NOTICES OF MEETINGS, 291 
NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 
BACUP NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—At the usual monthly 
meeting of the Society, held November roth, Mr. J. P. Holmes in the chair, it 
was decided to alter the date of the meeting to the first Wednesday in each 
month, Mr. J. E. Lord, of Rawtenstall, Vice-President of the Society, exhibited 
specimens of Daphnia Bairdii, Dioptimus Castor, Asterionella formosa, and a 
piece of marine Algz, to which was attached Aydractinia Echinata, and a 
marine hydra very similar in colour and form to Hydra fusca, but having con- 
siderably more tentacles. Another specimen which received a good share of 
attention from the members, was a supposed new Sponge (drawings of which 
had been forwarded to the Editor of the NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST) found in the 
district by Mr. Lord. This specimen had been seen by Dr. Carpenter, who 
was of opinion that it was a new one. Dr. Worrall, J.P., Vice-President, ex- 
hibited Zyachelius ovum, Pterodina patina, Euchlanits dilata, and one of 
Hynes’ Patent Lamps, which seemed well adapted for microscopic work, giving 
a brilliant, steady flame, and requiring little attention; Mr. A. Wilkinson, 
Tardigrada, Floscularia cornuta, and cyclosis in nitella; Mr. R. Wilkinson, 
Gizzard of Vine Weevel, Gizzard of Cricket, and Cimex lectularius. 
BOLTON MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—After the usual recess, the 
above-named Society has commenced the work of the session. At the October 
meeting, after the Treasurer’s report (showing that the Society is in a sound 
financial condition) had been read, and a number of gentlemen having been 
proposed as members or associates of the Society, the election of officers for 
the session of 1881-2 was proceeded with, C. L. Jackson, Esq., F.R.M.S., 
F.L.S., being re-elected President; Mr. R. Walmsley being re-elected Trea- 
surer; and Mr. W. Rideout, F.R.M.S., being re-elected Honorary Secretary 
and Curator. The following members were elected as a Committee :—Reyv. 
R. Best, Dr, Hunt, Messrs. R. Harwood, W. W. Midgley, A. S. Pennington, 
W. Shipperbottom, George Mason, and T. Fawell. The question of a Con- 
versazione having been mooted, it was resolved that as an annual conversazione 
interferes with the work of the Society, it is not desirable to hold one this year. 
An interesting paper on Vegetable Hairs was then read by Mr. Robert Har- 
wood ; after which the meeting took the form of a conversazione, and examined 
a variety of hairs under the microscope. The issue of slides from the 
Society’s cabinet of objects brought the meeting to a close. 
BOLTON MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.—We are glad to notice that this 
Society has commenced the work of the Session with more than its usual vigour, 
so far as real work is concerned. The Soirée, which has usually been held in 
the month of November, has been discontinued this year, as it was considered 
that a gathering on such a scale as the previous one, was an expensive luxury, 
calculated to amuse the outside world, but paralysing the actual work of the 
Society for three months at least. 
At the November meeting, Mr. A. S. Pennington read an exhaustive paper 
on ‘‘ Hydra, and its Allied Forms,” of which the following is an epitome :— 
The wonderful Hydra of ancient mythology, whose destruction was one of 
the labours of Hercules, has its anti-type in one of the inhabitants of our ponds 
and ditches. The animal, to whom the modern name of Hydra has been 
applied, is the type of a group of animals known as Ccelenterata from their hollow 
bodies. The Ccelenterata, with other members of the animal kingdom, are 
popularly known as Zoophytes, or animal plants, from the fact that in external 
appearance, they to some extent, resemble flowering plants. The Cezelenterata 
are divided into two classes: the Hydrozoa and the Actinozoa, but this paper is 
