VOL. XIX. (3) 
ORDINARY WINTER MEETINGS 
181 
Tuesday, Decemher i8lh, 1917 
la the unavoidable absence of the ih'esident, the chair was taken by 
Mr F. H. Brother ton. 
The Acting Hon. Secretary read a letter from Mr Riciiardson, in wliich 
the Club was asked to accept his resignation, it being understood that for 
the duration of the War it was impossible for him to attend meetings or to 
conduct the affairs of the Club. The resignation was received with very 
great regret, and the hope expressed that at some later date it would be 
possible for Mr Richardson once more to give assistance to the Club in a 
similar manner to that which he had rendered so successfully and acceptably 
for the many years he had carried out the duties of Secretary. 
The result of the inquiry made as to the wish of Members to make any 
alteration in the hour of meeting during winter months was announced, it 
being found there was a considerable majority in favour of retaining the 
usual time of 3 p.m. 
The Acting Hon. Secretary reported that, in accordance with the direc- 
tion of the Council, he had communicated with various National and Public 
Libraries and Aluseums and offered copies of surplus volumes of the Club’s 
Proceedings for their use, and that over twenty of these Institutions had 
gladly accepted the offer. 
Mr Charles Upton communicated a paper on “ Brachiopoda of the 
Cotteswold Area,” in which he drew attention to certain apparent irregu- 
larities in the succession of forms and in the distributioir of genera and species, 
and in the gehetic connections of some of the Brachiopoda of the area. He 
also gave an interesting outline of the distribution, reproduction, and growth 
of living forms, and the conditions i^^ider which they exist, mentioning that 
there was little doubt the fossil forms to which the paper more irarticularly 
applied lived under conditions not essentially different from those now 
existing. The difficulties of working out what may be termed the pedigrees 
of any special grou]3 of Brachiopods were pointed out, Mr Upton stating 
that he had frequently found it easier to start with a later form and work 
backwards, rather than commence with an early form and work onwards. 
The occurrence of Brachiopoda found in the strata deposited during 
the several hemerae of Lias and Inferior Oolite in the Cotteswold Area 
was discussed, and forms which appear to spring up without any apparent 
antecedents, and others which disappear suddenly, were referred to. 
Air Bretherton thanked Air Upton for the very interesting and clear 
way in which he had submitted his paper, and Air Gray congratulated the 
Club on having a member so well qualified to deal with the subject. The 
hope was expressed that the paper would be printed in full in the 
Proceedings. 
