ANNUAL REPORT. 



The attendance was large and highly appreciative, Mr. Chase's 

 magnificent collection of birds deservedly attractnig a considerable 

 share of praise, second indeed only to that bestowed upon the 

 microscopical display. 



Diiring the year there have been two Day Excursions — on 

 Easter Monday to Coventry, and on Whit-Monday to 

 Church Stretton. There have also been Half-day Excursions to 

 Bilston, Wilmcote,Earlswood, Alveclmrch, Hampton, Harborne, 

 Bromsgrove, and Olton. Besides these, on October 8th the first 

 Fungus Foray was made by the Society to Sutton Park, under 

 the guidance of Dr. M. C. Cooke, M.A. 



The Marine Excursion took place, as was suggested in the 

 last re])i)rt, to ()l)an, in the Western Highlands. It extended 

 from July 1st to July 12tli, and proved a great success, quite 

 equal to the previous excursions in interest. Thu'ty-two 

 members joined, including Dr. Thos. Wright, President of the 

 Midland Union, and Mr. Egbert de Hamel, Ex-President of the 

 Tamworth Society ; there were also several ladies. A little 

 steamer — the " Curlew " — was chartered for a week, and dredging 

 operations were carried on daily in the Bay of Oban and the 

 vicinity. A most interesting and beautiful series of animals 

 was obtanied, which are now receiving attention at the hands 

 of the members, and a portion of the reports — embracing the 

 Peunatulida — has already been presented by Professor A. Milnes 

 Marshall and Mr. W. P. Marshall. Those members who did 

 not join in the dredging had good opportunities of botanising 

 and geologising in a series of excursions to the principal places 

 of interest in the neighbourhood. On the evenings of July 

 3rd and 10th, Dr. Wright gave, by request, two pleasing 

 addresses " On the Basaltic Formations of Stafia and lona," 

 and " On Glaciation." In the evenings microscopical demonstra- 

 tions were given by Professor T. W. Bridge, Messrs. W. P. 

 Marshall, W. R. Hughes, and G. W. Tait. By the courtesy of 

 Mr. R, H. Scott, of the Meteorological Ofifice, telegrams were 

 received daily, giving the weather-forecasts for the morrow, 

 which greatly assisted the members in making their arrangements. 



