891-92. xi 



larg:c amount of Tvater from deep ■wells in tlie Chalk in the lower 

 part of the valley of the Colne, below llickmansworth, privately, 

 for the supply of London. Mr. Webster mig-ht perhaps be quite 

 ■within his legal rights in doing this if he could get easements into 

 London, as it -was stated that he had done ; but it ■would be a most 

 serious thing for Watford and the whole district watered by the 

 Colne, the Ver, the Gade, and the Chess, if this plan were to be 

 carried into eifect, and an enormous quantity of water were taken 

 for the supply of London from the reservoir of saturated chalk 

 from the overflow of which these I'ivers are almost entirely fed. 

 They would have the evils which they had already experienced to 

 a considerable extent, greatly increased, their wells, their water- 

 cress beds, and their streams running diy. He thought they might 

 at some future meeting have to consider how this scheme might be 

 effectually put a stop to, and the Society might possibly be called 

 upon to pass some similar resolution to that of last December. 



The following paper was read : — 



" Bats and some other Beasts." By George Rooper, F.Z.S. 

 {Transactions, Yol. YII, p. 37.) 



A discussion ensued in which the President, Professor Attfield, 

 Dr. Brett, Mr. Rooper, Mr. Silvester, and Mr. Stradling took part. 



OKDIJfAET MEETrNG, IItH DECEMBER, 1891, AT WaTFOED. 



JoHX HoPKiJfsoN, Esq., r.L.S., F.G.S., etc., President, in the 

 Chair. 



Mr. George Barker, Mr. A. C. G. Cameron, Mr. G. M. Robinson, 

 Mr. P. H. Sainsbuiy, Miss A. C. Sell, Mr. Ai'thur Smith, and 

 Mr. P. Jenner Weir were elected Members of the Society. 



Mr. William Fisk, L.D.S., Street Lodge, Watford, and Mr. 

 Felix Sumner Knyvett, Ashwellthorpe, Watford, were proposed 

 for membership. 



The following paper was read : — 



" Terrestrial British Quadrupeds existing in a Wild State at the 

 Present Day." By T. Vaughan Roberts. {Transactions, Vol. VII, 

 p. 41.) 



A discussion ensued in which the President, Dr. Brett, Mr. 

 Rooper, and Mr. Stradling took part. 



Preserved skins of several of the animals mentioned were 

 exhibited by the author in illustration of his paper ; and Dr. Brett 

 exhibited a black rat {3Ius rattus) with its young, a polecat 

 {Mustela putorius) killed on the estate of the Earl of Essex about 

 twenty-five years ago, and lent by Mrs. Hawkins of Hunton 

 Bridge, and several animals from the collection of the Public 

 Library. 



Mr. Steadling exhibited a snake suffering from a malady which 

 he considered to be identical with or analogous to consumption 

 in human beings. 



