24 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
for Mr. F. Enock, Cyathus vernicosus , tlie “ bird’s-nest ” fungus, from 
near London. Mr. W. B. Grove, B.A., exhibited Phycomyces nitens 
(Mucor Phycomyces), growing on bread-and-butter; this mucor is the 
finest species of the group. Mr. W. P. Marshall, M.I.C.E., exhibited 
his new ^ inch objective, and showed some interesting diatom tests, 
&c.— Biological Section, December 13th. Mr. J. Levick in the chair. 
A fine specimen was exhibited by Mr. W. B. Grove of Mucor phycomyces, 
a giant mould, growing, with stems four inches high, and said to grow 
to a height of nearly a foot. Mr, W. R. Hughes read a paper upon 
Hyalonevia lusitanicum, the glass-rope sponge, illustrated by a number 
of diagrams and of very interesting specimens under microscopes, 
including Hyalonevia lusitanicum, PL. Sieboldii , Grantia nivea, and 
Euplectella aspergillum. — Sociological Section. At a supplementary 
Meeting on Thursday, December 1st, Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., in the 
chair, a paper was read by Miss Dalton on Mr. Herbert Spencer’s 
essay on “ The Philosophy of Style.” At a second supplementary 
Meeting on Thursday, December 15th, a paper was read by Mr. W. K. 
Parkes, on the first portion of Mr. Spencer’s essay on “ The Genesis of 
Science.” On Saturday, December 17tli, the tenth excursion of the 
Section was made to “ Dr. Priestley’s Country.” The party drove to 
the principal places in Birmingham connected with the career of this 
celebrated father of modern chemistry; they afterwards took tea in 
the Society’s Room, at Mason College, where a collection of Priestley 
books, pamphlets, engravings, and autograph letters was exhibited, 
and an address on the career of Dr. Priestley was delivered by the 
Rev. Dr. Crosskey. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—November 14th. Mr. H. Hawkes exhibited Diderma 
globosum, on holly leaf, a fungus, at one time supposed to be a low 
form of animal life ; also a form of slide suitable for soirees, on which 
groups of similar objects can be mounted. The slide was a disc with 
a number of objects mounted near the outer edge. When the slide 
was revolved by the finger, the various objects appeared in succession. 
—November 21st. A paper was read by Mr. Delicate on “ Trees.” 
The writer dealt with tlie subject under three heads : their structure, 
products, and portraiture, and concluded by drawing a parallel between 
trees and animals. The paper was illustrated by a large number of 
photographs of trees, foliage, and fruit, exhibited by lime light, by Mr. 
O. Hutchinson.—November 28th. Mr. W. H. Bath exhibited pupae 
and coccoons of British lepidoptera, including specimens of swallow¬ 
tail butterfly, currant clearwing, puss moth, death’s head hawk 
moth, etc. ; Mr. Bennet, a number of fossils from a gravel pit at 
Harrington.—December 5th. A Concliological night. Mr. J. Madison 
showed a large collection of specimens of Limncea stagnalis, British, 
foreign, and fossil, and a number of specimens taken from one pond 
at intervals during the last thirteen years, showing marked variations ; 
also specimens of Helixpomatia, just hatched, and of one and two years’ 
growth.—December 12th. Mr. P. T. Deakin exhibited the tongue 
bones of woodpecker, Pious minor ; Mr. J. Madison, an abnormal 
growth in the shell of Planorbis corueus, the outer whorl covering the 
next whorl; Mr. Corbet, specimens of Calamites cannceformis , C. 
Luckowii, and C. approximata, from Bradley. Under the microscopes 
Mr. Hawkes showed a circular slide of twelve wings of lepidoptera; 
Mr. J. Collins, spiral tissue in yew, and Mr. T. H. Waller, a section of 
a pebble of Tourmaline schist from King’s Heath, showing two faults 
in the space of an inch. 
