REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
143 
of Warwickshire. Mr. J. E. Bagnall, F.L.S., read an account 
of a visit to the Arrow district, and exhibited a series of mosses, 
lichens, and plants which he found there, including Helleborus viridis 
(Green Hellebore), Dicranum fusee seem , Scleropodium illecebrum , &c. 
Mr. W. B. Grove, B.A., exhibited sterile form of Corticium sangu-neum, 
staining the wmod scarlet, and green oak wood stained by the mycelium 
of an Helotium; also wood (? alder) stained orange by the sap. Mr. 
W. H. Wilkinson exhibited Agaricus ostreatus, the oyster fungus, from 
a poplar tree ; an edible species. Mr. T. Bolton exhibited a small but 
interesting myriapod, Polyxenus lagurus , from King’s Norton. Pro¬ 
fessor W. Hillhouse, M.A., then gave a minute description of the 
structure of a fern, and exhibited two living plants, Osmunda palustris 
and 0 . regzlis, of which he showed sections to illustrate his remarks. 
After referring to the height to which the latter plant sometimes attains, 
8ft. to 10ft., tlie Professor described the erect under-ground stem and 
its anatomy ; then the leaf-stalk and the barren and spore-bearing 
leaves or fronds ; and next described the curved lines of the vascular 
svstem, affording the most perfect mechanical arrangement for the 
requirements of the plant; and concluded by describing the alteration 
of the leaflet into the spore capsule, each nominally containing thirty- 
two spores. The beautiful sections under the microscopes, the 
diagrams, and the black-board sketches added very much to the 
interest of the lecture. After remarks by Messrs. Chase, Bagnall, 
Browett, and Morley, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Professor 
Hillhouse. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—March 22nd. Mr. Hopkins exhibited specimens of Stag 
Beetle, Lucanus cervus ; Mr. Corbet saurian remains from the Green¬ 
sand, Cambridgeshire. Mr. Hopkins then read a paper on “ A Day’s 
Shell Collecting in Hampshire.” The object of the journey was to 
procure specimens of Helix obvoluta, said to be found there. The 
paper described the visit as a successful one, the day’s collecting yield¬ 
ing thirty-four species of land shells, including specimens of the one 
wished for. March 29th. Mr. Insley presented, on behalf of Mr. J. E. 
Bagnall, a number of diatomaceous earths from the United States. 
Mr. A. T. Evans exhibited a fossil coral from Ohio ; Mr. Dunn, speci¬ 
mens of a fruit from India, the juice of which is used by the natives 
as a marking ink. Under the microscope Mr. J. Moore showed eggs 
of Planorbis corneus; Mr. Hawkes, a fungus, Torula herbarum ; Mr. 
Tylar, sections of chalk, from Antrim, and pitclistone, from Arran.— 
April 5th. Mr. J. Madison exhibited specimens of Actinocrinus and 
Productus punctata, from Clitheroe ; Mr. A. T. Evans, shark’s teeth, 
from greensand; Mr. C. F. Beale, Lima gig ant ea , from Lower Lias, 
Barrow-on-Soar, and a group of Gryphea incurva, from Kilby Bridge ; 
Mr. C. P. Neville, beetles, from Brazil; Mr. Mulliss, larva of gadfly, 
Tabanus autumnalis. A paper was then read by Mr. H. Insley on 
“ The Past and Future of Geology.” The writer stated that Geology, 
as a science, had not a history of great antiquity, though ideas regard¬ 
ing the origin of the earth were probably as old as mankind. The 
rise and progress of the science from early times was traced, and the 
work done by ardent enquirers summed up. A brief resume of the 
effect of geological thought upon current Theology brought the paper 
to a close.—April 12tli. Mr. J. Madison exhibited Planorbis corneus, 
densely clothed with an alga ; Mr. Moore, specimens of Unio tumidus 
and U. pictomm. Under the microscope Mr. J. W. Neville showed 
the antenna comb of honey bee. 
