﻿72 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



On March 6th the last of the course of free popular lectures 

 was given by Mr. Charles Dury. It was entitled "An Hour with 

 Birds." He began by defining a bird as a vertebrated animal, with 

 warm blood and feathers, which produces its young from an egg. 

 The affinities between birds and reptiles were referred to, and the 

 probable origin from the reptiles considered. The plumage of 

 birds is one of their greatest charms. When the female is bright 

 colored, the male invariably incubates. The various modes of 

 nest-building were dwelt upon at length, especial reference being 

 made to the Mound Turkeys of Australasia. The birds assemble 

 and build a mound of sticks, leaves and earth from eight to ten 

 feet high. In this mass several females lay their eggs and cover 

 them over, leaving a cup-like depression at the apex. This de- 

 pression catches the rain, which, passing down into the heap, pro- 

 duces fermentation and forms a natural incubator. Descriptions 

 of the Dinornis, the Apteryx and the Dodo were given. The 

 migrations of birds were referred to, as well as the superstitions 

 connected with them. 



BOTANY LECTURES. 



At the March meeting of the Executive Board of the Society, 

 it was decided to begin a course of instruction in practical botany 

 under Prof. Joseph F. James. This course will be open to the 

 members and to twenty-five invited teachers of the public schools. 

 It will begin about the middle of April, and continue for ten weeks. 

 The sessions will be held in the rooms of the Society on Saturday 

 mornings from 10.30 to 11.30. The leader of the class will fur- 

 nish the fresh specimens, which will be analyzed under his instruc- 

 tion. The course will be open to members and the invited teachers 

 only, and the instruction is free of charge. Should this course 

 prove successful, others, on different branches of science, will be 

 arranged in the fall. 



