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The Natuealist. 



days. There were about as many days of rain, with slight falls of snow, 

 as in December, but less in total rainfall by 2 "63 inches in town and 

 country ; sharp nights of frost, frequent mists and strong gales, chiefly 

 from W, SW, and NW, occasionally from N and NE. 



Leeds. — Total rainfall, 3*760 in. ; heaviest falls on 3rd — 1'140 in., 

 29th — '790 in. There were 19 wet days during the month ; in January, 

 1876, we had only 7 wet days, with a rainfall of '605 in. , but more snow. 

 The heaviest rainfall in 1876 was on Oct. 8th, when 1*360 in. of rain fell. 

 H. Crowther, Philosophioal Hall, Leeds. 



GooLE. — Total fall, 2*10 inches ; wet days, 22. — H. F, Pae.sons. 



Barnsley Naturalists' Society. — Annual meeting, Feb. 5th. — The 

 accounts were read by J. Harrison, showing a balance in hand. The 

 officers were re-appointed, except W. J. Cope, who resigned in favour of 

 A. Kell, C.E. A paper was read by the president, " Observations of 

 Birds in the autumn and winter months," which were richer than usual 

 in large and rare species — as the common buzzard, rough-legged buzzard, 

 two common bitterns, two great snipes, pochards, scauj)s, and wigeons. — 

 T. Lister. 



Bradford Naturalists' Society. — Meeting Jan. 23rd, the president, 

 Mr. John Firth, in the chair. The evening was devoted to conversation 

 and the exhibition of specimens. Mr. Robert Spencer exhibited good 

 specimens of the brown owl and dipper. 



Meeting Feb. 6th, the president in the chair. — Mr. J. W. Carter read 

 an interesting paper on entomology. Phigalia pilosmia, Hyhernia 

 leucophearia, Teniocampa instahilis, bred, and the pupa of S. convolmdi 

 were exhibited. Mr. Robert Spencer exhibited a fine specimen of the 

 American prairie bird. — H. T. Soppitt, Cor. Sec. 



Bradford Scientific Association. — Meeting Jan. 11th, Mr. H. Dibb 

 in the chair. A lecture was delivered by Mr. Thomas Tate, vice- 

 president, his subject being ''What is life?" The lecturer described 

 and illustrated by diagrams the life history of such minute organisms as 

 the yeast plant, Torula Ceremsia, and the free swimming fresh-water 

 plant, Frotococcus pluvialis. Of these vegetable forms the outer envelope 

 consists of cellulose, which is composed of the chemical elements, 

 carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen : while the inner portion consists of 

 protoplasm, composed of the same chemical elements as cellulose, with the 

 important addition of nitrogen. All plant cells obtain their food by 

 osmosis, the substances on which they feed being in solution in the liquid 

 in which the organism lives, and is drawn or sucked through the outer 

 cellulose envelope. A description was then given of the specks of jelly- 

 like protoplasm found creeping in etagnant waters — the Amceba. In this 

 there is no cellulose envelope, and food is not obtained by osmosis, as in 



