July, 1891. 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
167 
A. Antrobus, Mr. Holden (Walsall), Messrs. W. B. Grove, Greenway, 
Malins, Lavender, Loxton, &c. The party travelled by the 10 89 
train from Snow Hill to Shifnal, where they examined the antique 
timbered houses, and the architecture and furnishings of the church. 
After partaking of luncheon at the Jerningham Arms, they started 
at 12 45 in brakes, and drove past Cosford pumping-engines which 
supply Wolverhampton with water ; then through the pretty village 
of Beckbury to Badger Dingle. Here the party alighted, and spent 
an hour in wandering through the winding paths of this charming 
glen. The view from the “ Temple ” over the artificial lake was 
much admired, and awakened desires for a longer stay. There 
were some well-grown timber trees, and some interesting ornamental 
ones growing in the dingle, and amongst the pines and firs the 
glaucous green of a fine Picca nobilis shone out with marked effect. 
The flowers and ferns, although professedly wild, were greatly 
enriched by the introduction of foreign ones ; amongst the former 
the Osmunda regalis, and amongst the latter the Onocolea sensibilis 
were growing in their native luxuriance. The party then drove on 
to Apley Terrace, and on passing through the entrance-gate into the 
woods beyond were greeted by the sweet, plaintive tones of the 
blackbird’s note, soon after by those of the reed-warbler, and then 
by the blackcap, amongst a host of others, while the grassy banks 
were strewn with many scarce wild flowers, which interested the 
botanical members of the party. Passing by the cottage in the 
rock, the party climbed to the top of the terrace and walked along 
the ridge for some two miles over the grass-covered drive beneath 
the over-arching branches of the fine avenue of trees. Here the 
fine views of Apley Castle and the windings of the River Severn 
were much admired. The party found the carriages waiting, and 
drove back to Shifnal, where tea was partaken of; and an hour’s 
drive to Albrighton brought a most instructive and interesting day’s 
ramble to an • end. The 8 5 train brought them back to Snow Hill, 
where the party broke up, after congratulating the president on the 
success of the day. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—May 25th. The President, Prof. Hillhouse, M.A., F.L.S., 
gave a lecture on “ Highly Specialised Flowers.” The lecturer said 
his audience were doubtless well acquainted with ordinary flowers, and 
like all others had abandoned the idea that they were made for our 
pleasure. The course of nature was one of arrant selfishness: flowers 
existed for their own purpose, that of seed-producing organs. The 
process of fertilisation in an ordinary flower was described, but there 
were cases where the same end was obtained by special modifications 
of organs that were only primarily protective organs. The cones of the 
pine were very simple, yet they were specialised by the production of 
resin, to which the pollen adhered. The whole object of specialisation 
was to secure more efficient protection, to produce more seed, or to 
secure cross-fertilisation. The situation of the ovary in the stalk was 
a very advanced form. The next type of specialisation was that for 
facilitating fertilisation; we found this done by odour, colour, and 
mechanical appliances. When the wind could not distribute pollen it 
had to be done by insect agency, and in this service they showed them¬ 
selves as selfish as the flowers. The scent of flowers was not a new 
departure, for many leaves had the same property. The development 
of a special colour in a flower is no more than we find in leaves. The 
many remarkable forms of flowers show us the most advanced forms 
