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KEPORTS OP' SOCIETIES. 
and small elephant hawk, wood tiger, scarlet tiger C. innabar, large 
emerald, etc., etc. ; Mr. Madison, Lmincea pereger var. albida and 
Ancylus Jluviatilis var. albida from Westmoreland ; Mr. Delicate, a 
stuffed specimen of jack snipe ( Gallinago gallinula). The following 
objects were shown under the microscopes :—Mr. Dunn, larva of 
day fly ( Ephemera marginata ); Mr. Darley, rotifers ; Mr. Foster, 
Cyclops quadricornis; Mr. Tylar, Daphnia pulex; Mr. Moore, circula¬ 
tion of blood in a fish ; Mr. C. P. Neville, Hydra vulgaris ; Mr. Brad¬ 
bury, Sarcoptes scabiei and Pediculus vestimenti; Mr. J. W. Neville, 
Melicerta ringens ; Mr. Flower, head of crane fly ( Tipula oloracea). 
January 28th.—Mr. Hawkes, a specimen of tooth-wort ( Latlircca 
squamaria) , from Halesowen ; Mr. Darley, hybernated larvae of fox 
moth ; Mr. Dunn, great water mite ( Hydrachna geographica) ; Mr. 
Tylar, trans. section of echinus spine ; Mr, Moore, trans. section of 
Lithostrotion basaltifonne, a fossil coral from Plymouth ; Mr. J. W. 
Neville, deep sea dredgings from Indian Ocean; Mr. Hawkes, a 
portable or pocket microscope specially designed by himself ; Mr. 
Madison, a short lecture on “ How to distinguish common rocks,” 
well illustrated by specimens that were subjected to various tests to 
show their nature and composition. Microscopical and General 
Meeting, February 4tli.—Mr. Moore, a collection of twenty-four 
beetles found in decaying vegetation. Mr. Madison, Limncea palustris, 
a large variety from Cheddar, and Planorbis nitidus, var. albida. 
Mr. Simpson, a small electric motor for use with turntable. Mr. 
Dunn, Chydorus sphcericus. Mr. Tylar, young of Gobius niger , just 
hatched. Mr. Hawkes, larva of Coretlira plumicornis. Mr. J. W. 
Neville, snake’s head Coralline ( Anguinaria spathulata). February 
11th.—Mr. Deakin exhibited a collection of wild flowers, showing the 
mildness of the season. Mr. Tylar, young Starfish ( Asteria gibbosa 
and Stephanoceros eichhornii) . Mr. Moore, gizzard of beetle ( Cetonia 
lineatus). Mr. Flower then read a paper, “ Notes on Foreign Cage 
Birds,” illustrated by living specimens. 
BEDFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. — A 
meeting was held at the Bedford Assembly Rooms on Thursday, the 
13th inst., Mr. T. G. Eiger, F.R.A.S., in the chair. Arrangements 
were made for printing the transactions, the editorship of which is 
ably carried out by Mr. Eiger. An invitation was sent to the North¬ 
ampton Natural History Society to join our own upon some date, and 
at some suitable place to be afterwards agreed upon, for a field 
excursion. Mr. Arthur Ransom, the botanical secretary, expressed 
his willingness to conduct a series of Saturday afternoon botanical 
expeditions during the summer. The Secretary of the Rural Lecturing 
Committee (Mr. Hamson) announced that lectures had been delivered 
at Kempton by the Rev. J. Copner and Mr. Crick, and at Great 
Barford by Mr. A. Ransom. An application for a lecture was received 
from Potton, and Mr. Hamson agreed to give one on “Flowers and 
their Fertilization.” A paper on “ Vegetable Cells and their Contents ” 
was then read by Mr. Hamson, describing the formation, nature, and 
function of protoplasm, starch, and its derivatives, chlorophyll, 
crystalloids, globoids, aleuronegrains, the albuminoids, raphides, etc. 
Mr. Davis lent two microscopes, and an admirable series of slides illus¬ 
trating the subject, together with a live plant of nitella showing the 
circulation in the cells. At the close, on the proposition of Mr. Eiger, 
seconded by Dr. Adams, and supported by Mr. G. Hurst, a vote of 
thanks was passed to the essayist. 
