220 Reports of Rugby School Natural History Society. 



To the question, Do the hoys really care about Geology? the 

 pages of the Eeports now before us are the best possible answer. 

 They have started a Natural History Society for themselves, and 

 with the patronage and assistance of two or three of the masters 

 (especially of Mr. J. M. Wilson, M.A., F.Gr.S.), they really bid fair 

 to set a good example to many local Field-clubs and Natural History 

 Societies of grown-up men, who, certainly, as far as years and ex- 

 perience go, have the advantage of them. 



The Society was founded March 23rd, 1867. It held twelve 

 meetings in that year, the average attendance at which was twenty- 

 five and the largest number thirty-three. In 1868, sixteen meetings 

 were held, the average attendance at which was thirty-nine, and the 

 largest number sixty-two ! exhibiting a most encouraging state of 

 progress. 



The papers, necessarily, are somewhat elementary in character. 

 E. Cleminshaw, in the first Eeport, gives a paper " On the Natural 

 History of the Eugby Lias ;" and A. C. Bruce "On the accurate 

 division of the local Lias at Eugby into Zones by their Fossils, more 

 especially by their Ammonites." A list of local Lias Fossils is also 

 given. (The term " Crustacean scales" ^ is bad ; " Fish-scales" would 

 be correct, but " portions of Crustacea" — stating whether limbs or 

 articuli of body — would be best). "Collecting Fossils," says the 

 writer of one of these papers, E. Cleminshaw, " is undoubtedly the 

 chief incitement to the study of geology ;" and there can be little 

 doubt that Eugby will turn out some good geologists, from the oppor- 

 tunity which is afforded to the boys to get good fossils from the Lias 

 quarries. We are glad to see the President ever ready, as is his 

 bounden duty, to correct bad deductions in geology, and we hope he 

 will do the same in palseontology and natural history. The Siphuncle 

 of the Ammonite and Nautilus does not " contain some liquid, which 

 it has the power of secreting, and which liquid would make the shell 

 heavier in proportion to its bulk, and so it would sink ;" nor, " upon 

 the withdrawal of the liquid would the shell become specificiaUy 

 lighter and would ascend." The SipTiuncle (as the writer correctly 

 states) has no connection with the interior of the chambers of the 

 shell, and its contents, whether present or withdrawn, would be quite 

 inadequate to disturb the equilibrium of the animal. We must seek 

 another explanation for the siphuncle than that of a pneumatic 

 apparatus.^ 



The 1868 report contains a paper " On the Volcanoes of the Lower 

 Eifel Mountains;" "On the Eiver Gravels," etc. etc. Mr. Wilson 

 contributed papers during both years. The Natural History papers 

 and notes exhibit a more than ordinary share of ability and promise, 

 and they all denote work done lovingly and in right good earnest. 



1 Eeportfor 1867, p. 55. 



2 We would recommend to Mr, Cleminshaw's study some notes " On tlie Form, 

 Growth, and Construction of Shells," by the late Dr. S. P. Woodward ; " Intellectual 

 Obseryer," vol. x. p. 241, for Nov. 1866, and vol. xi. p. 18, for Feb. 1867 (especially 

 pp. 28 and 29). A third article on the " Economic Uses of Shells and their Inhabi- 

 tants" appeared in the April number of the same year (1867); and the "Student 

 and Intellectual Observer" for June or July next will probably contain some notes 

 specially on the shells of the Cephalopoda. — Edit, 



