NOTES AND NEWS. 



The American Ornithologists' Union last year paid Mr. Henry Seebohm the 

 honour of electing him an Honorary Member of their body. 



>oo< 



In the first number for 1885 of the Revue Bryologique the Abbe V. Berthoumien 

 gives an important analytical key by which the French pleurocarp mosses 

 may be identified when in the barren state. 



>oo^ — 



At the anniversary meeting of the Royal Microscopical Society, held on the 

 nth of February, the Rev. W. H. Dallinger, LL.D., F.R.S., of Sheffield, was 

 re-elected president. At the same meeting he delivered the annual address, in 

 which he dealt with the life history of an hitherto unrecorded septic organism. 



>oX 



Members who in old time were in the habit of frequenting the rambles of the 

 West Riding Consolidated Naturalists' Society will learn with regret that Mr. John 

 Sanderson, who has for a number of years been president of the Holmfirth 

 Botanical Society, died suddenly on the last day of the old year, while attending a 

 funeral. >o>< 



We are pleased to learn that the two naturalists' societies which have existed in 

 York for the last few years have taken the wise step of amalgamation, and we wish 

 the combined Society every prosperity. The name which the Society now bears 

 is 'The York and District Field .Naturalists' Society,' and Dr. Spencer has been 

 chosen president. >ccx 



We have received from Mr, S. L. Mosley, of Huddersfield, the first number of 

 a little magazine — ' The Natural History Teacher, and Journal of the Board 

 Schools' Natural History Society ' — which he has set on foot for the furtherance of 

 his work as lecturer on natural history to the Board Schools of Huddersfield ; and 

 we wish him every success in his labours. 



>00< 



The Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society held their annual meeting 

 at Liverpool on the 26th of January. The officers elected wei-e Mr. S. J. Capper, 

 president, Mr, Nicholas Cooke, vice-president, and Mr. John W. Ellis, secretary. 

 The report showed that the number of members was fifty-nine. The president's 

 address dealt with various topics of interest to entomologists, and reviewed the past 

 year from the entomological standpoint, 



>co< 



The Ripon Naturalists' Club and Scientific Association held their annual 

 meeting on the loth February, The report showed the membership as standing 

 at 203, and detailed the additions to the excellent little museum which the Society 

 has got together, and upon which it is to be heartily congratulated. The officers 

 were for the most part re-elected, the Marquis of Ripon being again chosen presi- 

 dent, and Mr. B. Smith continuing to discharge the duties of the secretaryship, 



>co< 



The Manchester Field Naturalists' and Archaeologists' Society, the oldest of 

 the Manchester field-clubs, held its twenty-fifth annual meeting on the 27th 

 January, The report stated that during the quarter-century of the Club's exist- 

 ence, it has enrolled no fewer than 1,500 members, held over 250 excursions, and 

 organised between fifty and sixty soirees. The present membership was stated as 

 being 184, Mr. L, H. Grindon — the founder — was unanimously re-elected 

 president and botanical referee, Mr. William Carr as treasurer, and Mr. Alfred 

 Griffiths as secretary, 5k:o< 



Evidence of the assiduous and well-directed assiduity of the members and 

 friends of the Bradford Naturalists' Society is before us in the form of their ' Diary 

 of Natural History Observations' for 1884, which has been reprinted from the 

 ' Bradford Weekly Telegraph,' in which it has appeared week by week with great 

 regularity, the series of notes extending from the 5th January to the 26th December, 

 They deal with both botanical and zoological phenomena, and are evidently to be 

 relied upon, including, as they do, the local observations of various well-known 

 and able naturalists. 



April 1885, 



