Proceedings. 159 



Ordinary Meeting, February 4th, 1890. 



Edward SCHUNCK, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.C.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Dr. Alex. HODGKINSON described a very fine spectrum 

 formed by the light through a doorway in the Blackpool 

 Aquarium falling on the corner of one of the tanks, the rain 

 band being distinctly visible. 



Mr. Francis Nicholson, F.Z.S., alluded to the excep- 

 tional abundance of jack-snipes during the season, and a 

 discussion on the relative increase or decrease of different 

 species of birds in the vicinity of Manchester ensued. Dr. 

 SCHUNCK mentioned that he had observed that sparrows in 

 the neighbourhood of his residence at Kersal appeared to 

 have a special preference for the stigma of the yellow crocus. 

 Mr. Charles Bailey suggested that the attraction was 

 probably the greater abundance of nectar, the stigma and 

 other parts of the flower being destroyed merely in the 

 process of getting at the nectar. 



Mr. R. F. GWYTHER, M.A., read the following obituary 

 notice of the Society's late honorary member, M. Gustave- 

 Adolphe Hirn, of Logelbach, near Colmar, Alsace : — 



" The death of Gustave-Adolphe Hirn, which occurred 

 at Colmar on the 14th of January, has followed quickly 

 upon that of Dr. Joule, and little more than a year after 

 that of Clausius. Hirn was born at Logelbach, near 

 Colmar, on the 21st of August, 18.15, and entered the print- 

 works of some relatives at Logelbach as chemist. When, 

 later, this industry was changed for that of weaving, he 

 retained the scientific direction of the works. Though this 

 was the only English Society of which he was an honorary 

 member, he was member or associate of most of the learned 



