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REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
carried in solution by streams and rivers to the ocean, is used by the 
foraminifera in building up their shells, which are composed of 
carbonate of lime. He then passed on to the microscopic character 
of the chalk, which was shown to be almost entirely made up of 
foraminifera and the siliceous portions of diatoms. The paper was 
profusely illustrated by diagrams and chemical experiments. March 
6th.—The annual soiree and exhibition was held in the large hall of 
the Mechanics’ Institution. The programme included a great variety 
of objects of science, art, local manufactures, &c. Microscopes 
were exhibited by a number of gentlemen during the evening. Perhaps 
the most novel part of the exhibition was the naturalists’ dinner 
table, which was presided over by the Hon. Sec., Mr. B. S. Dodd, and 
on which was served up a number of dishes not commonly partaken 
of ; the menu consisting of rat-pie, stewed squirrel, roast hedgehog, 
fricassee of frogs, French snails, horse steaks, reindeer tongue, seaweed 
ielly and blancmange, American pop-corn, and a number of vegetarian 
dishes. The Hon. Sec. was ably assisted in this department by 
Mrs. W. Foster, Jun., and Mr. H. Foster. An organ recital was given 
during the evening by Mr. W. G. Taylor. March 18th.—Dr. Handford 
read a paper on “ The Circulating Fluids in Plants and Animals.” The 
paper was of considerable interest, and entered very minutely into 
the subject. Commencing with the lowest types of plants and animals, 
the lecturer reviewed the simplest forms of circulation ; and then 
proceeded to deal with the blood of the vertebrate animals, referring 
to the various shapes and sizes of the blood corpuscles in different 
animals. In conclusion he drew attention to the “fugitive corpuscles, 
recently discovered by Dr. Norris in the blood of mammalian animals, 
and which were only to be detected by careful preparation, not from 
their small size, for they are as large as the ordinary red corpuscles, 
but that they are rendered invisible owing to their having the same 
refractive index and the same colour as the liquor sanguinis in which 
they are submerged. These “fugitive corpuscles” are considered by 
Dr. Norris to be the source from which the red corpuscles are developed, 
for, when brought into view and carefully examined, they are found to 
be colourless bi-concave discs, and between these and the red bi-concave 
discs the existence of other bi-concave discs, possessing every gradation 
of tint, could be detected not only by the eye but more conclusively by 
the aid of the most delicate photo-chemical tests. The paper was 
illustrated by numerous diagrams and drawings and also by microscopic 
slides. 
TAMWOETH NATURAL HISTORY, GEOLOGICAL, AND 
ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.—On February 25th a paper was read by 
Mr. F. A. Grayston on “The Solar System.” The lecturer dealt with the 
nebular theory—the sun, earth, and moon—showing its three stages 
of development. In the case of the moon the lecturer suggested that 
the volcanoes, which are of a larger size than those of our own planet, 
might be so owing partly to the more rapid cooling of that body in 
consequence of its smaller size. On the debatable question as to 
whether Jupiter and Saturn are self-luminous bodies, he was inclined to 
chink that the later theory (that they are) was not satisfactorily proved. 
Lantern slides were given in illustration.—On March 10th “ Town 
Chapters ” was given by the Rev. T. Forster Rolfe. Starting from 
the point of the Tamworth earliest Charter (1317), he illustrated it by 
the early history of the Saxon Monks, the customs of various places 
from Domesday Book, and the Charters of London, Lincoln, Beverley, 
and Oxford, to the time of Edward III. 
