BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 189 
and attention was drawn to its various chapels, and the curious 
arrangement of the clerestory was remarked and explained. The 
remains of the Priory Church (Benedictine) were next examined, 
and the party strolled through the curious old Butchery with its 
ancient timber houses. Time was not sufficient for visiting 
St. John’s Church and the old hospital at Bablake, the Craven 
Arms Hotel being due for luncheon. The visitors then proceeded 
to Kenilworth Castle, where Mr. Fretton gave a description of the 
ruins in chronological order, commencing with the keep (or Cassar’s 
Tower) and proceeding through the kitchens, the strong tower (or 
dungeon), great hall, white hall, John of Gaunt’s Tower, and 
Leicester’s buildings, the outer walls and towers, by the stables, 
and ending at the new gate house of Leicester. Here the visitors 
parted with their conductor, whose services were heartily acknow¬ 
ledged, and passed by the remains of the Augustinian Priory to the 
station. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY. 
THE SOCIOLOGICAL SECTION. 
An unusually interesting ceremony took place at the house of 
Professor Allen, in Chad Road, Edgbaston, on Wednesday evening, 
26th July, 1893, when the members of the Sociological Section of 
the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society, 
together with a number of friends, assembled for the purpose of 
making a presentation to the retiring president, Mr. W. R. Hughes, 
F.L.S. The Sociological Section was instituted in 1883 for the 
purpose of systematically studying the Synthetic Philosophy of 
Mr. Herbert Spencer, and it has upon its roll of members many 
distinguished names, most conspicuous of which is that of the late 
Miss Constance Naden. Mr. Hughes, who may be regarded as the 
founder of the society, has continuously occupied the presidential 
chair from the beginning, and has been largely instrumental in 
obtaining for Herbert Spencer an intelligent understanding and 
August, 1893. 
