534 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
and exotic; and several microscopes, belonging to members and others 
interested in the society, revealed some of the beauties of the infusorial 
world. 
The president delivered a very interesting address, in the course of which 
he set forth the advantages — especially to working men — of cultivating a 
taste for the study of nature, and gave instances of men who, after begin- 
ning life in a very humble way, had attained considerable eminence in the 
scientific world. 
Mr. Peers, the secretary of the society, read the report for the past 
year, from which it appeared that forty-four ordinary meetings had 
been held. There were twenty-eight members on the books, — twenty- 
five ordinary and three honorary. The herbarium of the society contained 
about three hundred and sixty species of British plants, the greatest 
portion of them gathered in the neighbourhood by members during the 
past year. The thanks of the society were accorded to the Rev. R. 
Rolleston for gifts of specimens of plants, both fresh and dried ; to Robert 
Davies, Esq., and Alexander Irvine, Esq. (editor of the P/ij/tologist), for 
specimens of dried plants ; to William Wilson, Esq., for several spe- 
cimens, amongst which were Potamogeton lanceolatus and Carex divisa, 
which, coming from that source, must be considered authentic ; and to the 
Mechanics’ Institution for the use of a room for meetings. The expenses 
of the Society had been trifling, and the terms of membership were fixed 
at the lowest possible figure. 
The report having been adopted, Mr. Peers read a paper on the botany 
of the district, illustrating it by means of dried and fresh specimens, espe- 
cially pointing out the most important natural orders represented in the 
neighbourhood. 
Mr. Cash (treasurer to the society) read a paper on “ Microscopic Life in 
the Neighbourhood of Warrington,” in the course of which he referred to 
examples of the more important Rotifera, Protozoa, and Protophyta, which 
had come under his observation. He exhibited living specimens of the rare 
and beautiful Stephanoceros Eichhornii , and several other interesting 
creatures ; and mentioned, as common in the district, Melicerta ringens 
Floscularia ornata, and several others. 
Mr. Green read an interesting paper, the object of which was to show 
the pleasure to be derived from a study of the works of nature. After 
which, Mr. Paterson, at the request of the president, made some remarks 
explanatory of the fossils which he had been kind enough to bring. 
Mr. Cooper (curator of the Warrington Museum) afterwards read a 
paper on the subject of Entomology, the claims of which he warmly 
advocated. 
At the conclusion, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Rylands 
for presiding, on the motion of the Mayor of Warrington (James Shepherd, 
Esq.) 
ROTHERHAM LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 
The town of Rotherham and the adjoining parish of Masbro’ have been, 
until recently, deprived of the benefits of a literary and scientific society ; 
