Reforts of Societies. 



109 



Dalton last week. Mr. Mosley here pointed out the difference between 

 the old and young bird, the mature being much whiter than this season's 

 bird. He also gave some very interesting facts as to the wearing of the 

 feathers, in relation to the change it causes in the appearance and colour 

 of the bird. Mr. Yarley remarked that he had observed a great diminu- 

 tion of the small birds in this locality, his opinion being that it was the 

 result of the last two inclement winters. 



0 VENDED Naturalists' Society. — Monthly meeting, 15th January, 

 Mr. James Spencer in the chair. — An hour was pleasantly spent in 

 examining some geological specimens which were shown by the president, 

 viz. , a sporangium containing Zygosporites hrevites. These pretty spores, 

 which are plentiful in our coal-balls, bear a striking resemblance to the 

 fossil Xanthidia of the flint nodules which occur in the chalk rocks. 

 Prof. Williamson, who has examined and named them, was doubtful 

 whether they belonged to the Desmidise or were spores of some unknown 

 form of lepidodendroid plant ; though, from the fact that no undoubted 

 desmids have yet been discovered in the coal measures, he inclined to the 

 latter opinion. Mr. Spencer's new discovery helps to confirm the 

 Professor's surmise, by jplacing Zygosporites among the lepidodendroid 

 spores. This is the first time, so far as Mr. Spencer is aware, that these 

 pretty little spores have been found enclosed in a sporangium. — Joseph 

 Ogden, Sec. 



Wakefield Naturalists' and Philosophical Society. — Tenth annual 

 meeting, Jan. 5th, the president, J. Wainwright, Esq., F.L.S.,inthe 

 chair. — There were no exhibits. A favourable report of the proceedings 

 during the past year, with a balance-sheet, was read by the secretary, 

 and passed. Ballot papers were then given to each member, containing 

 the names of a number of gentlemen, and the various officers were 

 elected, including Mr. Joseph Wainwright, president (re-elected), and 

 Mr. Edwd. B. Wriggles worth, hon. sec. The president then read a paper 

 on " The Peculiarities of Plant Life " (colour), in the course of which he 

 endeavoured to point out how all the varied colours of flowers were 

 supposed to have been caused, in illustration of which many known 

 flowers were alluded to. — E. B. W. 



Yorkshire Naturalists' Union. — Annual Meeting. — The 19th 

 annual meeting was held at the Yictoria Hall, Goodramgate, York, on 

 the 15th January. The Sections held their meetings at 3-45 p.m., and 

 elected their ofiicers as follows : — Rev. H. H. Slater, B.A., F.Z.S., 

 Ripon, president, and Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, M.B.O.U., Leeds, secretary, 

 of the Yertebrate Section; Mr. W. Cash, F.G.S., Halifax, president, 

 and Mr. J. Darker Butterell, Beverley, secretary, of the Conchological 

 Section ; Mr. W^. Prest, York, president, and Mr. E. B. Wriggles worth, 

 Wakefield, secretary, of the Entomological Section ; Mr. C. P. Hobkirk, 

 F.L.S., Huddersfield, president, and Messrs. Wm. West, Bradford, and 

 F. Arnold Lees, F.L.S., Wetherby, secretaries, of the Botanical Section ; 



