REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
215 
Mr. W. H. Wilkinson exhibited an abnormal gooseberry from Hands- 
worth, being developed on one side only, giving a curved appearance 
to the fruit. As three trees were affected in a similar manner, it may 
have been caused by the severe weather injuring the upper side. He 
also exhibited Meconopsis cambrica , Orchis conopsea, 0. incarnata , 
Glaytonia sibirica , Oxytropis uralensis (very rare), Aira prcecox, and other 
interesting plants from the Island of Bute and Scotland.— Biological 
Section, July 10th. Mr. R. W. Chase presiding. Mr. W. R. Hughes, 
F.L.S., as one of the delegates from Birmingham, gave a full and graphic 
account of the meeting of the Midland Union of Natural History 
Societies, held at Northampton the previous week, and of the very excel¬ 
lent conversazione which followed. At the general meeting Earl Spencer 
presided, and after an excellent opening speech, presented the Darwin 
Gold Medal, this year awarded in Botany, to Mr. J. E. Bagnall, A.L.S. 
Mr. W. H. Wilkinson also a delegate, gave an account of the Botanical 
Excursions, and exhibited some of the plants collected, amongst 
which were Epipactis latifolius and Habenaria chloroleuca. Mr. W. B. 
Grove, B.A., exhibited some of the fungi collected at these excursions : 
—Agaricus rubescens, Ag. squarrosus, Ag. Xanthopus, &c. ; also Ag. 
phlebopliorus , from Sutton, new to the district. Miss Germain also 
gave an account of the Archaeological Excursions, and exhibited 
photographs of some of the more interesting buildings in Northamp¬ 
ton. Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Isothecium migarum, and other 
mosses from Bearley and Lapwortli; for Mr. J. B. Stone, F.L.S., 
mosses from the Bernese Oberland, collected during a recent visit, at 
6,000 feet above sea level, including Hypnuvi Oakesii and Bartramia 
(Ederi; for Mr. S. Walliker, mosses and lichens from the Swiss Alps, 
collected by Mrs. R. Peyton ; for the Rev. D. C. O. Adams, Habenaria 
bifolia and Senecio campestris, from Crowell, Oxon ; for Miss Gingell, a 
number of rare Gloucestershire plants, including Astragalus hypo glottis 
and Habenaria chloroleuca ; and for Mr. R. W. Chase, from his garden 
at Edgbaston, a peculiar fasciated stem of the holly, in which 
five or more branches had coalesced so as to form ribbon-like 
branches, the whole plant being more or less abnormally developed.— 
Sociological Section. Supplementary meeting, June 7tli. Mr. W. R. 
Hughes, F.L.S., in the chair. A letter from Dr. Hiepe was read, 
announcing his resignation from the society on account of his leaving 
the neighbourhood. In consequence of the illness of Miss Dalton, the 
chapter of Mr. Herbert Spencer’s “ First Principles ” on “ The Data 
of Philosophy ” was not taken, but in lieu thereof Mr. W. R. Hughes 
gave an exposition of a portion of Mr. Spencer’s essay on “ Progress : 
its Law and Cause.” Fourteen members present.—Supplementary 
meeting, June 21st. Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., in the chair. Mr. 
Hughes communicated the agreeable information that he had called 
upon Mr. Herbert Spencer, and found him greatly improved in health. 
It was decided to discontinue the meetings of this section during July 
and August. Mr. Stone exhibited the skull of an aboriginal Australian, 
and Professor Allen procured two normal skulls for comparison, and 
explained the points in which they differed from the Australian. Miss 
Dalton gave her exposition of the second chapter of the second part of 
Mr. Herbert Spencer’s “First Principles,” entitled “The Data of 
Philosophy.” Fourteen members present.—Ordinary meeting, June 
26th. Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., in the chair. Mr. J. J. Bagnall, 
Bentley Heath, Knowle, proposed by Mr. C. T. Parsons, and seconded 
bv Mr. Edmund Tonks, was elected a member of the society. Mr. J. 
J. Crisford was proposed as a member by Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., 
and seconded by Mr. W. B. Grove, B. A. Mr. Grove exhibited specimens 
