120 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
May, 1891. 
Quercus. Mr. W. P. Marshall exhibited a specimen of Virgularia 
mirabilis, with stalk complete, collected by Dr. Stacy Wilson from the 
Frith of Forth. Mr. R. W. Chase exhibited photographs of egg of great 
auk, young of Pallas’s sand grouse, &c.— Geological Section, April 21st, 
Mr. T. H. Waller, B. A., B.Sc., in the chair. It was unanimously resolved 
that Mr. Howell be requested to repeat his lecture on “ Southern 
Iceland ” at a convenient date. Mr. Waller exhibited and described a 
series of rock sections, on behalf of Mr. Reading. Mr. Waller gave an 
address upon “ A Week in North Wales.” He described the rocks of 
Penmaenmawr, Aber, Cwm Idwal, Mynydd Mawr, Snowdon, Llan- 
beris, &o ., and exhibited several fine microscopical sections. A cordial 
vote of thanks was given to Mr. Waller for his interesting address. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—March 23rd. Mr. H. Hawkes showed specimens of Crocus 
vernus from Nottingham ; Mr. J. Collins, mosses, from the Sidlaw 
Hills; Mr. J. Madison, specimens of TJnio pictorum, from Hatton, 
showing two distinct colours in about equal numbers; Mr. J. W. 
Neville, mouth organs of queen wasp.—April 6th. Spring Exhibition. 
—The President (Professor Hillhouse, M. A., F.L.S.) showed a large 
collection of Alpine, Boreal, and Arctic plants gathered in Norway 
last year, also rock specimens, and carefully executed models of 
Borgund Church, carrioles, &c. ; Mr. H. Hawkes a series of living 
specimens of marine algae, floating in water, from Llandudno and 
Weymouth, a collection of zoophytes from the same places, and 
a number of drawings of buds of various trees as they appear about 
Christmas, with a series of slides showing sections of the same ; Mr. 
P. T. Deakin, birds, eggs and nests, of the Birmingham district; Mr. 
G. H. Corbett, Indian butterflies from the Punjaub ; Mr. Linton, a 
case of living molluscs from Gloucestershire ; the Society, birds of the 
district; Mr. J. W. Neville, forty magic lantern slides, illustrating 
insect life ; Mr. J. Madison, a cluster of Helix aspersa , living, as seen in 
winter. A number of interesting objects were shown under 
microscopes, notably living zoophytes, shown by Mr. Hawkes. 
During the evening the President delivered a short address of welcome 
to the visitors, and referred to some of the objects on exhibition.— 
April 13th. Mr. H. Hawkes showed specimens of Chalina oculata and 
Halichondria panicea , sponges, from Weymouth, and, under the 
microscope, Celeporapunicosa Mr. J. W. Neville, shells from the Gulf 
of Aden ; Mr. Deakin, fossils from the Lower Lias clay; Mr. Linton, 
some of the less common shells from Gloucestershire, living. 
OXFORD NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—April 23rd. The 
President (Professor Green) in the chair. Present, thirty-six mem¬ 
bers. Lecture by Colonel C. Swinlioe, on “ Mimicry in Lepidoptera.” 
The lecturer, after describing the theory of mimicry, followed two 
species of butterflies, tasteful and good for food, through seven dif¬ 
ferent countries, viz., India (various parts of), Burmah, Sumatra, the 
Malaya Archipelago, the East and West Coasts of Africa, the Fiji 
Islands, and some parts of Australia ; showing how they resembled 
the distasteful Danais or Euplaea of the district. The bringing 
together of varieties of the same species from so many countries 
formed a very striking illustration of the fact that (so-called) mimicry 
was the only means of self-preservation open to this genus of butter¬ 
flies. The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides, and cases of 
lepidoptera were exhibited by the lecturer. 
