19 
SECTIONAL SECRETARIES’ REPORTS. 
The following reports and records of the various subjects 
dealt with at the lectures and field meetings during the past 
Session have been kindly provided by the Honorary Secretaries 
of the Sections :— 
BOTANICAL SECTION. 
Naturally the Summer Excursions lend themselves to the practical study of 
Botany, and during the past Session a large proportion of the outings were 
mainly Botanical in character. Gresford, Delamere, The Leete, Berwig, Waver- 
ton, Helsby, Ball’s Knoll, Chirk. and Burton Point, each having its own special 
interest to the Field Botanist, were among the places visited. 
The display in the Museum of fresh specimens of local plants continues to 
form an important part of the Society’s encouragement in Botanical Study, and 
the Curator is to be heartily thanked for the considerable time and trouble 
devoted to the labelling and accurate naming of the large number of specimens 
brought for exhibition. 
During the Winter half of the Session, two evenings were set apart for the 
Botanical Section. 
On October 15th, 1914, Mr. A. Newstead, F.E.S. (Curator of the Museum), 
gave a Lecture on ‘‘Some Deciduous British Trees.’”’ After explaining the 
effects of our winter climate on the majority of our trees, the lecturer dealt 
with the various sizes, forms, and outlines of some of our better known species, 
and, as far as time would permit, described and illustrated with photographs 
from life their distinguishing characteristics, both of branch, leaf, flower and 
fruit. 
At this Meeting the vacancy in the Chairmanship of the Section, occasioned 
by the death of Mr. J. D. Siddall, was filled by the election of Mr. A. E. 
Goodman, who had for so many years acted as Secretary to the Section, whilst 
Miss K. E. Maris was elected Secretary. 
On Thursday, February 11th, a Lecture entitled ‘“‘ Plant Parasites’ was 
delivered by Mr. Stanley J. Green, B.A. (Cantab.) The subject was a very wide 
one, and was treated in an interesting and instructive manner. After a short 
introduction on the subject of the usual methods of plant nutrition, the lecturer 
proceeded to deal with some of the lowest and most minute parasitic organisms; 
after which he gradually worked up through algae and fungi to the parasitic 
phanerogams. In the time at his disposal, it was of course impossible for the 
lecturer to give more than a passing reference to many interesting types. 
Special reference was made, however, to plants whose parasitism is of economic 
importance. Puccinia graminis, the well known “‘rust’’ of wheat, was treated 
in some detail. Other destructive plant parasites mentioned were:—Ergot of 
Rye and the fungi causing diseases of the potato and the vine. 
The lecture was illustrated throughout with lantern slides. 
At the close of the lecture, the Chairman exhibited several specimens of 
parasitism which had been sent to him by Mrs. Stolterfoth. These consisted cf 
a number of caterpillars which had been attacked by the fungus Codyceps 
entomorhiza, the whole of the animal tissues having been absorbed by the plant, 
which had finally assumed the exact form of the caterpillar. 
ZOOLOGICAL SECTION. 
Three evenings were allotted to this Section during the past Session. The 
- first Lecture, on October 22nd, was given by Mr. Harry Thomas, of Llandudno, 
