GLEANINGS—REPORTS. 81 
Licnens.—We are able to announce that the Rev. W. A. Leighton has’ 
nearly completed the printing of the third edition of his Lichen-Flora 
of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands, which, itis expected, 
will be ready for issue early this month. This new edition is rendered 
necessary by the surprising discoveries of Mr. Larbalestier in the West of 
Treland ; those of Mr. Crombie, Dr. Stirton, and others, in the North 
of Scotland; and Mr. Leighton’s own researches in North and South 
Wales; whereby the Lichen-Flora.of the former editions, amounting to 
1,156, has been raised now to 1,706, thus rendering our lichens in number, 
rarity, and novelty quite equal to those of any country in Europe. 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 
The Annual Meeting of the members of the Midland Union of Scientific 
Societies will this year be held at Leicester, on Tuesday and 
Wednesday, the 20th and 21st of May. On the first day there will be a 
meeting of the Council, the General Annual Meeting in the after- 
noon, and a Conversazione in the evening; whilst the chief feature of 
the second day will be an excursion to Charnwood Forest. Further 
details will appear in our next number. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY.—January 21st, MicroscopicaL GENERAL Mrrtinc.—This meeting 
was made special for the purpose of considering the best steps to be taken to 
induce the members personally to assist in contributing to the Birmingham 
Reference Library Restoration Fund. The action of the committee in 
voting twenty guineas from the funds of the Society for that purpose was 
approved, and it was resolved that a circular, with a list of subscriptions already 
promised, and requesting further subscriptions, be sent to each member of 
the Society. A sub-committee was appointed to consider the question 
of the establishment of a Town’s Museum, with authority to take 
action in conjunction with the other scientific societies. January 28th.— 
GronocicaL Sxrction.—Dr. Callaway, of Wellington, delivered an address 
on “The pre-Cambrian Rocks of Shropshire,’ in the course of which he 
gave the reasons which have led him to conclude that the series of devitrified 
pitchstones and volcanic agglomerates which form the axis of the Wrekin and of 
some other elevations in Shropshire, and the quartzite which flanks them, are of 
pre-Cambrian age. They probably correspond with the Pebidian series of St. 
David’s in South Wales, as described by Dr. Hicks, and with the Huronian of 
Canada, and are more recent than the crystalline schists and gneissose rocks of 
Malvern, a patch of very similar character having been mapped by Dr. Holl as 
“burnt rocks” to the east of the Herefordshire Beacon. A vote 
of thanks was pussed to Dr. Callaway for his interesting address. 
February 4th.— Annuat Grmnurat Mentinc.—The report and balance-sheet for 
the year 1878 were read and approved. The following officers were elected for 
the current year:—President, Walter Graham; Vice-Presidents, E. W. Badger 
and W. Southall; Treasurer, C. Pumpbrey ; Librarian, J. E. Bagnall; Curators, 
J. Levick and W. H. Cox; Secretaries, J. Morley and H. E. Forrest. The 
delivery of the retiring President’s address was postponed to a future meeting, of 
which due notice will be given February 11th.—Bronoe1can Srction.—Several 
microscopic objects were exhibited. Mr. W. G. Blatch gave some very 
interesting notes on the rare insects, chiefly Coleoptera, which he had taken 
during the past year. He alluded to the curious fact that severe winters seem to 
be more favourable to the production of rare insects during the following 
summer than mild ones, and pointed out that the coming season 
may, therefore, be expected to be a very rich one, entomologically speaking.— 
February 18th.—Microscoricat GENERAL Mertinc.—Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited 
a number of rare mosses from Dr. Lindberg, among others Dicranella Grevilleana ; 
