Clifton College Scientific Society. 79 



H. Proctor, Esq., O.C, was announced to deliver a lecture this 

 evening, but as he was unavoidably prevented from attending, it 

 was postponed till next meeting. 



MEETING, July 21st. 

 The Pkesident in the Chair. 



The eighth and last meeting for the term was held on 21st July. 

 Fifty members and visitors were present. 



The following donations to the museum were acknowledged : — 

 Nests and eggs of the Humming-Bird (from Barbadoes), by E. 

 Haynes ; several specimens of Lepidoptera, by the Eev. H. 

 Aubrey, 



H. Peoctor, Esq., O.C, then gave an interesting and lucid 

 account of a visit to the celebrated Tin Mine of Botallack (near 

 St Just, Cornwall). 



On the motion of the President, Mr Proctor was unanimously 

 elected a corresponding member. 



J. Swinburne (Jun. Sch. Mem.), afterwards read a paper on 

 ' The Wild Cat.' Messrs Greene and Barrington-Ward com- 

 mented on this paper, and complimented the youthful author on 

 the care and ability he had shown in its preparation. We give 

 the following extract : — 



* The Egyptian cat is supposed to have been the originator of 

 the domestic cat, for long ago, when Egypt was at the head of 

 the civilised world, the Egyptains used to tame the " Felis mani- 

 culata," and keep it in their houses ; and a little later on, the 

 domestic cat was so rare in England that a royal edict was issued 

 for its preservation, in consequence of which, in 950 A.D., England 

 was nearly over-run with wild cats, so that they came to be looked 

 upon as obnoxious animals. The Egyptian cat was imported to 

 Greece and Eorae, and thence to England. The wild cat has thick 

 fur, the ground colour being yellowish-grey, with dark streaks 

 drawn over it, like a tiger's, nearly at right angles to the line of 

 the body and limbs. Down the spine there is an exceedingly 

 dark chain of spots. The tail is thick and short, and bushy, with 

 black rings round it, terminating in a tip of the same colour.' 



This being the final meeting for the term, the Society now pro- 

 1^ ceeded to private business. Votes of thanks were first passed to 



