REPORTS. 14? 



well, new to Warwickshire. Also on behalf of Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, specimens 

 and drawings of Lophocolea heterophylla, one of the Hepaticte from near Stratford. 

 Mr. J. F. Goode exhibited a four-inch objective, by Zeiss, constructed on a new 

 principle, the back lens of the combination being moved by a screw collar so as to 

 alter the power from four to two inch ; the field of this lens embraces a circle of 

 one-inch diameter. Mr. W. G. Blatch exhibited Megacronus cingulatus, a rare 

 beetle, new to the district, found on the 18th at Sutton Park. Mr. T. Bolton 

 exhibited fry of Perch, hatched from spawn laid by fish in the Aston Aquarium 

 fourteen days' previously. Mr. W. H. Jones exhibited sample of Paraguay Tea, 

 the produce of Ilex Paraguay ensis, used instead of tea in South America. Mr. 

 Montagu Browne exhibited a monstrosity — a lamb having its two eyes joined 

 into one on the top of the head, no face, but a long hanging proboscis instead, 

 and ears and mouth in a line underneath, the later very rudimentary, and con- 

 sisting of a straight row of teeth not covered by lips ; three living Bats (Plecotus 

 communis) ; and a living Slow-worm (Avguis fragilis) Mr. I. J. Cotton 

 exhibited a living green Snake (Natrix torquata,) captured the day before at 

 Kenilworth. Mr. W. G. Blatch read a paper on " Two of our Garden Pests, the 

 Currant Moth and the Gooseberry Saw-fly," giving a full description of their life- 

 history and the means usually adopted for their destruction. The paper was 

 illustrated by drawings. Geological Section. — April 27th. — Mr. H. W. Jones 

 exhibited the river Lamprey (Petromyzon argenteus.) Mr. R.W.Chase exhibited 

 a specimen of the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus,) killed near Bridgnorth. 

 The Eev. J. Caswell read a paper on his " Botanical Tours in Ireland in the years 

 1876-77-79." The paper described the scenery, and gave lists of the rarer or more 

 remarkable plants in the west of Ireland, and also in the neighbourhood of Dublin. 

 It was announced that Dr. Deaue would contribute a paper in May, on the " Study 

 of Geology " as the first of a series of geological papers by various gentlemen, to 

 be read at the succeeding meetings of the year. General Meeting. — May 4th. — 

 Mr. J. Morley exibited the fourth series of Nature-printed British Ferns, con- 

 taining many curious varieties. Mr. W. Graham exhibited Idolocoris elephantis, 

 parasite of elephant, and presented a mounted specimen to the Society. Mr. 

 Montagu Browne exhibited three eggs, laid by a common grey Parrot, which was 

 known to be over thirty years old ; also a male Sheldrake (TadornaVulpanser,) 

 caught in a rabbit warren at Barmouth. Mr. W. G. Blatch exhibited some pieces 

 of wood of the Aspen, infested with larvse of one of the Longicorn Beetles, 

 Saperda populnea ; also specimens of the perfect insect. Mr. C. Pumphrey 

 exhibited Paris quadrifolia, Herb Paris, from Hopwood Dingle. Mr. W. Southall 

 exhibited Arum maculatum, a proterogynous flower, to show the mode of fertilisa- 

 tion. Mr. W. G. Blatch read a paper (illustrated by a lithographed plate) on "A 

 cheap and useful Entomological Cabinet," which will appear in a future number. 

 Biological Section. — May 11th. — Mr. H. E. Forrest read a paper by Mr. W. P. 

 Marshall on " Dr. Siemens' experiments as to the influence of the electric light 

 upon vegetation." These experiments show that plants exposed to sunlight by 

 day and the electric light by night flourish better than those exposed to daylight 

 only. Further experiments proved that plants will grow and flourish under the 

 electric light alone, even better than under daylight. The leaves of plants placed 

 within two feet of the electric lamp were scorched at the edges, as if from great 

 heat, but when removed to a distance of seven feet they recovered. The 

 ventilators of a hothouse being closed, a temperature of seventy-two degrees was 

 maintained by the electric lamp alone. Strawberries, &c, exposed to the electric 

 light, in addition to daylight, ripened sooner than others not so treated. The 

 paper elicited a lively discussion. Mr. H. E. Forrest exhibited a method of 

 observing Polyzoa, or other large objects in bottles, without removing them. The 

 whole bottle, corked, is placed on the stage of the microscope, and the portion to 

 be examined covered with a cover glass,which is made to adhere to the bottle by a 

 drop of water or glycerine, thus producing a flat surface through which to view it. 

 Mr. Bolton exhibited marine specimens from the Menai Straits, including Doris, 

 Tube Worms, Coryne, and Tubularia. Mr. J. Levick exhibited an Amcoba of 

 extraordinary size, and Uroglena volvox from Sutton Park. Mr. J. E. Bagnall 

 exhibited Sphagnum auriculatum and S. fimhriatum from Cmberslade ; rare 

 species. Mr. Wills exhibited Spirogyra and Staurocarpus gracilis in con- 

 junction. May 17th. — On Whit-Monday over forty of the members of the Society 

 made an excursion to Warwick and Stoneleigh. At Warwick the morning was 

 spent in visiting many of the principal places of interest, among them being the 



