154 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LonDON 
Mathematical Society, Dec. 12.—Dr. Hirst, F.R.S., pre- 
sident , in the chair, Prof Cayley read a paper ‘‘On the 
mechanical description of certain quartic curves by a modi- 
fied oval chuck,’’ and exhibited the action of the instru- 
ment. Mr. S. Roberts spoke on the subject of the paper. 
—Prof. Cayley then gave an account of his communication 
‘On geodesic lines, especially those of a hyperboloid.”— 
Mr. J. J. Walker made a few remarks on the breaking up of 
the anharmonic Ratio Sextic—Mr. J. W. L. Glaisher next gave 
a description, and worked out part, of his paper ‘‘On a de- 
duction from Von Stavdt’s property of Bernoulli’s numbers.” — 
Prof. Clifford read a paper, ‘‘ Geometry on an Ellipsoid.” 
Linnean Society, Dec. 5.—Mr. G, Bentham, president, in 
the chair.—On the skeleton of the Apferyx, by Thos. Allis.—On 
new and rare British Spiders, by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge. 
Dec. 19.—Mr. W. G. Smith exhibited a fine specimen of 
Batarrea phalloides (one of four specimens found in the grounds 
of the Earl of Egmont, near Epsom), and read\a brief paper 
thereon, in which he commented on the great rarity of the plant 
and the peculiarity of its form. Mr, Smith gave some details of 
its structure, especially as regards its possession of so-called 
spiral vessels, and referred to its position among other 
fungi, especially the genera Clathrus, Phallus, Cynophallus, 
and Geaster, a complete set of drawings of these genera, 
showing every stage of growth, being exhibited to the 
meeting. —On the development of the flowers of Welwit- 
schia mirabilis, by W. R. M‘Nab. These investigations 
were made ona beautiful series of flowers of both sexes forwarded 
by Dr. Hooker, whose previous paper was based on the examina- 
tion only of immature specimens. Prof. M‘Nab’s conclusions 
differed in some respects from those of Dr. Hooker, He believes 
the male and female flowers to be constructed on a different plan. 
In the female flower the ovule is truly naked, what has been 
taken by some to be the carpel being in reality the integument 
of the ovule. In the male flower, on the other hand, the (rudi- 
mentary) ovule has a true carpellary coating. In the male 
flowers, therefore, Melwitschia shows a close approximation to 
Angiosperms. Several other points in the structure and develop- 
ment of this remarkable plant were exhaustively gone into.—On 
the General Principles of Plant Construction, by Dr. M, T. 
Masters, F.R.S. The chief objects of this suggestive paper were 
to attempt to introduce greater exactness into botanical termino- 
logy, the definition of parts and organs according to their mor- 
phological rather than their external significance, and to framea 
classification of the facts of morphology in accordance with our 
present knowledge of the laws of development. 
Geologists’ Association, Dec, 6.—The Rev. T. Wiltshire, 
M.A., president, in the chair.—‘‘ On coal seams in the Permian at 
Ifton, Shrpshire, with remarks on the supposed glacial climate 
of the Permian period,” by D, C. Davies, F.G.S. The author 
showed the existence of three well-defined and workable seams 
of coal above the red sandstones and marls which are generally 
held to form the base of the Permian strata. He then proceeded 
to show the identity of these red beds with similar beds overlying 
the coal throughout several of the Midland Counties, and 
with the red sandstones of the North of England, and 
also that the overlying sandstones, shales, and coals were 
the equivalent of the magnesian limestones and calcareous 
conglomerates which occupy the same horizon in widely 
distant ‘places. After referring to the former probable exten- 
sion of these beds over a large area, the author pointed out 
that in the neighbourhood described the gap or break which 
is usually supposed to occur between the Coal Measures and the 
Permian was partly, if not quite, bridged over. He also noticed 
how the different geological formations were dovetailed into each 
other, the old passing upward into the new, and not divided by 
sharp, well-defined lines. From the identity of the age of these 
coal seams with the Permian conglomerate of Alberbury only 
fifteen miles distant, he questioned the probability of} that con- 
glomerate being of glacial origin, since two climates so dissimilar 
as a glacial one andthatin which a carboniferous flora flourished 
could not exist together within so limited an area, In conclusion, 
Mr. Davies pointed out the necessity for alterations of the 
boundaries of the Permian and the coal measures in any future 
geological maps of the district.—Note “On a well section at 
Finchley,” by Caleb Evans, F.G.S. 
NATURE 
‘president, in the chair.—A paper was read on landscape photo- — 
pihekias 
oS [Dec. 26, 1 ry 
Entomological Society, Dec. 2.—Prof. Westwood, F.LS., 
president, in the chair.—Prof. Westwood exhibited a drawing of 
a variety of Pyramets cardui captured many years since cn ate 
gate sands.—Mr. Bond exhibited several curious varieties of 
British Lepidoptera, including a female Zycaa egon, the wings 
of which on one side were coloured as in the male, Acronycla 
megacephala, &c. He also exhibited Anomalon fasciatum, a 
species of Zchneumonide new to Britain, bred by Mr. Mitford — 
from the larvze of a supposed variety of Lasiocampa trifolit.— 
Mr. F. Smith, in answer to a question put to him by Major 
Mann, as to whether queen-bees sting, stated that he had never 
been stung by one, and Prof. Westwood said that was also his 
experience.—Mr.{Champion exhibited 7iyamis distinguenda Rye, 
and Lithocaris picea Kraatz, two species of beetles recently | 
tected in Britain. Mr. Miiller read notes on the manner in w! 
the ravages of a species of Mematus or Salix cinerea are checked 
by Picromerus bidens L.—Mr. Dunning read supplementary 
notes on the genus Acentyopus.—Mr. Baly sent the first portion 
ofacatalogue of the phytophagous Coleoptera of Japan, partly 
drawn up from materials collected by Mr. George Lewis.—Mr, 
F. Bates communicated descriptions of new species of Zeme- 
brionidz.—Mr.R, Trimen sent descriptions of new South African 
butterflies. 
Photographic Society, Dec. 10.—James Glaisher, F.R.S. 
graphy by F. C. Earl, in which that gentleman detailed his — 
method of photographing large landscapes. Lenses of different 
focal length, but covering the same extent of field, were em- 
ployed in the camera, so that foreground, middle distance, or 
horizon might be rendered more or less prominent at will.—Mr. 
J. R. Johnson read a paper on a new actinometer recently in- 
vented by Mr. Burton, the translucent films of which were 
formed by bichromate films, coloured with pure Indian-ink ; the 
scales were arranged in true geometrical progression.—Mr. George 
Croughton read a paper on mezzotint effects. 
Royal Microscopical Society, Dec. 4.—W. Kitchen Parker, 
F.R.S., president, in the chair. A new form of micro-spectto- 
scope was described by Edward Gayer, Surgeon of H.M. 
Indian Army. Mr. Gayer claims for his invention the following 
advantages, more light, more dispersive powers, and the possi- 
bility of using it even with high powers.—Dr. Royston Figot 
drew attention to a new method of using the micrometer,—The 
President read a paper ‘‘ On the Histology and Growth of the 
Skull of the Tit and Sparrow Hawk.” as 
EDINBURGH viet 
Royal Physical Society, Nov. 27.~ Mr. Charles Williams 
Peach, one of the presidents of the society, delivered an open- 
ing address, his subject being ‘‘ The Fossil Flora of the Old Red 
Sandstone of the North of Scotland.” The history of the Old 
Red sandstone, he said, whether of its rocks, plants, or fishes, 
was still to be written. Slowly light was breaking in upon the 
organisms found in the formation ; but much inquiry and ch 
required yet to be made before a full catalogue of these could be 
drawn up. Not long ago it was believed that the only organisms 
to be found in the Old Red sandstone were of a marine cha- 
racter, such as fucoids, but he ventured to say that the flora of — 
the formation was not so poor as was supposed. He had inyes- 
tigated the Old Red, particularly in the north of Scotland, an 
found many land plants. They were rarely to be found in beds _ 
of limestone, seldom or never in the pavement beds of com- 
merce, but were far from rare in the coarse beds that underlie th 
last-named. He believed that if these coarse beds were exposed — 
a perfect forest of plants would be discovered. The state of 
knowledge of the fosilliferous character of the Old Red sand- 
stone stood thus :—In 1844 land plants were z7/, fucoids abun- 
dant ; 1849, of land plants, one genus and one species; fucoids 
as many as you please; 1855, five genera of land plants and five 
species ; fucoids abundant; 1872, thirteen genera and twenty- 
three species of land plants ; sea-weeds wii, ; 
Edinburgh Naturalists’ Field Club, Nov. 29.—Mr, R. 
Scott-Skirving, president, in the chair.—The secretary, Mr, J. 
D. Brown, read the annual report, which stated that 
during the year the club had had twenty-three excursions, 
The secretary of the Largo} Field Society offered a prize— 
of fifty mounted specimens of Afusci Fifenses, to be com-_ 
peted for by ladies present at the club’s excursions to _ 
Kilconquhar and Elie. This prize was gained by Miss 
Masson. ‘Two additional prizes were offered by two members _ 
of the club, to be competed for by the ladies—one at North — 
a 
