TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 



The second annual Soiree o£ the Society was held in the 

 Guille-Alles Lecture Hall on the 7th of February, 1905 ; 

 there was a large attendance, about 200 persons being present. 



After a few introductory remarks by the Rev. W. C. 

 Penney, President, the first short Lecture of the evening 

 was delivered by Mr. W. Sharp, entitled " The Story of a 

 Refuse Heap." This consisted chiefly of interesting in- 

 formation about the ancient shell mounds called " kitchen 

 middens," found on the coast of Denmark and elsewhere, 

 from which it is possible to trace the habits and mode of 

 life of a race of people now extinct. 



The second Lecture, by Miss Slade, was on " Insect- 

 eating Plants," and dealt with those very singular plants 

 which derive their nourishment from, and whose very 

 existence depends upon, supplies of animal food, usually in 

 the form of insects. The British representatives of these 

 carnivorous plants are the Sundews, which may be easily 

 grown in a dish of wet moss, and fed with particles of meat. 



The third Lecture by Mr. F. L. Tanner, entitled " Some 

 Ways of the Ant," proved a most entertaining account of 

 the habits and economy of Ants ; how they make slaves, 

 and keep herds of domestic cattle in the shape of honey- 

 cows, together with certain kinds of beetles and woodlice, 

 which they tend with the greatest care and affection. Their 

 amazing intelligence almost entitles them to rank next to 

 man, and yet they have no leader or queen like the bees — 

 their government is a pure republic. 



The fourth Lecture was by Dr. Duncan on the subject 

 of " Snakes," in which he lucidly described some of the 

 most formidable and dangerous of the serpent tribe, and 

 the distinctions between venomous and harmless species, their 

 anatomy, habits, mode of feeding, &c. ; much of the lecture 

 being a personal narrative of his own observations in South 

 America. 



Each of the Lectures was illustrated by means of Electric 

 Lantern vSlides, and musical selections were given during 



