REPORTS. 95 



on the screen. A hearty vote of thanks was afterwards passed to the lecturer. 

 — Microscopical General Meeting. — March loth. Mr. Hughes exhibited 

 Trichina spiralis, from the muscles of man and a pi?, and made a few rem >rks, 

 in which, while he deprecated the present scare on this subject, he advised 

 the most thorough cooking of every preparation of pork. Mr. Bolton exhibited 

 a number of marine organisms from the As;on Aquarium. Mr. Lioyd exhibited 

 a section of the stem of a species of Bignonia. Mr. Bagnall exhibited two rare 

 mosses, Fissidens incurvus and F. exilis, from New Park, Middleton ; also a 

 fine series of the aquatic Ranunculi of Warwickshire, giving details of their 

 distribution and their specific differences. Mr. Levick read a note upon 

 Volvox globator, in which he described several experiments, wnich he believed 

 to prove the Volvox sphere to be filled with a substance iittle or no less solid 

 than the peripheral envelope. This conclusion wa3 much controverted by some 

 of the members present, and Mr. Levick promised to demonstrate the fact to 

 their satisfaction on some future evening. 



BANBURYSHIEE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY AND FIELD 

 CLUB. — A society, named as above, has recently been formed at Banbury, 

 under most favourable circumstances. A provisional committee made excel- 

 lent arrangements for the opening meeting, (which was fuily attended,) and 

 secured the use of a number of microscopes, and, among other exhibits, a fine 

 stand of rare local birds, (by Mr. O. V. Aplin,) geological and botanical 

 specimens, land shells, and butterflies. Mr. T. Beesley, F.C.S., was elected 

 president, and delivered a suggestive, practical address, in the course of which 

 he strongly recommended ladies to take up the study of meteorology, and devote 

 special attention to the observation of cloud forms, valuable records of which, 

 with the aid of pen and pencil, they might easily accumulate. The scope 

 afforded by the district to students of the several branches of natural 

 history was also pointed out. It was announced that nearly fifty members 

 had been enrolled. Mr. E. A. Walford was elected honorary secretary. The 

 first ordinary meeting of the society was fixed for Monday, April 4th, at 

 Wood Green Lodge, when Mr. Aplin wiil read a paper entitled " Ornithological 

 Observations." 



BTJRTON-ON-TRENT NATURAL HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY. — February 15th. A paper was read by the Rev. Clement Ley, 

 M.A., F.M S., Rector of Ashby Parva, on "Clouds and Wea;her." Mr. Ley 

 said that a science of clouds did exist, and pointed out its practical utility. An 

 experienced observer of the forms and movements of clouds, aided by 

 meteorological instruments, is able to tell with considerable accuracy the state 

 of the weather at the time of observation for 400 miles all round tue station 

 at which the observation is made. At, or just after sunrise, he is enabled to 

 foretell the coming weather of the next twelve hours at his own station, with 

 95 per cent, of successful forecasts. It enables him to predict at, or after sun- 

 set, the weather of the next coming 24 hours at his own station, with 75 per 

 cent, of successful forecasts. He said this amount of accuracy was not to be 

 found in the forecasts of the Meteorological Office, because that office undertakes 

 to forecast local weather from general observations, which are purely instru- 

 mental, without the information to be had from the forms and movements of 

 the clouds at the localities for which forecasts are issued. The local scientific 

 observer can predict for himself the coming weather better than any central 

 office. Mr. Ley also discussed — What are clouds ? Into what distinguishable 

 varieties are they divided? And to what condition of present and coming 

 weather are these varieties or genera related ? To make the subject more 

 instructive, he exhibited explanatory diagrams by means of the oxy-hydrogen 

 lantern. 



EVESHAM FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. — February 23rd, the 

 annual meeting, which was well attended. The treasurer's account showed a 

 small balance in hand, although the club funds had suffered a loss on the 

 excursions during the year. The committee's report stated that the number 

 of members is thirty-two, as compared with twenty-eight last year. The usual 

 indoor meetings were held during last winter, when interesting papers were 



