58 PKOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



by whicli lie liacl made and monutcd tliin Bcctions of coal, wliicli was 

 a modification of tlic diftcrent published methods. 



It was announced that the next Microscopical Meeting, being the 

 Anniversary Meeting, would be a General Evening and conversazione. 



It was also announced that the first Field Excursion would take 

 place on Saturday, May 6th, to Balcombe for Tilgate Forest. 



May 11th. — Ordinary Meeting. Mr. T. H. Hennah in the chair. 



Mr. T. M. Fowler was elected an ordinary member. 



It was resolved that a letter of condolence be written to Mrs. Peek 

 on the death of her husband, formerly a member of the Society. 



Mr. Wonfor reported on the success of the Field Excursion of 

 May Gth to Balcombe, and gave an account of some of the objects seen 

 and obtained. 



The Rev. J. H. Cross exhibited and presented for the Society's 

 album, sketches he had made on the occasion. 



Mr. J. Dennant exhibited a series of marbles from the Pyrenees, 

 and large acorn cups of the Smyrna oak, Quercus cegiolops, the Valonia 

 of commerce. 



Mr. J. Howell exhibited fossil Silurian corals, vertebra of Plesio- 

 saurus, from the bone bed of Aust ; and shells from the lias at Bristol, 

 and the Upper Eocene, Isle of Wight. 



Mr. Saimders exhibited red organ coral and other recent corals ; 

 pottery from the tombs at Bengazi and Pompeii ; and sand from the 

 Bays of Valentia, Malta, and Taranaki. 



Mr. Elphick exhibited a couple of piebald mice, taken from a rick, 

 and believed to be a cross between the common and white mice. 



Mr. "Wonfor exhibited a specimen of the silicious sponge EuplecteUa 

 mirahilis ; specimens of yellow wagtail ; grey-headed ditto ; and a state 

 either intermediate between the two or in the immature plumage of 

 the second. While the first is common, the second is uncommon, and 

 the last very rare. These birds were kindly lent by Messrs. Pratt 

 and Sons, and had been obtained in the neighbourhood of Brighton ; 

 also a very dark variety of the northern oak eggar moth, Bomhyx 

 callune. It was resolved that the next Field Excursion be on Satur- 

 day, June 3rd, to Barcombe for Plashett Wood. 



May 25th.— Microscopical Meeting. Mr. M. Penley, Vice-Pre- 

 sident, in the chair. 



Being the Anniversary Microscopical Meeting, Mr. R. Glaisyer 

 reported that 122 slides and a Midler's diatom type slide had been 

 added to the cabinet during the year. 



Mr. Wonfor, Hon. Sec, gave a brief abstract of the ' Proceedings,' 

 with an account of the papers read and the work done, which, he said, 

 had exceeded their anticipations, when it was determined twelve 

 months since to hold monthly microscopical meetings. Judging from 

 what they had done in advancing microscopical inquiry among the 

 members during the past year, augured well for increased exertions 

 in the forthcoming year. 



Mr. Wonfor then gave an account of a method for obtaining thin 

 sections of soft rocks, and illustrated it by making and mounting 



