xlviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



At these meetings, or resulting from them, a certain amount of 

 good work in microscopical research has been done by members on 

 the eastern side of the County, but there is still a wide field oprm 

 for workers in this branch of science, and it is hoped that an 

 attempt may be made to obtain at least a list of the microscopic 

 fauna and flora of Hertfordshire. With this view each microscopist 

 is requested to make a note of every animalcule observed and posi- 

 tively identified, and to send a list of them to Mr. F. W. Phillips, 

 Maidenhead Street, Hertford, who has kindly consented to receive 

 and tabulate such returns. Lists of microscopic water-plants may 

 for the present be sent to your Secretary, Mr. Croft. 



As registrar of observations of birds Mr. Littleboy continues to 

 act to the great benefit of the Society. Your Secretary, Mr. Hop- 

 kinson, Avill always be glad to receive and record notes of sections 

 examined, lists of fossils found, and any other geological observa- 

 tions which any members may make ; while the Eev. C. W. 

 Harvey, Throcking Rectory, Buntingford, will in future act as 

 your registrar of meteorological observations. If other members 

 would undertake to collect information and furnish reports upon 

 different branches of natural science, many interesting facts might 

 be brought to light, and a record of many occurrences, which other- 

 wise would be forgotten, might be preserved. 



The reports on the rainfall and on phenological phenomena for 

 1879 will appear in the next part of the ' Transactions ' now in the 

 press, and the reports for 1880 will shortly be presented. 



On Wednesday afternoon, the 5th of May, a large number of 

 Members visited Kew Gardens, and under the able guidance of 

 the E-ev. George Henslow inspected many objects of interest. The 

 large palm house, the orchid house, the house containing succulent 

 plants, the museum of economic botany, and the new museum of 

 British botany, were successively visited, Mr. Henslow giving most 

 interesting demonstrations on the palms, oi^chids, insectivorous 

 plants, and representative succulent plants. The Society is greatly 

 indebted to Mr. Henslow for the interesting information conveyed 

 to the members on this occasion, and also for his ever ready assent 

 to lecture at an evening meeting. 



All the Field Meetings announced, a larger number than in any 

 previous year, were duly carried out, and each one attracted a 

 considerable number of Members. The following are the dates of 

 these meetings and the localities visited : — 



May 15.— Radlett. 



29. — Aylesbury, Hartwell, and Stone. 



June 12. — Aldbury and Ashridge. 



24. — Thundridge and Fanliams Hall, "Ware. 



July 10. — Cole Green, AVoohners, Essendon, and Hatfield Park. 



22. — Hertford Heath and Haileybiiry. 



The second of those meetings, the annual whole-day meeting, 

 was held in conjunction with the Geologists' Association. Owing, 

 probably, to the inaccessibility of Aylesbury from the greater part 

 of Hertfordshire, this was the least numerously attended meeting. 



