SECTIONAL REPORTS. 



BOTANICAL. 

 During the past Session the Botanical Section has 

 held a series of Five Popular Lectures in the Lecture 

 Theatre of the Museum, which have been, on the whole, 

 fairly well attended. 



The dates, subjects of the Lectures, as well as the 

 names of the Lecturers, are as follows : — 

 1897. 



Nov. 4 — " How to make out the Names of Wild Flowers," by Mr. J. D. 



SiDDALL. 



,, 18 — " Stems and their Structure," by Mr. A. E. Goodman. 

 Dec. 2 — " Grains and Grasses," by Mr. J. D. Siddall. 



1898. 

 Jan. 6 — " Ancestors of Plants," by Miss E. Macdonald. 



,, 20 — " Snowdon and its Flora : a Study in Distribution," by Mr. J. 

 Lloyd Williams. 



A. E. GOODMAN, 

 May I2TH, 1898. Secretary. 



ZOOLOGICAL. 



Two Meetings were held on the following dates : — 

 1898. 

 Jan. 13. — Notes and Observations, by Mr. A. O. Walker, F.L.S., 

 Dr. W. H. Dobie, Mr. J. Arkle, and the Curator (Mr. 

 Nkwstead.) 



This was the usual Annual Meeting of the Section, 

 and was well attended. Many of the records given by the 

 various authors were of exceptional interest and value, and 

 will probably form the nucleus of more extended papers 

 hereafter. The Curator, Mr. R. Newstead, exhibited a 

 unique series of photographs from life, of the Long-eared 

 BoX^Plecotus aurihis); and Dr. W. H. Dobie and Mr. Arkle 

 also exhibited specimens to illustrate their papers. 



April 14. — " The American Fruit Pest Scare " (The San Jose Scale Insect — 

 Aspidiotus perniciosus, C.) Illustrated by Lantern Slides and 

 Specimens, by the Curator, Mr. R. Newsthad, F.E.S. 



The Lecturer stated the American Fruit Pest Scare 

 originated with the action of Germany in the early part of 

 the year, when that country passed a law forbidding the 

 importation of infested fruit, since which time nearly all 



