TtLEanings. 19 



^lemimgs. 



Mr. Charles Moore.— We regret to announce the death of this 

 gentleman, the well-known geologist of Bath. 



Marine OritAxisms. — Mr. E. Wade Wilton, Northfield Villas, Leeds, 

 has issued a circular, in which he states that if he obtains a sufficient 

 number of subscribers he will, in the Spring, open a " Microscopists' 

 and Naturalists' Studio," at Clovelly, for the supply of living marine 

 objects for the mici'oscope. Terms of subscription will be forwarded 

 on application to Mr. Wilton, as above. 



Geological Survey. — With the honour of knighthood. Sir A. C. 

 Ramsay leaves the post of Director General of the Survey. His 

 successor is Prof. A. Geikie, the head of the Scottish Survey, 

 to whose place, in turn, his brother, Dr. Jas. Geikie, has been 

 appointed. Professor Geikie is a worthy successor to the three 

 great geologists — De La Beche, Murchison, and Ramsay — who have 

 conti oiled and directed the execution of the geological map of the 

 British Isles. We trust he will live to see the completion of the task, 

 and that, if possible, he will hasten on not only the field-work of the 

 survey, but, more especially, the publication of the maps and memoirs 

 as soon after their execution as possible. According to an official 

 return there must be no fewer than one large sheet and fifty-three 

 quarter-sheets of the one-inch map, of which the actual survey has 

 been completed, but which have not yet been issued to the public. 

 Thesurvey of oneof these quarter-sheets was completed as long ago as 

 1867 ! This state of things has lately received a severe reprimand 

 from the Science and Art Department (of which the Geological Survey 

 forms a section), so that we may expect increased activity in the office 

 staff for the future. 



|leports qI Socittixs. 



— .^ — 



BIKMIXGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 

 —General :\Ieeting, December Gth.— Mr. J. P. Goode presented to the Society 

 eight physiological slides, illustrating the embryology of the chick. Mr. J. E. 

 Bagnall exhibited Rubits hemistcmon (a new record for Warwickshire) ; Riibus 

 hirt}foUus &nd Punm BrUigsii, from Devonshire; and Isnardia palustris, from 

 South Hants; also, on behalf of Dr. Eraser, PotentiUa fruticosa and Arbutus 

 uva-ursi. Mr. W. R. Hughes exhibited Bopijrus squiUanim (male and female), 

 parasites infesting the Common Prawn — specimens prepared by Mr. F. W. 

 Sharpus. Mr. W. P.. Grove exhibited Stemonitis obtnuata (syn. Comatricha 

 Friesiana), a my.xomycete, from Sutton. Mr. J. Levick exhibited CEcistes 

 umbella, Melicerta tubicolaria, and a gigantic amceba, Lithamceba discus (Ray 

 Lankester), from his own aquarium. December 13th. — Biological Section. — 

 Mr. W. G. Blatch e.xhibited Churagiis Hlieppardi and Lathridius rugosus, two 

 rare beetles, new to Warwickshire. Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Chara 

 contraria, vai\ hUpidula, and Chara Hedwigii, from Sow Waste (new to 

 Warwickshire); and Nitella flexilis, from Olton ; also, Agrostis nigra, of 

 Withering (new to Warwickshire). Mr. J. E. Bagnall read a " Note on Agrostis 

 nigra, of Withering, as a Warwickshire plant." He minutely described the 

 characters of this si)ecies, and pointed out the distinction between it and 

 Agrostis vulgaris, with which it has often been confounded. It is a singular 

 fact that this plant, which was mentioned by Withering in 1796 and 1811, 

 has been omitted in all floras since that time, therefore the discovery of 

 it in Warwickshire by Mr. Bagnall has reinstated it as a British plant, 



