70 GLEANINGS REPOETS. 



Lias Fossils. — We are glad to hear that Mr. Martin Simpson, of 

 the Whitby Museum, the veteran Yorkshire palaeontologist, has nearly 

 ready for publication a new edition of his " Fossils of the Yorkshire 

 Lias," which will include descriptions of about 700 species. Mr. 

 Simpson published a Monograph of Lias Ammonites so long ago as 

 1843, and the first edition of his " Lias Fossils " appeared in 1855. At 

 the time these works attracted little attention, but the merits of the 

 author, as a keen, acute, and hard worker, have since been amply 

 reoognised by Prof. Phillips, and by Messrs. Tate and Blake. 



^tpxk tA Societies. 



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BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 

 SOCIETY.— Microscopical General Meeting — January 20th. — Mr. H. E. 

 Forrest read a letter from Professor A. Schneider, relative to a new species of 

 Moueron, Monobia confluens, supposed to be identical with oue he had found at 

 Barnt Green Reservoir. — Mr. J. F. Goode exhibited foramiuifera, from sand 

 dredged during; the Falmouth expedition. — Mr. T. Bolton exhibited P>/cnogonum 

 littorale. — Mr. H. E. Forrest read a very interesting paper by Mr. vv. Saville 

 Kent, F.L.S., F.R.M.S., on some of the more remarkable forms of infusoria, 

 captured during the Falmouth expedition of July, 1879, (whirh will appear in 

 next month's " Midland Naturalist,") and enlarged the illustrative figures upon 

 the black board. Geological Section. — January 27th.— Mr. T. H. Waller was 

 le-elected Secretary of the Section, and the Presidency was offered to Mr. Suml. 

 Allporl, F.G.S., who, however, was not present, and has since declined to accept 

 the office. — Mr T. H. Waller exhibited specimens of Eozoon canadense. Annual 

 General Meeting. — February 3rd. — The report and balance sheet for 1879 

 were received and adopted. The report stated that the work of the Society 

 during the past year had been of a satisfactory character, and the number 

 of mf ubers had increased ; the Treasurer had a balance in hand of £33 10s. 7id., 

 and over £700 had been expended on the Library and apparatus since the estab- 

 lisbm -nt of the Society. The following were elected officers for the current 

 year :— President, Wm. Southall, F.L.S., F.R.M.S. ; Vice-Presidents, E. W. 

 Badger and J. Levick ; Treasurer, Chas. Pumphrey ; Librarian, J. E. Bagnall ; 

 Curators, W. B. Grove and R. M. Lloyd ; Secretaries, J. Morley and H. E. 

 Forrest. Biological Section. — February 10th. — Mr. A. W. Wills was unani- 

 mously elected Chairman, and Mr. J. F. Goode Secretary of the Section. — Mr. 

 Allport announced that he had been appointed to form a Natural History 

 Museum at Sir Josiah Mason's College and would be glad if any of the members 

 •would assist him with specimens. — Mr. Thos. Bolton exhibited a beautiful 

 collection of Sea-weeds, from Torquay, mounted by a lady, which elicited 

 universal admiration. — Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited a moss, Bartramia 

 pomiformis, from near Erdington — local in Warwickshire. — Mr. J. F. Gooue 

 exhibited a worm of the genus Tubifex, from the surface of the mud in a ditch. — 

 In the absence of Mr. Lawson Tait, Mr. H. E Forrest read a short paper by 

 Dr. T. Spencer Cobbold, F.R.S., on Strongylus nodularis, a parasitic worm found 

 by Mr. Tait, infesting the gizzard of a gosling. Specimens of the worm were 

 exhibited. — Mr. W. R. Hughes made some remarks, and read some extracts 

 from Dr. Cobbold's work on the Entozoa with reference to the subject. — Mr. E. 

 W. Badger read a paper " On the Work of the Society," in the course of which 

 be pointed out various methods whereby its usefulness and the number of 

 working naturalists among its members might be increased. — An interesting 

 discussion followed, in which several members joined. Microscopical General 

 Meeting. — February 17th. — In recognition cf the distinguished services which 

 be has rendered to Biological Science, Professor T. H. Huxley, L.L.D., F.R.S., 

 &c, was elected Honorary Vice-president of the Society. — Mr. J. E. Bagnall 

 exhibited antheridia of Sphagnum dehiscing ; antheridia and archegonia of 

 Mnium subglobosum ; Pogonatum nanum, and Bryum roseum, from Marston 



