June, 1891 . 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
143 
Sir W. Hart Dyke said recently, in the House of Commons, that 
of the fifty County Councils and sixty County Boroughs in England 
sixteen of the former and twenty-five of the latter had already 
decided to apply the whole of their share of the residue under the 
Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act of 1890 to science and art 
and technical education. Nine County Councils and two County 
Boroughs had made grants, varying from “ nearly the whole ” to a 
smaller proportion of their share to the same purpose. Twelve County 
Councils and seven County Boroughs had the matter under con¬ 
sideration ; that is to say, they had appointed committees, and in 
many cases the committees had recommended the allocation of the 
whole, or the greater part, of the residue of the fund for technical 
instruction, but their reports had not yet been confirmed by the 
County or Borough Councils. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL 
SOCIETY.— Microscopical Section, May oth. Mr. C. Pumphrey 
(President) in the chair. Mr. Pumphrey exhibited a Hawfinch 
(Coccothraustes vulgaris) that had killed itself by flying against one of 
his windows ; aud a fine series of a dozen preparations of insects’ eggs, 
with a few parasites of birds. Mr. A. Reading exhibited a larger 
series, chiefly of bird parasites. In both cases the exhibitors gave a 
short but clear account of the objects shown.— Biological Section, 
May 12th. Mr. R. W. Chase in the chair. Mr. R. W. Chase read a 
paper on “ The Columbidae occurring in Britain,” which he illus¬ 
trated by specimens of each species. A keen discussion followed, in 
which several members took part. A vote of thanks to Mr. Chase, 
terminated the meeting. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—April 20th. Exhibition of Polarised Objects. Mr. J. W. 
Neville showed elytra of Dytiscus marginalis and other beetles, 
remarking that the crosses seen in these objects by polarised light 
were caused by chitinous tubercles and not by calcareous discs, as 
some had supposed ; Mr. H. Hawkes, twenty-four starches of various 
kinds, with remarks on their structure ; Mr. J. Moore, specimens of 
cocoa and mustard, showing the extent of their adulteration with 
starch, one sample of so-called pure mustard showed more starch 
grains than others sold as not pure.—April 27th. Mr. W. Dunn read 
a paper on “Dust.” The writer said he did not purpose dealing with 
the germ theory, but rather with the subject generally. His attention 
was first drawn to it by the injurious effects of metallic dust used in 
some industries. This led to a number of experiments, resulting in a 
simple contrivance that rendered the workshop free from any 
deleterious particles floating in the air. The workman occupied a 
small apartment partitioned off and tapering to an outside wall, 
in which a fan rapidly revolved, drawing all dust from the workman. 
In the glass trade this freed the operatives from a liability of lead 
poisoning. The writer then referred to dust generally—its origin, 
