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120 REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
large specimen of the same, the shell measuring 7§ inches in length. Mr. 
H. Hawkes a collection of zoophytes from Golwyn Bay ; Air. J. Collins a 
series of mosses from Wyre Forest, including Hookeria lucens and other rare 
kinds; Mr. Warren some rare ferus and lichens from Devonshire. Under 
the microscope, a series of objects was shown, including moss fruits, zoophytes 
with the polypes expanded, molluscan palates, &c.—April 17th. The Presi¬ 
dent, Professor Bridge, M.A., in the chair. The President showed a 
specimen of a curious fish found near the Pacific Islands and Ceylon, known 
as Periophthalmus Kolreuteri. It is highly specialised and lives largely on 
insects, which it captures in the air, and is to some extent amphibious. A 
paper was read by Mr. Warren on “ Anatomy.” After briefly sketching the 
history of anatomical research, the writer exhibited a series of diagrams of 
objects ranging from the lower to the higher organisms, many of them 
dissected to show their chief points of interest, and enlarged on the peculiari¬ 
ties of their structure. At the close, a large number of objects were shown, 
including sections under the microscopes. 
BIRMINGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—March 20th. Mr. 
G. H. Kenrick, vice-president, in the chair. The following were exhibited : — 
By Mr. R. C. Bradley, insects from Sutton, including Eubolia cert inaria , &c. 
By Mr. G. W. Wynn, insects from Wyre Forest, including Dicranura bijida, 
Lobophora hexapterata , <fcc. ; also Smerinthus tilice from Hanbury Park. By 
Mr. W. Harrison, Amphydasis prodr omaria from Arley, &c. Mr. G. H. Kenrick 
read a paper upon the occurrence of the black variety of A. betularia. He 
said it was first described by Milli&rein 1859 from a specimen from Yorkshire, 
when it seems to have been a new and exceptional form. In 1869 Newman 
says of the species, some are black. Since then it appears to have been 
getting more and more common, till now it constitutes a large proportion of 
the whole. Mr. Kenrick mentioned the various theories of the cause of black 
forms, but did not think them sufficient to account for the origin of this. He 
thought the form might have arisen in this manner : In all cases offspring 
more or less resemble their parents, sometimes both, sometimes only one, 
occasionally the tendency to follow only one parent being very strong. In 
breeding Doubledayaria, even if one parent be the type form, one usually 
obtains many black forms. May not a chance sport, a chance black variety, have 
been perpetuated in this manner, most of its offspring resembling it ? The 
species is a hardy one. The black variety does not seem to have any advantage 
over the type, nor does its colour seem to injure it at all. There would be no 
selection of type or variety, but the black parents would bring more and more 
black offspring into the world even when mated with the type, and thus the 
form would increase in numerical proportion. The paper was discussed at 
length by the Rev. E. J. Nurse, Messrs. G. T. Bethune-Baker, R. C. Bradley, 
and C. J. Wainwright. 
ELLESMERE NATURAL HISTORY AND FIELD CLUB.—A com¬ 
mittee meeting of the above club was held in the Town Hall, Ellesmere, on 
Tuesday evening, April 25th. Browulow R. C. Tower, Esq., president of 
the society, occupied the chair. Some correspondence with the County 
Council relating to the application of the society for a grant from the funds 
at the disposal of the Technical Education Committee in aid of the museum 
fund was read, and it was unanimously decided to renew the application. 
The draft annual report, to be presented at the annual general meeting, 
was read by the hon. secretary, Mr. J. A. S. Jennings, and was approved of. 
The annual meeting was fixed for May 8th, at six p.m. A syllabus of the 
summer excursions is to be arranged by the annual meeting. A reprint of the 
conditions as to the prizes to be offered by the Field Club for collections of 
botanical and entomological specimens to be exhibited at the Horticultural 
Society’s show next August, is to be distributed to persons likely to compete. 
This was all the business of general interest. 
May, 1893. 
