Sep., 1891. midland union of natural history societies. 199 
graceful curves from branch to branch; the undergrowth, 
even now in the depth of winter, when the temperature does 
not exceed 85° in the shade, is rich with flowers of leguminous 
shrubs, convolvuli, and many species of Cucurbitacese ; while 
in the swamps immense grasses, twelve or fifteen feet high, 
shine in the sunlight like molten silver. 
Bamboos and calami add the matchless gracefulness of 
their forms to the ever-varying charm of the scene. 
Nor is animal life wanting to enliven it. Blue jays, black 
butcher-birds, mynahs, snow-white paddy birds, swallows, and 
gorgeous green parrots flit to and fro, and great flocks of 
pelicans feed in the marshes or wheel in grand circles, with 
huge, outstretched wings. 
Buffaloes and bullocks are frequent in the fields, the 
former drawing primitive wooden ploughs through the 
mud which, in a few days, will be verdant with the young 
paddy plant ; the latter as the universal beast of burden of 
the country. 
(To be continued.) 
THE MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY 
SOCIETIES. 
ANNUAL MEETING, 1891. 
The Dudley and Midland Geological and Scientific Society 
have this year invited the Union to hold its annual meeting 
at Dudley, and all who were privileged to join the 
excursion forming part of the arrangements at the first 
annual meeting of the Union, held at Birmingham in 1878, 
will remember the visit to Dudley, which was the best 
attended and one of the most interesting excursions ever 
arranged for by any of the affiliated societies. On that 
occasion more than four hundred ladies and gentlemen met 
at Dudley and spent a most enjoyable day. The arrangements 
were made by the Dudley Society, and the programme on 
that occasion included a visit to the Open Coal Working at 
