Reports of Societies. 



127 



fauna and flora, its scenery, and the character and mode of hfe of its 

 inhabitants. A short discussion terminated the proceedings. 



Leeds Naturalists' Club and Scieotific Association. — 500th 

 meeting, Feb. 13th. — This was celebrated by a tea and social gathering 

 of members, with Messrs. Hobkirk and Porritt present as visitors, at 

 Powolny's Rooms, the evening being devoted to a conversazione, at which 

 numerous interesting objects were shown. The proceedings after tea 

 commenced by the president, Mr. Thomas Fairley, F.R.S.E., giving a 

 hriei resv.mf^ of the Club's history. Its double title shows its twofold 

 origin, the Naturalists' Club and the Scientific Association coalescing (in 

 1872) by a process of mutual gravitation, after modest beginnings and 

 independent co-existence. The subsequent history was that of a gradual 

 unfolding, and steady and ccjntinued progress. The naturalists have 

 usually predominated, but this is simply because they have been more 

 numerous and more active than the students of other sciences ; and as 

 the society's scope includes the whole range of physical science, it only 

 remains for the students of any particular branch to emulate the zeal and 

 energy of the naturalists, to secure for their subject its due preponder- 

 ance. Speeches were afterwards made by Mr. Jas. Brodie (the " parent " 

 of the Naturalists' Club proper), Mr. Thomas Hick, B.A., B.Sc, Mr. B. 

 Holgate, F. G.S. (ex-presidents), Mr. Wm. Eagle Clarke, and Mr. C. P. 

 Hobkirk, F.L. S. The meeting then became an informal and most enjoy- 

 able converazsione. The president showed various calculating instru- 

 ments, Mr. F. W. Branson, F.CS., an incandescent lamp for micro- 

 photography and Mr. B. A. Burrell, F.C.S., a case of silver ores. Mr. 

 Clarke showed, for Mr. Edwd. Bidwell of London, a beautiful series of 

 instantaneous photographs of bird-life at the Bass Rock and Fame 

 Islands. Mr. H. B. Hewetson brought water-colour drawings of birds of 

 his own execution, and Mr. Grassham a splendid German book of birds. 

 An old work, "Natural History" (1G45) was shown by Mr. J. T. Beer, 

 and models of the internal eye and ear by Mr. Geo. Hainsworth. An 

 album of photographs and autographs of Yorkshire naturalists, to which 

 various members contributed, was on view, Mr.Edwd. Atkinson, F.L.S,, 

 showed dried specimens of Linncea horealis, and a collection of the turf- 

 mosses was sent by Mr, W. West. A box of rare lepidoptera was shown 

 by Mr. G. T. Porritt, F.L.S., and Mr. W. Barwell Turner, F.R.M.S., 

 had numerous objects, including original drawings from the microscope 

 and a copy of Piaget's " Les Pediculines," with photographic plates. 

 Microscopic objects were shown by him, by Mr, Fairley, Mr. Emsley and 

 Mr. J. W. Dixon, The meeting was altogether a decided success, and 

 •will probably form the precedent for an annual gathering of similar 

 character. — W. D. R, 



Port Elizabeth Naturalists' Society, — Annual meeting, — The 

 financial and secretary's reports were adopted, and the following oflicers 

 selected for the ensuing session : — president, R. Hallack, re-elected ; 

 vice-president, S. Rous, re-elected ; hon. secretary and treasurer, S. D. 



