May, 1891. 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
119 
if at all, inferior in richness to the French and Belgian deposits 
existed in this country. Subsequent comparison of the French 
chalk with that from Taplow establishes their identity. The deposit 
in this couutry is probably of local occurrence, but its is very likely 
that it will be found elsewhere in the broad downs of the South of 
England, and should this prove to be so it will be of considerable com¬ 
mercial importance. 
Mr. Herbert Spencer has recently published a new and 
revised edition of his “ Essays: Scientific, Political, and Specu¬ 
lative.” The essays consist of three handsome volumes, royal 
octavo, and are uniform with his system of “ Synthetic 
Philosophy.” Formerly the essays were issued in post octavo form, 
and, curious to say, were mostly printed from American stereotype 
plates, Mr. Spencer having in the past had more numerous readers in 
America than in England. The volumes contain all the essays 
originally published in the old form (including that on “ The Develop¬ 
ment Hypothesis,” which contained the germs of the Doctrine of 
Evolution, and appeared in 1852, seven years before “ The Origin of 
Species”), together with seven new essays written since 1882. Among 
the latter may be mentioned “Morals and Moral Sentiments,” “ The 
Factors of Organic Evolution,” “ The Ethics of Kant,” and the 
famous essay, “ From Freedom to Bondage,” which has just appeared 
in “A Plea for Liberty,” published by Mr. Murray. Scattered 
throughout the volumes are several notes which indicate the improved 
health of the author, and his progress in completing his magnum opus 
—the “ Synthetic Philosophy.” Mr. Spencer completed his seventy- 
first year on Monday, the 27th April last. 
leports o.t Satieties. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY. — Microscopical Section, April 7th, Mr. W. H. Wilkinson 
(Vice-president) in the chair, and fifteen members present. The 
chairman called the attention of the members to the death of 
Mr. Burgess (an old member of the society), which took place in 
December last; and it was resolved that the secretary be requested 
to write to the widow and convey the sympathy of the mem¬ 
bers, and also to state with what high appreciation the work 
he has done for the society is held. Mr. W. H. Wilkinson exhibited 
Sparmannia africana from a conservatory at Sutton ; also one of 
the blossoms under the microscope, which formed a very beautiful 
object, the white petals showing up the crimson nectaries and golden 
pollen grains. Mr. Geo. Lavender exhibited Cluster-cup fungus from 
barberry leaf (Ecidium Berberidis, anther and pollen of mallow, and 
cuticle of geranium petal. Mr. Edmonds exhibited portion of skin of 
Synapta inhaerens, showing anchor plates in situ , of which he gave 
a description. Mr. Carpenter exhibited young oysters, Polycystina , &c. 
Mr. Bolton exhibited, under two microscopes, Gristatella mucedo , just 
hatched from the statoblast. —Biological Section, April 14th, Mr. 
R. W. Chase in the chair. Mr. Geo. Lavender exhibited, under the 
microscope, the scale insect from an oleander leaf, and Mr. J. F. 
Goode read some notes on the life-history of the insect. Mr. W. H. 
Wilkinson exhibited some lepidoptera from Perthshire, collected by 
Mr. S. T. Ellison, including Grapta G . album , Aryynnis aglaia, Erebia 
Blandina, Macroglossa fuciformis, Glostera anachoreta, and Bombyx 
