224 REPORTS. 



BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS' AND NATURALISTS' UNION.— 

 July 4th. — A meeting, at which was exhibited, by Mr. Poland, eleven varieties 

 of shells from canal, Hatton ; Mr. Dunn, pollen of (Enothera. A paper was 

 read by Mr Madison on "The Oolitic Formation and its Fossils." After 

 describing the rocks met with in the formation, a large number of fossils were 

 shown, among which were good specimens of Echinu- from the Cotteswold 

 and Northamptonshire Oolites; also, fossil wood from Portland. July 9th. — 

 An excursion to Habberley Vulley. Large number of plants of PoteiitiUa 

 fragariastrum, found infested withAregma obtusatum. July 11th. — A meeting 

 devoted to special systematic Botany. Plants belonging to various natural 

 orders common to the district were shown and described. Mr. Madison exhi- 

 bited a variety of shells found in Habberiey Valley. Mr. Betteridge exhibited a 

 pair of Red-back Shrikes, from King's Norton ; Mr. Sanders, Comma Butterfly, 

 taken at Spaikbrook. July 18th. — A meeting, Microscopical and general. 

 Mr. J. W. Neville exhibited spores and elaters of Marchantia ; Mr. Moore, 

 hairs of Arctic Fox and Polar Bear ; Mr. Grew, Burnished Brass Moth, found 

 in Smallbrook Street, Birmingham ; Mr. Darley. Wood Tiger, Scalloped Shell, 

 Buff Arches, and Dark Arches Moths ; Mr. Betteridge, Garden Warbler, 

 Wood Wren, Redstart, Whinchat, and Spotted Flycatcher. July 25th.— A 

 meeting, at which Mr. Blay showed Red Crag Fossils, from Walton-on-the- 

 Naze; Mr. Sanders exhibited varieties of Heath Moth ; Mr. F. Shrive, shells 

 from Northampton. A paper was read by Mr. Poland on " Our Common Shells 

 and where to find them." A large number of shells, fouud iu the district by 

 the writer, were exhibited. Palate of Limncsa stagnalis, Carychium minimum, 

 and Love Darts of Helix nemoralis were also exhibited. 



OXFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.— The last excursion 

 of the summer term was made to Bagley Wood, by permission of the Bursar 

 of St. John's College. The weather was delightfully fine, and a very pleasant 

 field day was enjoyed, although, from the multitude of attractions iu the city, 

 the attendance was not so large as could be desired. Mr. H. Boswell appeared 

 for the Bryologists, Mr. H. Plumptre, of Univ. Coil, Entomology, Mr. G. C. 

 Druce for Botany. The plants found included the pretty an i rare Ivy-leaved 

 Campanula, (Wdhlenbergia kederacea,) Rosa Borreri, Carex flava, Carex 

 pallescens, and Potentilla procumbens, and the mosses <~p7iagnum cymbifolium, 

 Aulacomnium palustre, Fissidens bryoides, and Hypnum commutatum. The 

 greasy pearl bordered and small pearl bordered Fritillaries were also seen. 

 On January 12th a meeting was held in the University Museum, Prof. 

 Westwood, F.L.S., presiding. Mr. H. Macphersou, of Oriel College, read a 

 paper on ' The Goldfinch," which will be printed in a future number. Prof. 

 Westwood exhibited living specimens of the Asparagus Beetle, iu order to 

 draw attention to the sounds made by them. Two distinct noises were heard 

 when the box in which they were contained was sharply tapped. The Pro- 

 fessor suggested the probable manner by which the sounds were produced. — 

 Mr. Bolton King, of Balliol College, described a visit to Grimes Bank or 

 Dyke, near Wallingford, and stated it was almost the sole piece of original 

 turf left on the Oxfordshire side of the river. On it he had found tenecio 

 campestris, Juniperus communis, I'nh/gala calearea, in splendid patches; 

 Hippocrepis comosa, and Sedum Fabaria ; and at the extreme end. near the 

 woods, Baxifraga granulata. In the fields near he had also gathered Fumaria 

 Vaillantii, densiflora and parviflora. Mr. P. T. Richards, M.A., Trinity 

 College, stated be had also sen Spircea filipendula, Campanula glomerate, and 

 Ligustrum vulgar e, on the same bank; and Mr. Druce added to these Mono- 

 tropa hypopitys, which grew at the western end. Mr. G. C. Druce read a note 

 on the occurrence of Litlorella lacustris in Oxford, which he had found in 

 company with Mr. Richards, on Woodcote Heath, in a pond, the first record 

 of the plant in Oxon. Another pond in the vicinity contained /'eplis portula 

 and Ranunculus truncatua, while a third and deeper one, nearer Goring, con- 

 tained Potamogeton serratus, of Hudson. Prof. Westwood made some remarks 

 on the various papers, and complimented Mr. Macphersou on the thoroughness 

 of his work, as exemplified in the paper on the Goldfinch. 



