REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
147 
Society used at Oban last summer. Mr. T. H. Waller gave the 
analysis of the pumice and ashes, and compared them with the results 
published by the Abb6 Renard, and with the analysis of the lavas from 
the last eruption of Santorin. Sociological Section. —At the ordinary 
meeting of the Section, held on Thursday, April 24tli, in the Society’s 
Room at Mason College, the President, Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., 
in the chair, it was unanimously resolved that the President be 
requested to write, on behalf of the Section, a congratulatory letter 
to Mr. Herbert Spencer on the occasion of his sixty-fourth birthday, 
which occurred on Sunday, April 27tli. Mr. P. H. Collins also 
presented to the Society, through the Section, a framed portrait of 
Mr. Spencer, which was accepted with thanks. The study of Mr. 
Spencer’s Principles of Biology” was then continued, chaps. 3 and 4 
of Part II. being very ably expounded by Mr. C. H. Alison. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—March 17th.—Microscopical and General Meeting. Mr. 
Darley exhibited a hibernated larva of Lasiocampa roboris, and called 
attention to the great difference in time these insects remain in the 
pupal stage, varying from three weeks to eleven months ; Mr. Delicate, 
yellow bunting ; Mr. Boland, two large, brilliant beetles from Colombo. 
The following objects were shown under the microscopes :—Mr. Hawkes, 
Euglena viridis and circulation of blood in a stickleback, also Trichodina 
pediculus, parasitic on the same ; Mr. Moore, alimentary canal of 
Forficula auricularia ; Mr. Tylar, earth mite ( Trombidium holosericeum) ; 
Mr. Insley, two slides, showing shrunken protoplasm in cells of leaf of 
iris, and bulb of onion, illustrative of Professor Hillhouse’s paper. 
March 24th.—Mr. Madison exhibited a number of shells of Limncea 
stagnalis, showing the extent to which they vary in size in different 
localities; under the microscopes Mr. Tylar showed zoea of shore crab ; 
Mr. Hawkes, ova of Anodonta cygnea, living; Mr. Moore then read a 
paper “ Notes on the Common Plea.” The paper described its place 
in the animal kingdom, and the egg, larva, pupa and imago, their 
external appearance and internal structure. The paper was illustrated 
by a series of microscopic preparations, notable amongst which was 
one showing oesophagus, gizzard, stomach, and Malpighian tubes, etc., 
and another the development of embryo in egg. March 31st.—Mr. 
Tylar, a hydroid zoophyte, Halecium halecinum, with tentacles 
expanded. April 7th.—Mr. Deakin exhibited several specimens of the 
moth, Nyssia zonaria, from the Cheshire Sandhills, also a collection of 
shells from the Hamstead district; Mr. Madison, a specimen of Limncea 
peregra, var .picta, from Hall Green ; Mr. Hawkes, a collection of plants 
from Northfield, including, among others, Ribes grossularici, Petasites 
vulgaris, Veronica buxbaumii, and Chrysosplenium alternifolium. The 
following were shown under the microscopes :—Mr. Tylar, a zoophyte 
( Campanularia ), overgrown with diatoms; Mr. J. W. Neville, a fungus, 
paper mildew ( Myxotrichum chartarum). Mr. J. A. Grew then read a 
paper on “ Plant Cells,” which described the manner in which plants 
are built up by cell aggregation, also the various parts of cells, the cell 
wall, protoplasm, nucleus, and nucleolus. The many forms of cells 
composing cellular, stellate, vascular, and woody tissues were ex¬ 
plained, and also the cell contents—starch, crystals, and chlorophyll, 
the pretty arrangement of the latter in some of the desmids being 
referred to. A description of cell division, plant hairs, and stomata 
concluded the paper, which was illustrated by diagrams. 
