240 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
Oct., 1890 . 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION. August 18tli. Mr. P. T. Deakin showed a series of photo¬ 
graphs of river scenery, &c., taken in Hampshire and Dorsetshire ; Mr. 
H. Hawkes, a collection of local plants, also a specimen of Salvia from 
South Africa, calling attention to the special modification of the 
anthers in these plants, to enable them to profit by insects’ visits; and 
under the microscope, seed of Pulmonaria officinalis. —Aug. 25th. Mr. 
J. Collins exhibited a collection of mountain mosses made in York¬ 
shire, by Mr. J. A. Wheldon ; also a series mounted for the microscope ; 
Mr. P. T. Deakin, specimens of Zonites excavatus and Vertigo edentula 
from Hampshire ; Mr. G. H. Corbett, shelly limestone from the Lower 
Lias beds, Wilmcote.—Sept. 1st. The President, Professor Hillhouse, 
M.A., F.L.S., gave an account of a recent visit to Norway, and exhibited 
a series of interesting objects from that country. The lecturer said 
the Vice-president of the Vesey Club (Mr. J. B. Stone) arranged the 
excursion, and much local and general interest was excited by it, so 
much so that even London dailies condescended to notice it, though 
not with their customary accuracy. The party was divided into two 
sections taking different routes, an overland party and a sea party, the 
two meeting at Trondhjem. The lecturer accompanied the first 
section, and gave an account of the different modes of transit, railways, 
roads, and the vehicles used, and boats. The geological theory of 
Norway once being joined to Scotland was referred to, but the lecturer 
thought the botanical evidence, with the exception of one plant, 
Primula scotica , was against it. The botany of Norway was very inter¬ 
esting ; one plant, Artemisia norvegica , had only two habitats, Norway 
and the Rocky Mountains. Was this evolved 6,000 miles apart, or 
were these two habitats ever joined ? At the close of the lecture, a 
collection of plants was exhibited, also a series of photographs of 
natural scenery, &c., a model of an old wooden church at Borgund, said 
to date from the 12th century, and other objects of interest. A hearty 
vote of thanks was passed to the lecturer.—Sept. 8th. A paper was 
read by Mr. H. Insley—“ Notes on the Discovery of an Ancient Coal 
and Iron Mine near Coseley.” The writer said a letter appeared in a 
local paper a few months ago, announcing the discovery of a number 
of “ old men’s” workings in the Coppice Hall Colliery, near Coseley, 
and inviting anyone interested in the subject to visit and inspect them. 
The writer availed himself of the opportunity. The colliery now being 
worked as an open works exposed to view several cones, about eleven 
in number. A careful examination showed a series of old workings, 
near to each other. The shafts which were bell shaped and about 19 
feet deep were sunk for the purpose of getting gubbin ironstone and 
coal to calcine it, and a hollow, lined with clay was found where this 
process had been carried out; cinders and half calcined ironstone 
giving abundant evidence of this operation, preparatory to its being put 
into a cupula as primitive as those used by the Zulus at the present 
time. When the shafts were worked out, they were filled up with coal 
and slack that years had tended to consolidate, and when the sur¬ 
rounding beds had been removed, they formed the cones above referred 
to. What is the date of these workings? is a subject for speculation. 
Was it the work of the Monks of the Dudley Priory of about the 12th 
century, or did they belong to more ancient times ? The rudeness of 
their method of working put them back to remote days, probably not 
later than nine or ten centuries ago. At the close of the paper, a plan 
of the workings, photographs of the cones, and specimens of calcined 
ironstone, &c., were shown.—Sept. loth. Mr. H. Hawkes exhibited a 
collection of plants from the Arley district. Mr. P. T. Deakin, a series 
of volutes from the Eocene beds at Barton, remarking that of the 32 
species occurring in England, 10 were found in the Barton beds. 
