MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 
231 
Wilkinson, set of Lichens from the district and from Scotland, many 
of which were beautifully in fruit. Mr. W. B. Grove, a small 
collection of Fungi growing on trees ; also some comic sketches of 
Fungus forays and Portraits. Mr. S. Walliker, living Mosses, Lichens, 
and Ferns, from Devonshire, and mounted Sea-weeds. Miss France, 
a plant of Edelweiss, in bloom. Messrs. C. and A. Pumphrey, a very 
large number of Photographic Slides, prepared for the Oxy-hydrogen 
Lantern, including instantaneous Landscape Views and Microscopical 
Objects. Messrs. Alderman White, J. H. Stone, C. R. Robinson, and 
C. J. Watson, a large number of Landscape and Geological Photographs. 
Mr. T. J. Baker, four Calorimeters, demonstrating the following 
thermal facts:—(a) Atomic weights of different metals at the same 
temperature contain equal quantities of heat; (b) Equal weights of 
different metals at the same temperature contain unequal amounts 
of heat; (c) The relative amounts of heat absorbed by dissolving 
equal weights of different salts in water. Professor J. H. Poynting, 
Interference of Light by the Biprism. Mr. A. W. Haines, a small 
Dynamo-electric Machine, with Model Pump attached. Mr. Thomas 
Clarke, War Medals, obtained in the campaigns in China, Africa, 
New Zealand, Afghanistan, The Peninsula, Ac. 
Around the floor was arranged a collection of Diagrams for teaching 
Physiological Botany, lent by Prof. Hillhouse. 
In a separate room Mr. C. Pumphrey exhibited by the Oxy-hydrogen 
Lantern, at 8 p.m., a series of Photographs of the Yellowstone Park 
and Niagara taken by himself during his visit to Canada and the 
United States in 1884 ; and at 9 p.m., a number of Photo-Micrographs. 
The Hall was illuminated by the electric light, and there was a 
fairly good attendance of visitors and members of the Midland Union, 
chiefly, however, those residing near Birmingham. 
TEACHERS’ CONVERSAZIONE. 
On' Thursday evening, June 18th, the Town Hall was crowded in 
every corner by the Elementary School Teachers of Birmingham and 
the immediate neighbourhood, who appeared to derive great pleasure 
from an inspection of the numerous and attractive exhibits. It was a 
happy thought on the part of the Birmingham Natural History and 
Microscopical Society to invite those who are engaged in the work of 
education in the town to examine the extensive display of natural 
history specimens, microscopes, Ac., which had been got together as 
part of the eighth annual meeting of the Midland Union of Scientific 
Societies. About 1,500 invitations were issued, and from the throngs 
of visitors who filled the building as soon as the doors were opened 
it would appear that few, if any, of those invited were absent. Mr. 
Pumplirey’s capital lantern lectures on America and on Photo¬ 
micrography were listened to with marked attention, and Mr. Chase’s 
magnificent collection of British birds attracted general admiration. 
Every visitor appeared anxious to make the complete round of the 
grand exhibition of animate and inanimate objects displayed under 
the microscopes, and the exclamations of astonishment at the wonders 
revealed were neither few nor faint. From the general and obvious 
interest excited it cannot be doubted but that a most pleasant evening 
was spent by the teachers, and that they would carry away a better 
knowledge of the attractiveness of scientific pursuits than m ny of 
them previously possessed. As one connected with the teaching 
profession of this town, the writer desires, on behalf of his fellow 
teachers and at the request of many of them, to tender to the Natural 
History Society their earnest thanks. It crossed the minds of some 
