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REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
many caves; tlie evidently altered courses of some of our present 
rivers, prove the alteration of level. Which of our local Midland 
glacial beds, if any, belong to this period of extreme cold and elevation 
is a point to be examined. Was there a great ice sheet obliterating 
hills, valleys, and plains, or simply an Alpine condition of the country ? 
Subsidence followed. What was its depth? Certainly 1,400ft., pro¬ 
bably 2,000ft. The local shell only proves a depression of 500ft. or 
600ft. Dr. Crosskev found marine foraminifera near Wolverhampton 
519ft. above the sea level. Elevation and subsidence, however, must 
have gone on irregularly, and have been effected to a greater and less 
extent in various localities. The surface of the land did not go up 
en masse and sink down en masse in two consecutive movements without 
any break any more than the climate became colder and colder and 
then hotter and hotter without fluctuation. The evidence there is of 
these fluctuations was noted. In the Archipelago condition of what is 
now Great Britain icebergs must have floated in the seas. Some of 
our boulders must have been dropped as they melted. But the question 
remains open for study whether the great and extraordinary accumu¬ 
lations of boulders mark the trail of the land ice or could have been 
deposited by icebergs. The land on its re-elevation attained a slightly 
greater height than at present. The work of ice in the valleys during 
modified Arctic conditions has to be distinguished from the older ice 
work. During this period a slightly warmer climate prevailed in 
Great Britain and forests flourished at heights and in latitudes in which 
they cannot now grow. Among the evidences of local land ice Dr. Cross¬ 
key noted the distribution of the Charnwood Forest and also the Bowley 
Bag boulders.— General Meeting, March 30.—The President, Mr. R. W. 
Chase, in the chair. Mr. Charles Pumplirey exhibited the section of a 
log of macassar ebony, perforated, as he supposed, by pliolas ; also two 
shells, apparently marine. Mr. W. P. Marshall, M.I.C.E., then read 
his paper, entitled “ Notes on a Tour in America,” which will 
appear in a future number of the “ Midland Naturalist.” —General 
Meeting, April 6th.—The President (Mr. R. W. Chase) in the chair ; 
nearly sixty members and friends being present. Mr. J. Edmonds 
read a paper, “Hints on Photo-micrography,” which he illustrated 
by exhibiting a series of negatives and positives, which he had 
taken on glass from various microscopic specimens, including 
insects whole and portions of some more magnified; sections of 
plants, and a few sections of rocks. He then exhibited a photo of the 
apparatus he had used, and gave a lucid description of it, remarking, 
for the encouragement of beginners, that with the recent improvements 
the process was easy, and need not be at all expensive. Mr. C. 
Pumplirey showed the pictures by the aid of the oxyhydrogen lantern ; 
and afterwards he exhibited a number of views he had taken, showing 
the very interesting manner in which the cliffs of Bournemouth are 
weatherworn. He then rapidly showed a series of photos he had 
taken of flowers (mostly Alpine), animals, and snow scenes taken 
during some of the recent snowstorms. Mr. Pumplirey afterwards 
threw upon the screen some photos taken by Mr. T. H. Waller, 
B.A., of various rock sections, and also some photos of diatoms, 
Ac., taken by Mr. Iliff. —Microscopical General Meeting, April 
20th, the President (Mr. R. W. Chase) in the chair.—The news 
was received with deep regret of the death of two eminent 
scientists, T. Spencer Cobbold, M.D., F.R.S., whose papers and 
specimens have frequently been sent to this Society, and of 
the Rev. W. W. Newbould, M.A., whose labours in the Botany 
of this district have rendered more complete Mr. Bagnall’s Flora 
