MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 179 
Mr. W. H. Wilkinson was then elected President of the Union, 
and proceeded to deliver his presidential address on *• The Life- 
History of the Diamond-back Moth (Plutella Crucifer arum ), ” 
printed at pages 169-73. 
The following report from the Council was then read :—• 
Your executive committee have reported that they made an 
endeavour to carry out the recommendations embodied in their 
report last year. 
In October last they issued an appeal to all the members of the 
societies in the Union for increased support to the “Midland 
Naturalist,” and it was particularly pointed out that without a much 
larger circulation it was not possible to carry out the suggested 
improvements, including the printing of the records of scientific 
facts. 
Every endeavour was made to obtain success for this appeal, but 
without any appreciable result. With this object the “ Midland 
Naturalist” was made more attractive, and the numbers issued 
in the latter part of 1892 especially contain some papers of more 
than usual merit. Only two societies, however, viz., the Caradoc 
Field Club and the Ellesmere Natural History Society, carried 
out the systematic record sought to be made general with the 
societies in the Union. 
Designs for the Ray medal were brought before your committee, 
but no application has been made for its bestowal, and so the dies 
have not yet been cut. 
The consideration of the publication of scientific maps of the 
Midlands was deferred as soon as it was seen that there was 
practically no response to the appeal, and that the funds of the 
Union alone did not justify the expenditure during 1892-3. 
The above facts, especially the failure to obtain any practical 
response to the appeal for a larger number of subscribers to the 
“ Midland Naturalist,” compel your committee to refer back to the 
annual meeting the recommendations adopted. 
Societies Joining the Union during the Year. 
The Ellesmere Natural History Society and Field Club joined 
the Union directly after the last annual meeting, and the Bir¬ 
mingham Sociologic Circle since. 
The societies constituting the Union are as follows:— 
The Birmingham Microscopists’ and Naturalists’ Union. 
The Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society. 
The Birmingham Philosophical Society. 
The Birmingham and Midland Institute Scientific Society. 
The Birmingham School Natural History Society. 
The Birmingham Sociologic Circle. 
August, 1893 . 
