BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. '279 



waiting for the opening of the doors at a concert where some queen of 

 song was to delight the audience with her thrilling notes ; — these 

 things showed how great a desire existed to know some of the secrets 

 of nature ; and yet how many there are to whom, even in these days, 

 these secrets are as a closed book. It is one of the highest privileges 

 which a Natural History Society possesses, that of being able to add to 

 the enjoyment as well as to the instruction of those whose powers of 

 investigating nature are undeveloped. 



Before entering upon a description of the principal exhibits, it 

 may be premised that the microscopical display, which occupied the 

 floor of the hall, and upon which the chief energies of the Society 

 were as usual concentrated, was arranged by Mr. A. W. Wills upon 

 a plan which made it something more than a mere series of pretty 

 objects. The series was so formed that the visitor was led through 

 the whole of the animal and vegetable kingdoms by gradually ascend- 

 ing steps, beginning in each case with the most lowly organisms. That 

 the series was not perfect must be admitted, but everyone who has 

 exhibited living microscopic creatures knows how perversely the 

 very organisms which he wants refuse to turn up at the required 

 moment. One word of general praise must not be forgotten. Those 

 who had been familiar with previous exhibitions of the kind remarked 

 an obvious improvement in the average degree of skill with which 

 the objects under the microscopes were illuminated. 



Among the microscopical exhibits only a selection can be made. 

 By far the most interesting, at least to the members of the Society, 

 were the illustrations of the structure of the very rare Funiculina, 

 Virgularia, and Pennatula, which had been obtained during the 

 Marine Excursion to Oban last July. The entire animals were also 

 exhibited. These were shown by Messrs. W. P. Marshall and 

 C. T. Parsons. Mr. W. B. Hughes exhibited living specimens of 

 Terebratula and Caryophyllea (a coral), also dredged at Oban. 

 Messrs. Hughes. Collins, Potts. Allport, and Goode exhibited a si 

 of specimens, prepared by Mr. F. W. Sharpus (who was the first 

 English observer of the fact), demonstrating the viviparous nature of 

 the Brittle Starfish (Ophiocoma neglecta). Mr. Wagstaff exhibited 

 living specimens of Spongilla fluviatilis ; and Mr. J. Levick, the large 

 Amoeba, Lithamceba discus (Ray Lankester), and Brachionus urceolaris. 

 Mr. A. W. Wills exhibited living Desmids from Sutton Park ; and 

 Mr. G. E. Davis, the curious fungus, Myxotrichum, which produces 

 mildew in cotton goods. Besides these there were many others, the 

 total number of microscopes being between seventy and eighty. 



At a separate table was exhibited, by Mr. F. Enock, a collection of 

 microscopical preparations of insects of all orders, mounted with 

 pressure, retaining the chitinous skin only ; also a collection of heads of 

 insects and entire insects, mounted without pressure, and retaining 

 their natural form and colour. These are especially valuable because 

 the absence of distortion enables the student to make out all the parts 

 and their uses with accuracy and ease. 



