72 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
Mar., 1889. 
male and female specimens of Pallas’ sand grouse, Syrrhaptes 
paradoxus, shot at Rednal on December 29th ; Mr. J. Madison, fossil 
impressions of leaves from Bournemouth and Alum Bay, Isle of 
Wight; Mr. J. Corbet, a large collection of fossils from the Leck- 
hampton Hills ; Mr. Moore, a series of sections of fossil woods under 
the microscope.—January 21st. A general exhibition to which the 
public were invited. There was a large attendance, and the following 
exhibits were made by the members :—A number of lantern slides of 
photo-micrographs of insects and other objects, by Mr. J. Edmonds ; 
photo-micrographs of rock sections, by Mr. T. H. Waller; photo¬ 
graphs of orchids and other plants, by Mr. C. Pumphrev ; and a series 
of hand-painted slides, illustrative of pond life, by Mr. J. W. Neville ; 
Messrs. J. Betteridge and P. T. Deakin, a collection of British birds, 
and specimens of Pallas’s sand grouse ; Mr. Deakin also showed a 
collection of Wenlock and Lias fossils ; Mr. H. Hawkes, a mounted 
collection of marine algae, with drawings of their sporangia; Mr. 
Cainm, a collection of eighty specimens of fungi of the orders 
Myxomycetes and Discomycetes ; Mr. J. Madison, cases of English 
and foreign land and freshwater shells; Mr. Corbet, fossil leaves 
from Bournemouth ; Mr. Barradale, cases of English and Chinese 
insects ; Mr. C. P. Neville, cases of English and foreign butterflies 
and moths; and Mr. J. Collins, a collection of local plants. Under 
the microscopes a series of living and other objects were shown, many 
deserving of special mention. During the evening a short address was 
given on the aims and objects of Natural History Societies.—January 
28th. Mr. J. Betteridge presented to the Society specimens of the 
following birds prepared for the cabinet:—Carrion crow, wryneck, 
common snipe, jack snipe, brambling finch, and chaffinch, for which 
the thanks of the members were given ; Mr. H. Hawkes showed 
furcated feathers of pigeon, also some in which the barbs appeared to 
be eaten away, and in their place a growth possibly of fungoid origin. 
Mr. J. A. Grew then read a second paper on “ Insect Mimicry.” The 
writer said the paper would show why insect mimicry was 
resorted to, and why, in some instances, it was not required. The 
first cause of mimicry was protection, and an insect was justified in 
using such an artifice ; several instances were given of insects adapting 
their colour to their surroundings. Not only was colour concerned, 
but shapes were equally important factors. The mimicry of some 
insects was confined to the larval stage, the imago throwing off all 
disguises. The writer said insects had not always enjoyed these 
advantages, but that long ages had been required to develope those 
features that would best enable them to secure food and avoid being 
made food of by others ; the results of natural selection had been 
transmitted in an improved degree through long periods of time.— 
February 4th. Mr. H. Hawkes read a communication from Mr. W. 
Tylar, in which he presented six dozen micro, slides to the cabinet of 
the Society. A hearty vote of thanks was passed ; Mr. H. Hawkes, 
exhibited under the microscope the orange scale coccus, Lecanium 
hesperidum , also Coccus aceris, and gave a short account of their life- 
history ; Mr. J. Moore, rapliides, etc., in bulb of Narcissus polyanthus ; 
Mr. 3. Collins, Draparnaldia glonierata, with some remarks on the 
mounting of the same.—February 11th. Mr. C. P. Neville gave a 
lecture on “ Aberystwith and how to see it.” The lecture described 
the scenery of the town and surrounding country. It was profusely 
illustrated by a series of photographic views, taken during a number of 
visits to the locality, shown by the lime light. 
