Reports of Societies. 



93 



means of blackboard diagrams. After a brief discussion and the usual 

 vote of thanks, the Society adjourned over the Christmas vacation. 



W. D. R. 



OvBNDEJsr Naturalists' Society. — Annual meeting Dec. 9th, when a 

 number of the members and friends sat down to a substantial dinner at 

 the Queen's Head [nn, Illingworth. After the cloth had been removed, 

 the chair was taken by the president (Mr. Baldwin). Mr. Charles Sheard 

 proposed the toast of the evening, Success to the Ovenden Naturalists' 

 Society." He said he was one of the promoters of that Society, and the 

 only regret he had was that the Society had not been organised 50 years 

 before, and made some remarks on its history. Mr. J. Ogden read the 

 report, which shewed about 60 ordinary and 8 honorary members, also an 

 excellent library of about 300 volumes, and a very rare collection of 

 geological specimens. There have been five local rambles during the 

 summer. Mr. Spencer, in responding to the toast, said he had done what 

 lay in his power to bring the subjects of natural history and geology 

 before the working classes in Halifax and the neighbourhood. They were 

 not destroying life, or wasting anything by their studies. They were not 

 seeking to gain wealth by it, but to benefit those around them. He had 

 endeavoured to elucidate the measures in the district of Halifax, from 

 the lowest measures laid bare in the district to the uppermost part of the 

 Low Moor coal measures. People were little aware what chances they 

 had of studying prehistoric man in this district. When the Romans 

 came to England the inhabitants used stone and a few bronze implements. 

 All before that time belonged to the pre-historic period, as the historical 

 began when Julius Csesar came to Britain. They knew that at one time 

 this country was occupied by an immense sheet of ice, which came from 

 the north-west, which scratched the rocks, and ground all before it. In 

 Craven they might see foreign boulders brought down by the glaciers, 

 but here they did not see any foreign boulders except in the Calder. 

 Afterwards the whole country sunk beneath the sea, and the grey sand 

 was an evidence of it. The waves levelled the land, and afterwards the 

 country was again raised, and a forest he had mentioned grew upon the 

 bed of grey sand, which was thus formed. 



Sheffield Naturalists' Club. — Annual meeting at the Cutlers' Hall, 

 November 30th, Mr. W. Baker, president, in the chair. — There was a 

 good attendance. Mr. F. Brittain, the hon. secretary, read the report, 

 which stated that the financial position of the club is exceedingly satis- 

 factory, there being a considerable balance in the hands of the treasurer. 

 At one of the meetings Mr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S., read a paper on " The 

 Evolution of Haemoglobin." There were four excursions during the 

 summer, and each one was very numerously attended. The great want of 

 the Society is a larger number of real students who take a lively interest 

 in natural history. Without this element no so-called naturalists' society 

 can be permanently prosperous. The election of officers was then 



