Proceedings 37 
waves by means of a violin bow, the sand being thrown 
into a variety of beautiful patterns, each note producing a 
distinct pattern ; a musical box, enclosed in a number of 
padded boxes until scarcely audible, was heard very much 
more distinctly when connected by a thin cane with an 
empty box, or other form of sounding board. Many other 
experiments were performed, one with a marvellously sen- 
sitive flame, which responded instantly to any noise, even 
to the ticking of a watch. 
MEETING held at Redhill, Dec.sth, rg02. 
Present— 32. 
The Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Chapman, a 
specimen of a rare Hymenopterous insect, Gorytes bicinctus, 
captured on the window of Dr. Chapman’s house at Reigate. 
Mr, A. J. Crosfield then gave a Lecture on— 
THE BiRDs AND PLantTs OF CALIFORNIA. 
California is a land of contrasts. Stretching as it does 
from Mexico to Oregon, between the Pacific Ocean and 
the great desert, it varies in elevation from 25oft, delow sea 
level in the burning desert of the south to an altitude of 
14,000 feet in its highest snow-clad mountain summit. 
We entered California by the Southern Pacific Railway 
from the south, and spent our first six weeks at Pasadena 
—‘“the Crown of the Valley”—a delightful little city at the 
base of Mount Lowe,"a peak of the Sierra Madré range, 
about thirty miles from the ocean, which on clear days is 
seen glimmering in the sunshine beyond the fertile plain. 
My first afternoon introduced me to three species of 
_ birds, which proved to be the three most abundant in 
Southern California, namely Brewer’s Blackbird, the House 
Finch, and the Mocking Bird. 
The male Brewer’s Blackbird is of a glossy black with 
bluish and greenish irridescence. He is of a very sociable 
nature and in manner constantly reminds one of our Star- 
ling. He whistles and chirps and tries hard to sing, but 
without complete success. Towards dusk the flocks sit in 
