REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
175 
was passed to Mr. Steward.—No meeting of this Society was held 
during the month of April. The annual meeting of this Society 
was held on the 8th of May. Mr. T. G. Eiger, F.R.A.S., (honorary 
secretary), presented the following report of the Committee The 
Committee have pleasure in presenting the ninth annual report. 
During the past year the following papers were read:—‘ Will it 
Rain? or weather-forecasting by means of the Spectroscope,’ by 
Mr. T. G. Eiger, F.R.A.S. ; ‘ The Life of a Naturalist,’ by the Rev. J. 
Copner, M.A. ; ‘ On Vegetable Cells and their Contents,’ by Mr. 
Hamson; ‘On the Migration of Birds,’ by Mr. W. Steward. The 
thanks of the Society are due to the authors of these papers and also 
to those members who exhibited specimens at the microscopical and 
other meetings. Although the number of papers contributed in the 
course of the past session is fewer than in any previous year, in other 
respects the Society has shown no lack of vitality. In the botanical 
section, especially, real progress had been made. Mr. J. Saunders, of 
Luton, to whom the Society is already so much indebted, has done 
good work in collecting and cataloguing the flowering and cryptogamic 
plants of South Bedfordshire, a very complete list of which, the result 
of his labours, will shortly appear in the Transactions. The want of 
equally active and energetic workers in the Northern division of the 
county is a pressing one, and forms the only impediment to the work 
of preparing for publication of the new ‘Flora Bedfordiensis,’ which the 
Committee trust will ere long be proceeded with. The Saturday after¬ 
noon excursions originated and conducted by the Botanical Secretary, 
Mr. A. Ransom, have been continued with success. Arrangements are 
in progress to organize, if possible, one or more excursions during the 
coming summer in connection with the Northamptonshire Natural 
History Society, of which due notice will be given. The meteorological 
observations, commenced nearly two years ago, have been systematically 
carried on, though from unavoidable causes the weekly publication of 
the results in the local papers has during the last six months been 
discontinued. The forthcoming report of the Committee will, however, 
include a summary of the records of all the instruments up to date. 
The scheme for organizing a system of popular scientific lectures in the 
county has been very successful. Lectures have been given at 
Kempston, Potton, and other places during the year, which were well 
attended and highly appreciated. The Midland Naturalists’ Union, 
to which our Society is affiliated, hold their annual meeting this year 
at Peterborough, on 25th June. A wish has been expressed that the 
Union should be asked to meet next year at Bedford. It rests with 
the members of our Society to decide whether or no an invitation shall 
be given. Such a reunion of naturalists and men of science would be 
most desirable if it can be arranged, as it would instil new life into 
our Society and be the means of awakening general interest in 
Natural History in the town and neighbourhood. The Proceedings 
and Transactions of the Society from June, 1881, to the present date 
are in the press, and will soon be issued to the members.”—Mr. 
Hamson presented the report of the Lecturing Committee, from 
which it appeared that in October last the Secretary was instructed to 
draw up a circular setting forth the provisions of the lecturing scheme, 
to have it printed, and cause copies to be sent to the principal officers 
of various local societies in villages near Bedford. At the same time 
the Secretary prepared a list of gentlemen (not necessarily members of 
the Society) who he thought would be willing to give lectures. There 
had been five applications received through the medium of the 
Committee, and the following lectures have been delivered : October 
