PROCEEDINGS: NOV. 13, 1897. 23 



LONDON BRANCH.— Annual Report. 



Since the last report 13 meetings of this branch have been held. There 

 were eight field meetings, viz., at Barnes, Shoreham (Kent), Swanley, Box Hill 

 West Drayton, Finchley, and Caterham. At Shoreham, on September 26th, 1896, 

 the members present enjoyed a ramble over the chalk downs and were afterwards 

 most hospitably entertained by the Rev. R. Ashington Bullen, who showed them his 

 collection of shells, which includes a fine British specimen of Helix pomatia m. 

 sim'strorsum. The Swanley meeting, May 1st, 1897, was fairly well attended and 

 some rare varieties of Helix hortensis were collected. On Nov. 6th, 1896, Mr. 

 William C. Smith invited the Branch to inspect his collection and a pleasant evening 

 was spent by those present. On December 10th, 1896, Mr. S. J. DaCosta most 

 kindly exhibited part of his very fine collection, which contains several types and 

 numerous rare species. The series of Bulimus and its allies were exceedingly good, 

 and so were the West Indian Helices. A beautiful set of Cochlostyla and some 

 brilliant Amphidromus were much admired. A fine set of Opisthostoma was 

 specially noticeable, some pretty Pteropoda, a number of gorgeous Pectens and 

 some curious mollusca from Lake Tanganyika. But the time was quite insufficient 

 for the examination of all Mr. DaCosta's rarities. At the meeting in April, 1897, 

 the Rev. J. W. Horsley contributed a paper on "Helix hortensis and Helix 

 nemoralis, their varieties and nomenclature," this has since been published in the 

 "Journal of Malacology." The members of the London Branch desire to cordially 

 thank those gentlemen who have kindly allowed them to see their collections, and 

 hope other members will extend the same privilege to them during the winter months. 



9th Nov., 1897. J. E. Cooper, Hon. Sec. 



266th Meeting, December 8th, 1897. 



Mr. Thomas Rogers in the chair. 



Donations to the Library announced and thanks voted : 

 The Scottish Naturalist, no. 24 ; The Nautilus, vol. n, nos. 1-7 ; La Feuille des 

 Jeunes Naturalistes, nos. 325, 326; The Naturalist, nos. 268, 269 ; The Irish Natura- 

 list, vol. 6, nos. 11, 12; Journal de Conchy liologie, vol. 45, no. 2; Variation in 

 colouration and zonulation in Tachea L., by A. E. Boycott (fro7n the author) ; 

 Note on some new or interesting species of shells from British Columbia and the 

 adjacent region, by W. H. Dall (from the author) • Science Gossip, vol. 4, nos. 

 40-43; Armature of helicoid land-shells, by G. K. Gude(/rcw the author); Abstract 

 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, May-Oct, 1897 ; 

 Natural history of economic mollusks of the United States, by E. Ingersoll and J. A. 

 Ryder ; Report on the European methods of oyster culture, by Bashford Dean ; 

 Report on the present methods of oyster culture in France, by Bashford Dean ; 

 The physical and biological characteristics of the natural oyster grounds of South 

 Carolina, by Bashford Dean (from W. E. Hoyle). 



New Members Elected : 



Miss Maria Glover, 124, Manchester Road, Southport. 



Mr. John Bingham Fitzsimons, M.D., 14, St. Owen Street, Hereford. 



Candidates Proposed for Membership : 



Mr. John Davy Dean, Mr. Frederick James Partridge, Mr. Arthur S. Poore, 



Resignation ; 



Mr. Graham Renshaw. 



