284 GLEANINGS REPORTS. 



^vcpils of Societies. 



BIRmNGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND mCROSCOPICAL 

 SOCIETY. — Aup;us-t 6t.li. — General Mekttno. The Chqivman made some 

 general remarks upou tlie recent excursion l,o A'-ran, and spoke in hi'cb terms of 

 the cordial disposition displayed by every individual composiiic; tlie party, which 

 contributed so much towards the general success. lie also stated that the 

 unanimous opinion of the pa^ty was that the next excursion should he for four- 

 teen days, and that it he io Falmoutii. M'\ J. F. Goode PKlnljiicd a pbotocrraph 

 of the SLeam boat " Lizzie," and describecl the arrar';Pinents on board and the 

 mode of dredging. Mr. W. 11. AViikinson exhibited a numlier of plants collected 

 in Arran, amongst wliich were Droscra nurilka, /'iiif/nicn./n hisitanica, /'oJ>i/iod- 

 ium I'hcf/D^ilcris, /'. Drjinpfnris, JjOffira wonfavo, Ti. rrrnrra, Ar.plfiilum 

 mantiiimni, and Lijcopoclluni aJpinnm. Mr. W. II. Hughes made some observations 

 upon some of the more remarkable specimens wliich wer" dredged. These 

 included the rare star fish, Lr.idin f'rai/i//^ 'ma, and f'ariiir //a /liiriifa,a.Tnrhpl- 

 lariau worm, one of the most liamisoiue and graceful of the whole order, at^o 

 several Nuiiibrauchiate Mollusca, notably /)ofo roronala, Pari': ■/li/o-y, and Aurilla 

 crUfidn, new to the district. The collection, which was very numerous, included 

 an uudescribed worm, and a species of Goby not yet determined. ^Ir. Hughes 

 said the siiejiiueus would be carefully examined and a further report nifde. The 

 results with the towing net devised by Mr. Allport were very successful, and 

 included i7('yyi/i/(arirt and larval forms of Echinoderms and living Foraminifera. 

 Mr. Miles exhibited a beautiful series of mounted specimens of Marine Alg;i',from 

 Drummadoon Bay. — MicRoscortc.vL Genkeal IMekting. — August 2()th. Mr. 

 Bolton exhibited Crisfafella inucedo, and the cast shell of a small crab ; Mr. M. 

 Browne exhibited the larv;c of the Death's Head IMotli, (Aclieroiilia Alro/wfJ 

 taken in George Street, Spring Hill ; and (on behalf of Sir Arthur Scott) two 

 specimens of an African ISIoth, (Lrio rruur.) — September '2nd. — Genekal 

 Meeting. Mr. Boltou e:i\i\h\ied Laci:iiihii-ia ^oeicH.ti; Mr. J. Levick exhibited 

 Actiiwjihrt/s Klchlwrini in conjugation, and iS^pirostonuim amhifjuum. Mr. T. J. 

 Slatter exhibited Frederkflla svlJnna and rahuliceUa Khirnbcn/i, from near 

 Kedditch. Mr. W. Southall exhibited the following plants, from the Lake 

 district: — Parnafisla palnstrh, Utrirnlnria rii/r/ari-t, f^axifraiia steUaris, S. 

 aizoidcs, Li/cojtodium sfihi()titoidcs,Eiiulschim nylrnticwit^ and 0.'>iria renifuriiiis. 

 — On Monday, September IGth, an excursion took place, when about sixty 

 ladies and gentlemen visited Malvern and Eastnor Park and Castle. The party 

 left Birmingham at 9 30. Carriages were in waiting at Malvern Link to convey 

 the visitors to the British Camp. After luncheon the Rev. W. S. Symouds, of 

 Pendock, near Tewkesbury, delivered a graphic and interesting address on the 

 geological and historical features of the Malvern range. Afterwards a portion of 

 the party walked over the hills to Eastnor. j\Ir. Symonds' intimate acquaintance 

 with the neighbourhood eminently qualified him for his position of guide, and 

 enabled him to point out the numerous objects of interest both on tiie hills and in 

 the distance. On Midsummer Hill, Mr. J. T. Burgess, of Worcester, gave a brief 

 description of the British Camp formerly existing on that spot, and also indicated 

 the probable site of the camp occupied by the opjiosing Roman forces. Having 

 inspected the iiuarries at Ragged Stone Hill, the party jiroceeded to Eastnor, where, 

 in the meantime, the Castle and grounds had, by permission of Earl Soniers, been 

 visited by another portion of the company. Mr. AV. Coleman (the'Head Gardener) 

 courteously conducted the members over the grounds, which are most lovely. 

 Having been joined l)y the contiiiirent who had explored the hills, ample justice was 

 done to an excellent tea provided in a tent adjoining the Soniers' Arms Hotel. 

 During tea the Rev. W. S. Symonds gave a short account of the Ragged Stone 

 Hill, and related some interesting legends connected with its history. Votes of 

 thanks were then parsed by acclaniatiou to the Rev. ^V. S. Symonds and Mr. J. T. 

 Burgess, for the admirable waj' in which they had acted as guides ; and to the 

 Eight Hon. Earl Soiuers for his kindness in allowing access to his Castle 

 and grounds. A charming drive to Malvern Link in the fresh auiumn air, 

 and then a two hours' ride by rail, brought the party safe back again, everyone 

 being delighted with one of the most enjoyable excursions of the soasoii, the 

 arrangements for which were admirably carried out by the hou. sec, Mi". J. Morley. 



