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REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
party was met at the station by Mr. Beale, who had kindly consented 
to act as guide. The route taken was to the Clay Croft Openworks, 
Mr. Beale pointing out on the way some rich fossiliferous formations ; 
the thick coal seam was here examined, and its features described. 
The road was then taken to the Wren’s Nest Hill, where some hours 
were pleasantly spent; a visit was afterwards made to the Dudley 
museum, where a vote of thanks to Mr. Beale for his kind assistance 
brought an interesting excursion to a close. July 7th.—Mr. Moore 
show r ed specimen of Mining Bee, Andrena, and nest of the same, also 
nest of Humble Bee, Bornbus terrestris; Mr. Deakin, a specimen of 
Wryneck, Yunx torquilla, and eggs of Crow; Mr. Hawkes a number of 
plants, including Atropa belladonna and Reseda luteola ; Mr. Madison, 
a case of shells, Limncea stagnalis, including five sets taken from the 
same pond, extending over a number of years, and showing a gradual 
change of form ; also shells of Clausilia laminata, Paludina vivipara , 
and Bulimus montanus, with models of their inmates ; Mr. Darley, 
larvae of Emperor moth, Saturnia carpini , and the following moths : 
Barred Red, Ellopia fasciaria , Pine Carpet, Thera jirmata , and Shaded 
Broadbar, Thera variata ; under the microscopes Mr. Foster showed 
section of fern, Osmunda regalis ; Mr. J. W. Neville, section of shell of 
Pinna, showing prismatic structure; Mr. Hawkes, Volvox globator. 
July 14tli.—Special, Botany ; Mr. Hawkes exhibited a collection of 
plants, which included Poteriurn angnisorba attacked with rust, 
Lecgthea poterii, and Brand, Xenodochus carbonarius, and Tragopogon 
pratensis, dwarfed with smut, Ustilago receptaculorum ; also a specimen 
of Twayblade that had developed a third leaf ; under the microscopes 
Mr. Tylar showed dotted vessels in oblique section of elm; Mr. J. W. 
Neville, Bladderwort, Utricularia vulgaris ; Mr. Hawkes, spores of 
Burnet Brand. 
PETERBOROUGH, NATURAL HISTORY, SCIENTIFIC, AND 
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—On Whit-Monday, June 2nd, a 
party of members and friends had an excursion to Helpston and 
Helpston Heath. Leaving Peterborough at 9 a.m. by Midland 
Railway they alighted at Helpston Station and proceeded to the 
village, the birth-place of the poet Clare. His house, his grave, 
and the handsome stone monument erected to his memory, were 
inspected, also the ancient stone cross and the church. The 
Heath was reached about noon, and after rest and refreshment, 
the members dispersed about the Heath and woods adjoining, and 
succeeded in obtaining a large number of plants, many of them rare, 
among them being Orchis moria , 0. mascula , 0. latifolia, 0. masculata, 
Habenaria bifolia , Aceras anthropaphores, Ophreys rnascifera , Listera obata. 
After a second rest, the party walked to Walton station, via Marliolm, 
visiting the stone quarries en route, and reached Peterborough at 6-40, 
having spent a most enjoyable day. 
TAMWORTH NATURAL HISTORY, GEOLOGICAL, AND 
ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.—On May 26tli Mr. F. Lott delivered an 
interesting and exhaustive lecture on “ Coal and its Origin the 
subject was the more attractive from the neighbourhood in which it 
was delivered, and was duly appreciated by an attentive audience. 
On June 16th a paper on the “ Poetry of Science ” was read by the 
Rev. Brooke Lambert, B.C.L. One of the largest audiences of the 
season met to hear it. The paper was short but suggestive. A desultory 
discussion followed on the relation of Science and Religion. Mr. W. G. 
Fretton had to postpone his lecture for the 14th July, owing to illness. 
