120 REPORTS. 



and vegetable life to be found in a pond were briefly alluded to, and some of 

 the more remarkable form9 described at greater length. The lecture was 

 illustrated by some very beautiful photographs of the organisms referred to, 

 exhibited by the oxy-hydrogen lantern. 



BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND INSTITUTE SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 

 —April 15th. The mi rubers made au excursion to Coalbrookuale, and crossing 

 the Severn passed over Benthall Edge to Much Wen ock, visiting the Abbey and 

 Town Hall. The party then walked through Farley Dingle to Buildwas, 

 tea being provided at the Bridge Iun, after which a stroll along the Severn 

 bank was takeu, over which a very charming view of the Abbey was obtained. 



BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS' AND NATURALISTS' UNION.— 

 M trch 7th. — Microscopical and General Meeting. — Mr. J. W. Neville exhi- 

 bited shells of young oysters by polarised light; Mr. C. P. Neville various 

 zoophytes ; Mr. H. Bolaud specimens of Helix cartusiana, Assiminia Gratjana, 

 and Planorbia lineatus ; Mr. H. Iusly, Epidermis of Iris and Scarlet Pelar- 

 gonium.— M >n"i 11th. A paper was read by Mr. Blay on " Common 

 Poisonous Plants of the District." Specimens of Nitella translucens, 

 Bhowing circulation, were exhibited by Mr. Dunn, and Epistylis attached to 

 />,? quadricornis by Mr. C. P. Neville. — March 18th. Excursion to Sutton 

 Park.— March - 1st. Microscopical and General Meeting. — Messrs. Boland 

 and Madison exhibited Limncea peregra from Keeper's Pool, Sutton Park, 

 also the same from Keeper's well, which were found to be dwarfed and poor in 

 texture compared with those from tha pool. Mr. J. W. Neville showed a 

 specimen of Batrachospermun, from Keeper's Pool ; Mr. Betteridge, a stuffed 

 Bpe -iinen of Spotted Crake, (Gallinula porzana,) killed at Great Barr. — March 

 28th, This meetiug was devoted to Microscopic Entomology. Mr. J. W. 

 Neville exhibited hair of Authrinus, and Caterpillar of Scolloped Oak Moth, 

 mounted whole, showing tracheal system; Mr. G. P. Neville, larva of Dragon 

 Fly (Agrion) and Gcophilus longicornis, showing respiratory systems ; Mr. 

 H. Insly, head of Beetle, showing organs of mouth ; Mr. J. Baxter, head of 

 Common Gnat ; Mr. Dunn, wing of ditto, showing scale arrangement ; Mr. 

 J. A. Grew, anteuure of Cockchafer ; Mr. Darley, a Moth, twin spot quaker. 



BANBURYSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.— This Society 

 held its first meeting on April 4th. There was an exhibition of objects from 

 the neighbourhood, for the most part microscopic. A report on the 

 meteorology of the district for the past three mouths was read by the Presi- 

 dent, and a note on the occurrence of Meridion circulate, by Mr. E. A. 

 Walford. Mr. O. V. Apliu then read a paper, entitled " Ornithological Notes." 

 After some little discussion upon Mr. Aplin's paper, Mr. S. Stutterd gave an 

 address upon " Proposed Work for the Society," in which he advocated the 

 collection and study of natural history specimens over small areas, and by 

 storing such collections to gradually form the nucleus of a local museum. He 

 spoke of the amount of work yet to be done in geological, zoological, and 

 botanical fields, and pointed out how small a part of the local work had yet been 

 attempted. For the next meeting, a botanical address was promised by the 

 President, and the first field excursion was fixed for May 7th. The Society 

 now numbers between sixty and seventy members. 



PETERBOROUGH NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.— At the regular 

 fortnightly meeting of this Society, held on March 22nd, a paper was read 

 by Mr. E. Wheeler, one of the vice-presidents, on the subject of " Limestones." 

 The special characteristics of the various kiuds of limestone were described, 

 but the paper dealt chiefly with the formation of limestones, the line of argu- 

 ment followed beinc that which has been brought forward by Dr. Carpenter 

 and others, viz., that all limestones, whether fossiliferous or showing no traces 

 of fossils, have been formed in the same way by the accumulation of the 

 remains of small organisms. The paper was illustrated by a number of 

 specimeus. Mr. Gee presided, and tuere was a good attendance. 



