168 CORRESPONDENCE REPORTS. 



Meeting. June Gth. — Mr. George Heaton exhibited seeds of plants, etc., washed 

 by the Gulf Stream to the Coast of Donegal, N.W. of Ireland. Mr. W. B. Grove 

 exhibited the following Fungi from Sutton, Nectri i s nguinea, SphrcH i ovin i, 

 and Peziz i fasarioidcs, and also Ca' ocera curnea iroui dead wood at Kotten Park 

 Beservoir. Mr. J. Morley exhibited L iizicla albida, from his garden. Microscopical 

 General Meeting, June 20th. — Mr. J. Madison exhibited Smcinea xiutris, a 

 white variety from Stonehouse, and Hinncea peregra, var. ovata, having an 

 additional interior lip. Mr. W. B. Grove exhibited Lycogaht epidendrum (Wolf's- 

 milk Fungusi, and Tihmidoche mutabi'is, two Myxomycetes, from Sutton. 

 Professor A. M. Blarshall read the third and concluding jsart of the Report 

 on the Pennatulida obtained at Oban, which treated of Virgulariti mirahilis. 

 At the end he thanked the Society for reproducing his drawings in such a 

 worthy and successful manner. Mr. W. K. Hughes read a short note on an 

 abnormal form of star-fish, Asterina gibbosa, with six instead of five rays. He 

 showed the great interest of such a specimen from an evolutionist's point of 

 view, since the additional ray would tend in several ways to aid it in the 

 struggle for existence. The specimen was exhibited as well as the normal form. 



BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS' AND NATURALISTS' UNION.— April 3rd. 

 — A Meeting devoted to "Pond Life." Exhibited byMr.Wykes, great number and 

 variety of Rotifers found in tap water ; by Mr. Dunn, Stephanoceros eirhlwrnii ; by 

 Mr. J. W. Neville, Plocamium coccineum in fruit; by Mr. Sheldon, Polytruhum 

 'omniune, with Autheridia. April 17th. — Microscopical and General Meeting. 

 Exhibited by Mr. Delicate, transverse section of Hedge Maple : by Mr. Darley, 

 cocoon of Fox Moth ; by Mr. H. Insley, Puccinia on leaf of Box and Asterosporium 

 hoffmanni from bark of Beech tree. April 2ith. — Exhibited by Mr. Darley, 

 Pupa of May Fly, showing circulation of blood; by Mr. Dunn, Sucker-foot of 

 Dytiscus marginalis; by Mr. Delicate, Section of Stem of Common Elm; by 

 J. W. Neville, transverse section of Human Colon, and section of Human Lung. 

 Paper on "Tlie Circulation of the Blood," by Mr. Madison.— May 1st.— 

 Microscopical and General Meeting. Exhibited by Mr. Dunn, parasite of Dor 

 Beetle ; by Mr. Darley, Ovipositor of Ichneumon Fly Ophion) ; by Mr. F. Shrive, 

 three Adders, from Sutton Park, living; by Mr. Bradbury, young of common 

 Eel ; by Mr. J. W. Neville, Hair of Sea Mouse ; by Mr. Madison, an abnormal 

 form of Limiiaa peregra, having a second \\\> within the mouth of the shell ; by 

 Mr. H. Insley, prothallus of Lasirea di'at'iia, growing, and the same mounted 

 for the microscope, showing antherids and archegons ; also young plant emerging 

 from prothallus. May 6th.— An excursion to the Wren's Nest, Dudley. Fossils 

 and land shells were the chief spoils. Among the latter, Achatina aricu'a, 

 May 8th. — Specimens found at excursion exhibited. Paper : Notes on Daphuia. 

 by Mr. Dunn. May 15. — Special Botany. Large number of common plants 

 shown by Mr. Boland, specimens of I'nio margaritifer, living. May 20th. — 

 Excursion to Sutton Park. A specimen of Ribwort Plantain, found near 

 Bracebridge Pool, showing an abnormal form of inflorescence. At the base of 

 each spike two rows of smaller spikes, five in each row, alternating with each 

 other, were formed. The small spikes were sessile, and nearly at right angles 

 with the larger one. May 22nd. — Microscopical and General Meeting. Exhibited 

 by Mr. Darley, large Ingrail and Tissue Moths, from Sutton Park ; by Mr. 

 Moore, imago of B. cyntliii; by Mr. Sanderson, Lijcopodimn c'avatum, from 

 Yorkshire. 



BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.— The usual 

 Fortnightly Meeting was held on May 17th. — A paper was read by the President 

 of the Botanical Section (J. Turner, Esq.), on " The Orchid Family." The 

 members were provided with specimens of Orchis morio, which was minutely 

 described in the paper. In concluding the President referred to the indefatigable 

 labours of the late Mr. Charles Darwin in connection witli the Orchid family. 

 Some beautiful specimens of the Orchid family, lent by members of the Society, 

 were exhibited, 



