> REPORTS. 915 
econ brachionus, & beautiful free-swimming Rotifer—Mr. J. E. Bagnall 
exhibited, on behalf of Mr. T. J. Slatter, Lathyrus Aphaca, in flower, from 
Evesham ; also, on behalf of Mr. J. W. Cotton, Habenaria chlorantha, Melam- 
ge ae Vicia Orobus, and Orchis conopsea, all from Barmouth. Mr. 
. RK. Hughes exhibited the skins of two moles found dead on his grassplot at 
Handsworth, and a short discussion followed as to the possibility of their having 
killed each other. Mr. H. E. Forrest exhibited a rare infusorian, Carchesium 
spectabile, (of which an account is given on page 204,) and read a letter from 
Mr. W. Saville Kent relating to it. July 8th—BurioLocican Srction.—Mr. H. EH. 
Forrest exhibited Trichodina pediculus, a pretty little infusorian, shaped like a 
kettle-drum, with a circle of cilia at both the upper and lower edges. Itis 
parasitic on Hydra. Mr. Barratt showed ‘tadpoles of frog in various stages of 
development, from the appearance of the hind legs to the atrophy of the tail. 
Mr. W. G. Blatch exhibited Pterostichus lepidus and Cymindis vaporariorum, 
two coleopterous insects new to the district, found at Cannock Chase; also a new 
and improved form of collecting bottle devised by himself. July 15th.—Muicro- 
scopicaL GENERAL Mertine.—Mr. W. Wright-Wilson, F.L.S., exhibited a duck 
affected with a nervous disease, preventing it from performing any co-ordinated 
movements, due possibly to the presence of a cystic worm pressing upon the cere- 
bellum. Myr. Montagu Browne, F.Z.S., exhibited Acronycta alni, the alder moth, 
very rare in this district. Mr. W.R. Hughes, F.L.S., then gave a very interesting 
preliminary account of the recent marine excursion to Falmouth. He said that 
scientifically it had been the most successful of the four marine excursions; the 
dredging, having been carried on in fifty fathom water, had resulted in many rare 
and interesting forms of animal life. On the present occasion he confined 
himself to noticing the living specimens only, which had reached Birmingham, 
the preserved ones being reserved until they had been more thoroughly 
examined. 
BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND INSTITUTE SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 
—June 28th.—Excursion to DupDLEY anp District.—On arrival at Dudley the 
party walkéd through the Castle Grounds to the Foxyards open workings, to see 
the outcrop {of the thick coal; the coal in the workings being obtained direct 
from the surface, and worked as a quarry to a depth of twelve yards. The bed 
of ironstone which overlies the coal at the east end of the quarry was next 
examined, and in the nodules numerous specimens, containing plant remains, were 
found. The party then walked along the south-west flank of the Wren’s Nest 
Hill, and secured some characteristic Silurian fossils. Passing under the hill 
through the tunnel, the visitors were charmed with the picturesque view which 
presents itself on emerging into the daylight caverns on the other flank. The 
party then re-entered the Castle Grounds, took tea at the Lodge, and returned to 
Birmingham about nine, having thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. July 19th.— 
An excursion was made to California Clay Pits, Weoley Castle Quarry, and the 
Permian Breccia at Northfield. 
BEDFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—June 26th.—At the 
monthly microscopical meeting, (Mr. G. Hurst, F'.S.8., presiding.) the Mayor of 
Bedford, Mr. T. G. Elger, F.R.A.S., Hon. Sec., read the first part of a paper on 
“The Micro-spectroscope.” Having described the corpuscular and undulatory or 
wave theories, Mr. Elger next detailed very strikingly some of the more noticeable 
phenomena of light. He then explained, illustrating his remarks by diagrams, 
the construction of the micro-spectroscope and its adaptation to the microscope. 
He pointed out that the absorption observed in objects examined by means of 
it is caused by the peculiar molecular structure of the various substances, which 
refuses to allow light of certain colours to pass, and hence causes dark bands 
and lines to appear in those parts of their spectra where the absorption occurs. 
He showed examples of absorption in a variety of substances, solid and fluid. 
Among the former he exhibited the absorption which takes place in glass of 
various colours, in films of gelatine coloured with aniline dyes, &c., and among 
the latter the spectra of chlorophyll and of other preparations from plants of 
different kinds. The concluding portion of the paper is to be given in October. 
A hearty vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr. Elger. 
