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MICROSCOPICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SECTIONS. 
January 29th, 1866. 
J. Sidebotham, Esq., in the Chair. 
The following specimens were exhibited : — 
Two figures of the gills of fungi on glass, made by the 
dropping of their spores, by Sir J. Herschel, exhibited 
by Mr. Sidebotham; also similar ones prepared by Mr. 
Sidebotham. 
Small cyclophorus-like shells, with a considerable 
part of the later growth free and strangely contorted, 
from Borneo, Mr. Sidebotham. 
Leaves of some Indian plants, mounted for the micro- 
scope, Mr. Hurst. 
Mounted Foraminifera, from shore sand. Port Ade- 
laide, South Australia, Dr. Alcock. 
Mr. Linton said that the abundant appearance last year 
of the humming bird hawk moth had afforded many 
collectors and admirers of nature excellent opportunities 
of watching this interesting and amusing insect in pursuit 
of its food, and of observing its remarkable agility, darting 
from flower to flower, and then poising itself, apparently 
stationary, while its long proboscis is put out with almost 
instantaneous velocity. It is very shy, and when disturbed 
darts away to a great height in the air, but it returns after 
a time and often to the same spot. He had observed one in 
his garden, at Old Trafford, about a clump of sweetwilliams, 
