Proceedings. 89 



gardens at Kew with fresh specimens to replace those they 

 have lost. 



Evening Meeting. — Maech 10th, 1882. 



Invitations to attend this meeting had been specially given 

 to young persons attending schools or residing in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and a large number were present. 



Mr. H. M. Wallis, of Eeadiug, gave an address, entitled 

 'Primeval Life in Britain.' In this he briefly traced back 

 the history of man through the various stages of his civilisa- 

 tion to the Neolithic and finally the Palaeolithic period, and 

 gave some explanations as to the mode of making the imple- 

 ments used in those ages, and the various purposes for which 

 they were employed ; and made also some reference to the 

 animals then existing in Britain. 



Mr. J. J. GUI then gave an address, entitled ' Buttercups 

 and Daisies,' in which he explained the functions and 

 arrangement of the various parts of the flowers, and pointed 

 out in what way natural selection had probably tended to 

 operate in developing the various forms of leaf, &c., as now 

 existing. 



Mr. A. J. Crosfield then gave an address, entitled ' Our 

 British Finches,' and also exhibited specimens of the eggs of 

 several species of them. Amongst the species occasionally 

 but not very commonly to be found in this neighboiuiiood he 

 specified the Brambling, Siskin, and Lesser Eedpole. He 

 also gave some interesting information respecting many of 

 the commoner species. 



Several microscopes were afterwards exhibited by members 

 of the Club ; and a considerable number of collections and 

 specimens of Natural History, as well as some other objects, 

 were also shown, amongst which the following may be 

 mentioned : — Skulls of Bushmen, Mr. T. Cooper ; specimens 

 of rock fi-om the borings of the Channel Tunnel, Mr. Tyndall; 

 a collection illustrating the geological strata of this district, 

 Mr. W. Gilford ; a series of eggs of the Common GuUlemot, 

 Mr. H. Crosfield. 



