Proceedings. cii 



Edward Lovett, Secretary of the Geological Sub- Committee 

 (Trans., Art. 68). 



September 12th. — "Dates of the First Flowering of some Plants 

 near Croydon, 1880 to 1887," by Mr. W. F. Miller (Trans., 

 Art. 69). In this most interesting record of Mr. Miller's personal 

 observations it is shown that there is a wide difference, from year 

 to year, in the dates of the flowering of plants which come into 

 blossom in winter and in spring, being 93 days in the case of 

 dog's mercury, which on the average first flowers on the 31st of 

 January, and of the lesser celandine, which comes into flower 

 on the 24th of February. In summer-flowering plants the range 

 is small. It is restricted to 6 days in the tufted vetch, which 

 flowers on the 17th of June, and to 5 days in the spear plume- 

 thistle, of which the normal date of flowering is the 9th of July. 



October 10th. — " The Evolution of the art of making Fire," by 

 Mr. Edward Lovett (Trans., Art. 70). 



November lith. — "Notes on Fossil Ostracoda," by Mr. C. 

 Davies Sherborn, F.G.S. (Trans., Art, 71). 



December 12th. — " The Anatomy of Spiders," by Mr. W. J. 

 Fuller, F.I.C. (Trans., Art. 72). At this meeting Messrs. W. 

 Murton Holmes and Charles Oakley were appointed auditors of 

 the accounts for the year 1888. 



The Conversational Meetings, which are held on the Wednesday 

 fortnight after every Ordinary Meeting except in the month of 

 December, have been vigorously supported by the Honorary 

 Secretaries of the Sub-Committees. Two evenings have been 

 occupied by the Botanical Sub-Committee, the first in exhibiting 

 rare plants, and the second in making arrangements for the 

 herbarium for the Club, which has been undertaken by Mr. 

 Mennell. On another evening Mr. Lovett described and illus- 

 trated the geology of the Eock of Gibraltar. And at the meeting 

 of the 23rd of May, Mr. Frederick Gaster, who is in charge of 

 the Storm Warning Department of the Meteorological OfBce in 

 Westminster, described and illustrated the " Weather Systems 

 of the British Isles," the meeting being held in the Old School 

 of Art Boom. 



One special lecture was given under the auspices of the Club, 

 on the 16th of May, in the Large Hall of the Institution. The 

 subject was " A Naturalist's Experiences in the Solomon 

 Islands,"* in which group the lecturer, Mr. C. M. Woodford, 

 had spent many months, and whither he was about to return. 

 The locality of the islands was illustrated by some large maps, 



* See 'Proceedings of the Koyal Geographical Society,' vol. x., 1888, 

 p. 351. "Exploration of the Solomon l8lands,'\by C. M. Woodford. 



