230 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES 
Many of these birds were very rare, including Rose-coloured Pastor, 
Pastor roseus ; Snowy Owl, Nyctea scandiaca , from Caithness ; Buffon’s 
Skua, Stercorarius parasiticus , from Sealiam Harbour; and Greenland 
Falcon, Hierofalco candicans, male and female, from Caithness. The 
most unique exhibits were a splendidly mounted pair of Golden Eagles, 
Aqaila clirysaetus , male and female, from Uig, and a pair of White¬ 
tailed Eagles, Haliaetus albicilla, from Lewis. Another noteworthy 
specimen was a male King Eider Duck, Somateria spectabilis , from the 
Fame Islands, shot this year, and very rare. Among other rare 
specimens were also a Dartford Warbler, Melizophilus undatus , from 
Kent; an Osprey, Pandion haliaetus; two Goshawks, male and female, 
Astur palumbarius; Sabine’s Gull, Xevia Sabinii (shot in Warwickshire); 
a Little Gull, Larus minutus, from Shoreliam ; Motacilla flava, and M. 
alba , Blue-headed, Yellow, and White Wagtails, from Brighton ; Sterna 
Dougalli , Roseate Tern, from the Fame Islands ; and Hydrochelidon 
leucoptera, Wliite-winged Black Tern, from Norfolk. These cases 
were remarkable also for the fidelity with which they represented the 
details of the locality in which the birds were obtained. Mr. Chase 
also exhibited a lai'ge number of Eggs and Nests of British Birds, 
and over forty well-mounted pairs of Horns and Antlers from various 
parts of the world; also Nests of the Wood or Bush Wasp, and of the 
Hornet. 
The floor of the hall was occupied by a display of about seventy 
microscopes, under which were exhibited many interesting objects, 
too numerous, however, to mention. Mr. T. Bolton exhibited an 
interesting collection of preserved specimens from Naples, illustrating 
Marine Zoology, and an example of Fisli-hatcliing apparatus; 
Mr. G. St. John, an Observatory Hive, in which the Bees were seen 
at work; also Diagrams of the Anatomy of Bees, and their relations 
to flowering plants. 
We can only make a selection from the exhibits in the side galleries. 
Mr. C. Beale, of Rowley Regis, showed a large number of Palaeolithic 
and Neolithic Implements, including some rare ones in Jasper and 
Chalcedony, from Torontola, at the base of the Apennines ; also some 
remarkable ancient Pottery, obtained from the old open coal workings 
at Tipton, Amblecote, and Wednesbury, attributed by the miners to 
the fairies. Mr. Beale also showed a large number of rare Fossils, 
from the Carboniferous and Silurian formations, many of them species 
not yet named. Mr. Horace Pearce, of Stourbridge, Crystals of 
Copper ; Ammonites from the Lias, Whitby; Glacial Clay and Striated 
Stones; and specimens of erratic Boulders, etc. Mr. S. Price, a 
number of specimens of India-rubber from India, Java, Africa, &c., 
in various states of preparation; and foreign Butterflies, Moths, 
&c. Mr. H. L. Earl, M.A., of Sheffield, two Cases of Butter¬ 
flies. Prof. T. W. Bridge, preserved specimens of Fishes, from 
the Mason College Museum. Mr. W. R. Hughes, a small 
collection of British and Foreign Corals, Euplectella Aspergillum 
(a beautiful sponge from the Philippine Islands), and Spongia 
oculifera (an allied fossil form). Mr. W. J. Harrison, Models used for 
teaching Physiology; also a number of Slides prepared for the Oxy- 
hydrogen Lantern to illustrate lectures ; some Apparatus for teaching 
Electricity and Magnetism, devised by himself ; and a simple arrange¬ 
ment for Photo-micrography ; also Rocks and Fossils from the Coal 
Measures and Welsh Mountains. Mr. J. E. Mapplebeck, a large and 
well-arranged collection of living British Ferns, including many rare 
and novel varieties such as Lastrea pseudo-mas Mapplebeckii , and 
Athyrium jilix-fcemina minutissimum, both found wild. Mr. W. H. 
