REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
263 
say with confidence they will find it a most valuable help. The author is to 
be complimented on the excellence of his work, which is ably written, and 
good in almost every respect. It is due to the author to state that the 
beautiful illustrations, some 2,400 in number, are all drawn by himself ; all 
put on the stone by him, and most of them printed by him. This explains 
how it is possible to offer such a splendidly illustrated book at such a low 
price. J. E. Bagnall. 
of Societies. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY. — Microscopical Section. October 3rd. Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, 
President, in the chair. Rev. J. E. Vize exhibited a large series of photo¬ 
micrographs of the spines of Sea Urchins, and also drawings of proliferation 
in the spores of some (Ecidiomycetes. Mr. Hodgson then read a detailed 
report of the excursions made during the past season. Although a few rare 
forms had been met with, nothing new to the district bad been discovered. 
He also very much regretted that reports of the captures were so seldom 
made that the value of the report suffered seriously in consequence.— 
Biological Section. October 10th. Mr. R. W. Chase in the chair. 
Mr. W. H. Wilkinson exhibited several specimens of the fruit of the 
Horse-chestnut (JEsculus Hippocastanum), unusually large, some of which 
were not less than 9in. in circumference ; also a fungus (Paxillus involutns ), 
from a gravel path in Sutton Park. Mr. A. H. Martineau exhibited several 
specimens of the hornet (Vespa Crabro), male, female, and neuter, from Studley. 
Mr. Wilkinson mentioned that he had bred an ichneumon fly (Aphidius?), 
parasitic on a species of aphis of the polygonum ; several specimens had been 
mounted as slides. This species was not on the British list. Mr. W. P. 
Marshall read a paper entitled “ Notes on a Visit to the Scilly Isles and 
Tresco Gardens,” in which he described the beauties of the scenery and semi- 
tropical vegetation, the most noticeable feature being the profusion and 
gorgeous colours of the Mesembryanthemums, which were then in full bloom. 
The paper was illustrated by maps. A vote of thanks to Mr. Marshall was 
carried unanimously. —Geological Section. October 17th. Mr. T. H. Waller, 
B.A., B.Sc., in the chair. Mr. Pumphrey exhibited carbonate of lime 
crystals from Daw End, Walsall. Mr. Hughes exhibited :—(1) Specimens 
of shale (from coal measures at Foxyards, near the Wren’s Nest), showing 
perforations from a reed-like plant, the cavities being filled up by carbonate 
of lime. (2) Peacock coal from the same. Anthracite, from which all gas 
had disappeared, the iridescence, according to Professor Lapworth, being 
caused by water conveying copper, iron, &c. (3) Permian Breccia from 
Teignmouth. (4) Fossil sponge from the chalk. Mr. C. J. Watson read a 
note on “ The Hemlock Stone,” near Nottingham. 
BIRMINGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. — September 18th. 
Mr. R. C. Bradley in the chair. The following were exhibited:—By Mr. W. 
Harrison, a nest of Bombus lapidarius, from which he had bred male, female, 
and worker. By Mr. G. W. Wynn, a specimen of Vanessa urticce, in which 
the yellow markings were replaced by white ones, and the space between the 
November, 1893. 
