190 REPORTS. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY.—Gerotogican Srcrion.—May 27th.—Mr. Bolton exhibited 
Brachionus pala, one of the large shielded Rotifers, with two eggs attached. 
Mr. Waller exhibited photographs of some rock sections. Mr. C. Pumphrey 
gave some account of the Geological excursion to Charnwood Forest, on the 
occasion of the meeting of the Midland Union of Natural History Societies, at 
Leicester. Some discussion on the scheme for the united observation of glacial 
phenomena having taken place, the minute on the subject of the 22nd of October 
last was read. GENERAL Mrxntinc.—June 3rd.—Mr. J. Morley exhibited 
bulbs of Crocus nudiflorus, from the Quarry, Shrewsbury. Mr. J. W. Cotton 
exhibited Drosera rotundifolia, Polygala vulgaris, Pinguicula vulgaris, and 
Pedicularis vulgaris. Mr. J. H. Pumphrey exhibited Prunus Padus, the Bird- 
cherry, from Millersdale, Derbyshire. Mr. H. E. Forrest exhibited Tremella 
mesenterica, afungus, from Shrewsbury. Miss Ryland exhibited Geological 
Specimens from Charnwood Forest. Mr. Walter Graham exhibited Helleborus 
viridis and other plants of the limestone, from the Doward Hill, near Monmouth ; 
also, teeth and bones of extinct animals, from King Aurthur’s Cave, Herefordshire. 
BroLogicat Sxction:—June 10th.—Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Jungermannia 
excisa and J. spherocarpa, also Saxifraga granulata, from Sutton Park; Tetraphis 
pellucida, in fruit, from New Park, Middleton, a moss rarely found in this condi- 
tion; also specimens of the long and short styled forms of Primula, the former of 
which is hairy, the latter only papillose. Mr. T. Bolton exhibited six slides given 
to the Society by the Rev. Lord 8. G. Osborne, shewing the effects of carmine 
staining on animal and vegetable tissues. Mr. H. E. Forrest exhibited Hydra 
vulgaris, showing the ova and sperm-sacs; Trifoliwm repens, showing leaves with 
three, four, five, six, and seven leaflets ; Spirogyra quinina, showing formation of 
spores from the contents of contiguous cells in the same filament, and various 
other fresh-water algee. Mr. J. Levick exhibited Pandorina morum and Uroglena 
wvolvox, both from Sutton Park; and read a few notes on the latter. Mr. M. 
Browne exhibited Huchelia Jacobew, the Cinnabar moth, taken at Bath: 
MicroscopicaL GENERAL Mrntinc.—June 17th—Mr. A. W. Wills exhibited 
Several species of Spirogyra and Zygnema, showing formation of spores in con- 
jugating filaments, and in contiguous cells of the same filament. Mr. W. P. 
Marshall exhibited newt and newt-embryos, shewing the circulation in the gills 
while within the egg. Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Cephalanthera ensifolia, 
Myosotis wmbrosa, and Helianthemum vulgare, from Oversley Wood. Mr. J. W. 
Cotton exhibited Botrychium Lunaria, the Moonwort, from Barmouth. Mr. T. 
Clarke exhibited slides of Crystals of Sulphate of Copper. Mr. W. R. Hughes 
read some interesting notes on the marine excursion to Arran last year, including 
full descriptions of the more remarkable animals captured, and illustrated by 
preserved specimens of the Nemertean Annelid, Carinella annulatd and stalked 
examples of Antedon rosaceus, in various stages of development. 
BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—May 9th, 
Annual General Meeting, the President (Rev. A. R. Vardy) in the chair. The 
officers for the ensuing year were elected, as follows :—President—Rev. A. R. 
Vardy. Vice-Presidents—Rev. E. F. M. McCarthy, Rev. J. H. Smith, R. Levett, 
Esq., J. Turner, Esq. Hon. Sec.—H. F. Devis. _Curators—Biological Section, 
J. Chapman; Geological Section, — Stokes. A. B. Badger exhibited Philodina 
roseola and Floscularia ornata. May 16th, General Meeting.—A paper was read 
by A. W. Swayne, on ‘A Walk at Llanthony.” June 6th, General Meeting.—A 
paper was read by J. Chapman on “ The Fertilisation of Plants.” 
CHELTENHAM NATURAL SCIENCE SOCIETY.—We mentioned at 
page 164 that Mr. Day had addressed the. members of this society on the 
question “ What has Vivisection done for Science?” We have since been 
favoured with a sight of a reswmé of the paper, and heartily regret that our 
limited space does not allow us to offer a statement of the admirable way in 
which he put the answer. We cannot, however, debar ourselves of the pleasure 
of stating that a more thoughtful and well-reasoned exposition of the views of 
most intelligent biologists on the subject has not been seen by us. Mr. Day 
stated his views most dispassionately, and showed most conclusively that the 
interests of suffering humanity would be sacrificed, and the advance of scientific 
enquiry seriously retarded, if properly conducted experiments on the lower 
