188 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
Aug., 1890. 
vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Hughes.— Excursion. June 7th. 
The members of this society made a very enjoyable excursion to 
Broadway, and as the weather was ideally perfect, and Mr. J. Levick, 
the secretary of the excursion, had, with the most delicate forethought, 
provided for every contingency and anticipated every wish, the day 
will be long remembered by the members of the party. They 
assembled at Snow Hill Station at 10.15, to the number of about fifty 
ladies and gentlemen, including Mr. W. B. Grove (ex-president of the 
society), Mr. W. H. Wilkinson (vice-president), Messrs. T. Levick, G. 
Heaton, J.P., H. Heaton, J. Heaton, W. P. Marshall, M.I.C.E. (gen. 
sec.), W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., &c., and proceeded to Honeybourne, 
whence, the problem of packing in brakes and carriages having been 
successfully accomplished, they drove to the fine old hostel, theLygon 
Arms. A capital lunch had been provided, and after justice had been 
done to it—for even men of science must dine—the party strolled up 
to the tower, some 1,050 feet high, whence a magnificent view was 
obtained, and thence through flowery fields and lush meadows back 
to the inn to compare notes, discuss a cup of tea, and then to drive 
into Evesham for the 7.32 train. Although thoughts and observations 
on scientific subjects were freely exchanged, the day was one less of 
scientific work than of social intercourse among friends with a 
community of tastes and pursuits. The botanists, however, 
managed to turn up a few interesting plants, among them being 
Listeraovata (the tway-blade), Hippocrepis comosa (the horse-shoe vetch), 
Reseda lutea (mignonette), Reseda Luteola (dyer’s weed, or weld), and 
Rriza media (the quaking-grass). The entomologists found Thanaos 
tapes fairly common, Euclidia glyphica, Euchelia jacobceoe, and a few 
other things that were worth “ boxing.” When the day came to a 
close there were indications in the farewells of a resolution like that 
of Burns’s “Twa Dogs,” when 
“ Each took aff his several way, 
Resolved to meet some itherday.” 
—Sociological Section. Supplementary Meeting. June 24th. Mr. 
W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., in the chair. Mr. Bolton exhibited a plas- 
modium from Sutton Park. Mr. Hughes exhibited, on behalf of Mr. 
C. T. Parsons, a portion of a boulder of quartz from a lane at Olton. 
near Birmingham, also a number of plants gathered on the carboni¬ 
ferous limestone, near the Wrekin, including Ranunculus ophioglossifolius 
and Sanicula europcea. Mr. Herbert Stone exhibited shoots of Abies, 
the base of which had been altered and hypertrophied by the irritation 
of an aphis (Chermes AbietisJ. The abnormal growth had assumed 
the form of a fir-cone with a shining surface, from which short rigid 
leaves arose. The margins of the base of the leaves were bordered 
with a beautiful scarlet velvety pile. —Supplementary Meeting. 
June 26th. Mr. W. R. Hughes in the chair. Mr. Kineton Parkes 
called attention to a new individualistic publication called the 
“ Whirlwind.” Mr. Herbert Stone read his paper on “ Weismann’s 
Theory of the Continuity of the Germ-plasm,” in which he reviewed 
the various theories of heredity and contrasted them with it. After 
expounding the theory and calling attention to the points which com¬ 
mended it to the notice of biologists, he brought forward and discussed 
the chief arguments against its acceptation. An interesting and 
animated discussion followed, in which the President, Mr. W. B. 
Grove, Mr. Wainwright, Miss Dalton, Mr. Buncher, and Mr. Spears 
took part. The President announced that the section would not meet 
again until October next.— Biological Section. July 8tli. Mr. W. R. 
