REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 21 



CHELTENHAM NATURAL SCIENCE SOCIETY— November 17th.— Sir W. 

 Brook-Kay, Bart., read a paper on " The Science of Language." December 22nd. 

 —Mr. G. B. Witts read a paper on the " Ancient Inhabitants of the Cotteswolds." 



NOTTINGHAM G.K.S. NATURALIST SOCIETY.— The first anniversary of 

 the above Society, which is an offslioot of the Worliiug Men's Naturalist Society, 

 was held in the Society's rooms, People's Hall, on December IGth. Alderman 

 Turney presided. — Mr. Eigby read the report of the origin and work of the 

 Society during the year. The Society was formed, we learn from the report, 

 by Messrs. Gent, Rigby, and Stanley, in consequence of the rejection of a motion 

 not to hold the meetings of the parent Society at a public-house. The Society 

 now numbers about a score members. — Mr. Gent read the financial report, 

 which showed a balance of £1. 5s. lOd. in the hands of the treasurer. — The 

 Society's transactions were next read by the Corresjionding Secretary, Mr. 

 Perry. Papers were also read during the evening by Mr. J. J. Ogle on " A Piece 

 of Elder Pith," by BIr. Perry on " The Telephone," by Mr. T. Goldsmith on " The 

 Carrion-eating Birds," and by the President (Mr. W. Rigby) on " The Garden 

 Snail." All the papers were illustrated by diagrams or models. Mr. Turney 

 congratulated the Society on its success. He thought a right step had been 

 taken in disassociating the Society from a public-house. He hoped the Society 

 would prosper until it became a fully recognised institution of the town. He 

 had gi-eat pleasure in placing at the disposal of the Society the sum of £15, to be 

 used in the purchase of books and objects in furtherance of its work. A hearty 

 vote of thanks was passed acknowledging this liberality. — Mr. T. Goldsmith, 

 President of the Working Men's Naturalist Society, spoke in favour of a union 

 of the two Societies, and promised to do all in his power to bring about such a 

 result. — There was an excellent e.xhibition of ornithological, botanical, ento- 

 mological, and other natural history objects, and microscopes. 



OXFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.— November 24th.— A 

 meeting was held in the University Museum — Prof.Westwood, F.L.S., in the chair. 

 .A.fter formal lousiness, Mr. T. F. Richards, M.A., gave his notes on the Welsh 

 Flora, the places especially searched being Barmouth and its vicinity, Cader 

 Idris, Conway, and the Orme's Head, Llangollen, and the Glydyr Mountains. 

 The list of plants included most of the rarities of North W^ales, including 

 Cotoneaster, Helinnthemum cdiiiim, Hntchinsia Sile)te niitanfi, on the Orme ; 

 Silijhnm marinniim, Diajithiis dcltnides, on Deganwy, Lavatera, Smijrnium, 

 Orobanche liederce, and Dianthus phimarius, at Conway; Carex extcnsa near 

 the Torrent Walk. Dolgelly ; Aspleninm septentrionale, and german-icum. the 

 latter a noteworthy discovery, in the vicinity of Cader, and on that mountain 

 most of the typical plants. Barmouth added to these some interesting introduc- 

 tions, while the Glydyrs afforded liliodioJa rosea, Saxifraga In/pnoides, but not 

 the chief object of search, the Cambrian Lily, Lloydia serotina ; at Festiniog 

 the handsome Vicia orohiis was met with. Mr. Bolton King, in the discussion 

 that followed, added to the plants noticed on the Orme by Mr. Richards 

 Eriipactis ovalis, and said that after much searching a single plant of 

 Cotoneaster was met with. Mr. G. C. Druce alluded to the gradual disappear- 

 ance of Dianthus plumarius ivoiw Conwixy Q&v,t\e and said that on the cliffs of 

 the Twl Dhu he had gathered plants which had been named PoUjgala grandi- 

 flora. Mr. Bolton King then gave an account of a three weeks' tour in Ii-eland. 

 the route being from Westport to Clifden, by Glendalough and Blaam, to Cong, 

 Portumna, Lough Dearg, Killarney, the Brandon Mountains, Dingle, and 

 Berehaven. The number of plants found showed that a gi'eat amount of work 

 had been compressed into the time. Mr. King had been fortunate to add 

 Rosa sepium and Aira alpina to the Irish flora, and a new variety of Chara, i.e., 

 Chara tomentosa , var. curta. Among the other plants gathered were Daheocia 

 polifoUn, Erica MaeJcaii, and Hihernica, Arabis ciliata, Polygala grandiflora, 

 flrioeaulon septangular e, Inula salicina, Saxifraga geum, hirsuta, punctata, 



