832 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
of the same ; Mr. Moore, Helix relevata and Achatina acicula. A paper 
was then read by Mr. Evans on “ The Drift,” which described super¬ 
ficial layers and the extent to which they were formed of older rocks. 
The Moseley drift was particularly dealt with, as being the chief field 
of the writer’s labours. The paper enumerated the different rocks 
found there, and also the fossils contained in them, comprising 
specimens of Rhynchonella , Lingula , Orthis , Pentamerus, Meristella , 
Spirifer , Aviculopecten, crinoidal stems, worm tracks, fragments of 
Trilobites and Lepidostrobus. The fossils bearing a strong resemblance 
to those of the Bunter beds, the writer held that the drift was a 
redistribution of those pebbles, and that they were originally derived 
from an old land barrier running across central England, some outlines 
of which were pointed out. The writer, in conclusion, hoped to be 
able at a future time to give some results of work in the Bunter beds, 
by which he hoped further light would be thrown upon this question. 
The paper was rendered additionally interesting by an exhibition of 
the fossils referred to. 
LEICESTER LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 
—Section D, Zoology and Botany. Chairman, F. T. Mott, F.R.G.S. — 
Monthly meeting, Wednesday, October 21st. Attendance twelve (four 
ladies). It was announced that the following three members of the 
Society had joined this section, viz.: Dr. Tomkins, R. Overton, Esq., 
and A. G. Turner, Esq., B.A. Arrangements were made for a fungus 
foray to Switliland Wood, &c., on Wednesday, the 28th October, at 
which Dr. Cooke, of London, had promised to assist. A covered brake 
to start from the Bell at 10 a.m. The following objects were exhibited 
by various members, viz.: By Mr. Grundy, a set of microscopic slides 
of entomological subjects, prepared by himself without pressure, the 
cells being made of a ring of tin with several slight grooves filed across 
to allow the escape of air bubbles; by Miss Grundy, a box of very 
small and delicate shells, chiefly Pecten, from the sea shore ; leaf and 
abortive panicle of Plius cotinus, the wig tree ; leaf of the camphor 
laurel, Lanrus camphora; and a well-executed drawing of a longitudinal 
section of the fruit of Rubus fruticosus var. laciniatus, x 4; by Mr. F. 
Bates, a slide of the remarkable alga, Rulbochcete mirabilis , found on 
submerged leaves of Ranunculus aquatilis , uear Narborough, and new 
to the county ; also living clusters of desmids (Cosmarium) in water, 
with prepared slides for the microscope ; by Mr. E. F. Cooper, a branch 
of Rhamnus catharticus , with abundance of ripe fruit; by Miss Noble, 
a fruiting branch of an almond tree; by Miss Ions, leaves of the 
Canadian scarlet oak in their autumnal colour ; by the Chairman, 
specimens of the grass called “onion twitch,” Arrhenathemm avenaceum 
var. bulbosum, showing the knobs at the base of the stem; and a sun¬ 
flower, Helianthus animus , of unusual size, llin. across the disk, 16in. 
across the ray, weighing 31bs. The plant from which it was cut was 
Oft. 3in. high, with a stem ljin. diameter, and leaves 16in. broad. Mr. 
Thomas Carter, LL.B., read a paper ou “ Some Alpine Plants of 
Britain,” illustrated by mounted specimens of about forty species out 
of the hundred which belong to the Arctic flora, and by a series of 
maps showing the distribution of these species over the globe and in 
the British Islands, and discussing the different theories which have 
been suggested to account for their isolated occurrence on the summits 
of various mountain ranges. Mr. F. Bates read a short description of 
the fresh-water alga, Bulboclicete mirabilis. 
