Reports of Societies. 



Ill 



The Court, near Wrexham, a distinguished botanist, many years ago ; 

 and during the last summer it was rediscovered in the old locality by Mr. 

 E. M. Holmes, of London, from whom the specimens now shown were 

 received. 



OvendejST Naturalists' Society. — Monthly meeting, December, Mr. 

 James Spencer, v.p., in the chair. — The chairman made some observations 

 concerning the uses of the microscope in geology, and showed a number 

 of microscopic objects, including the following : — Dadoxylon, from the 

 Yoredale strata of Hebden Bridge ; Sigillaria organum from ^' baum-pot" 

 over hard-bed coal ; S. vasculare — the whole plant from pith to bark 

 about Sin. diameter, and a sKce of a smaller one for microscopic examina- 

 tion ; Lyginodetidron Oldhamium, Lepidodendron selaginoides, fern stems, 

 several slides of spores (two new and undescribed), all from Halifax coal 

 strata. Mr. T. Hirst exhibited the following birds, viz : two pairs of 

 snipes, pair of mallard ducks, two pairs of grebes, two pairs of bluecaps, 

 and one redwing. — J. Ogden, Hon. Sec. 



Staestland Naturalists' Society. — Annual meeting and dinner, Jan. 

 6th, Mr. J, E. Garside, president, in the chair. — The officers for the 

 coming year were elected as follows : — President, J. E . Garside (re- 

 elected) ; secretary and treasurer, Wm. Hy. Stott ; delegate to the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, C. C. Hanson. After dinner the secretary 

 read the report, showing the society to be in a flourishing condition. 

 Twenty-one volumes have been added to the library during the last year. 

 Mr. Garside had received the great northern diver from A. G. Sunder- 

 land, Esq., Coley Hall, he having shot it on Oram Mere. Other members 

 reported the occurrence of woodcock, snipe, kingfisher, and woodpeckers 

 having occurred in the neighbourhood, also the great destruction of bird 

 life by the severe weather. — W. H. Stott. 



Wakefield Naturalists' Society. — Annual meeting, Jan. 2nd, Mr. 

 Wilcock in the year. — The report of the past year was read. The 

 following were appointed officers for the ensuing year : — Mr. J. Wain- 

 wright, F.L.S., re-elected president ; Mr. J. W\ Shaw, corresponding 

 secretary ; and Mr. H. Sims financial secretary. Mr. E. B. Wriggles- 

 worth was appointed delegate. 



Yorkshire Naturalists' IJjsriOiSr. — The seventeenth annual meeting 

 was held at the Mechanics' Institute, on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11th, 

 when there was a large attendance of members. The chair was occupied 

 by the president, Mr. H. Clifton Sorby, F.B.S., of Sheffield. The report 

 showed that the progress of 1877 had been fully maintained in 1878, and 

 that the Union was in a sound and healthy condition. All the societies 

 had kept up their connection, and two new ones had been added 

 — Batley Field Naturalists, and Driffield Literary and Scientific. The 

 publication of the Transactions for 1877 was referred to. The map was 

 reported to be in progress, Mr. E. Filliter, C.E., F.G.S., having under- 



