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REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
Microscopical Section, May 3. Professor Hillhouse in the chair. 
Specimens were exhibited of different kinds of rice from Eastern 
Bengal, by Mr. Walliker; and a series of specimens as exhibited by 
Mr. Bolton of photographs, taken at fifteen minutes’ interval, under 
the microscope, of a Slime Eungus (Physarum nutans), showing its 
constantly changing network form. A paper was read by Mr. Bolton 
on the “ Anatomy of Botifers,” illustrated by a series of living 
specimens in microscopes, and of coloured drawings of a rotifer 
(Bracliionus rubens) that was selected as a typical specimen of 
this group of apimalcula. —Biological Section, May 10. Mr. It. 
W. Chase in the chair. Mr. H. J. Carter gave a paper, read 
by Mr. W. It. Hughes, on the “ Third Eye of Anguis fragilis (the 
common slow-worm),” that had been found to have a central 
median eye, imperfectly developed, in addition to the perfect pair of 
lateral eyes. This had a special interest in relation to a newly 
discovered three-eyed reptile, Hatteria punctata, in New Zealand, that 
was described by Mr. A. B. Badger in the “ Midland Naturalist ” for 
1886, page 257 ; having a central median eye lying upon the surface of 
the brain hut covered externally by the skin. This was of particular 
interest as suggesting in explanation of the doubtful pineal-gland or 
epiphysis found in a similar position upon the surface of the brain in 
vertebrates, a survival from some ancestral type common with the 
ascidians, which retain a single median eye. Mr. Hughes also 
gave an account of some unusually large specimens of sea-anemones 
(Tealia crassicornis) that he had recently seen in the Brighton 
Aquarium, several of which had seized and were in course of 
swallowing a herring as large as about seven inches in length. Mr. 
Burgess, of London, presented to the Society a type slide of 100 
species of Foraminifera, from the Friendly Islands in the Pacific. 
Mr. Chase exhibited specimens of the Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita), 
from the Norfolk Broads. Mr. Bagnall exhibited Tolypella glomerata, 
one of the Characese, found at Wlnmpstone, near Stratford, and not 
previously recorded in the Midlands. Mr. Grove exhibited Onygena 
apus, from Newcastle-on-Tyne, a fungus found on dead hoofs of cows 
and other similar animal substances. 
BIRMINGHAM MICROSCOPISTS’ AND NATURALISTS’ 
UNION.—March 21st. Mr. Dunn exhibited under the microscope a 
freshwater worm, Neplielis ; Mr. Hawkes, specimens of Vauclieria 
racemosa and V. sessilis, and explained their modes of reproduction; 
Mr. H. Insley, a section of a Lancashire coal-ball through rootlets 
of Stigmaria. — March 28th. Mr. J. Collins read a paper on 
“ Low Forms of Vegetable Life.” The writer said the morphology 
and physiology of the lower classes of vegetable life were but 
little understood, even by many advanced students of botany, 
and until very recently they had not been popular branches 
of the vegetable kingdom, though this fact alone was sufficient to 
commend them to practical naturalists. The division between the 
algas and fungi was described as an artificial one. This interesting 
paper was illustrated by diagrams, and slides under the microscopes. 
—April 4th. Mr. II. Insley showed part of the spinal column of an 
Ichthyosaurus, from the Lias ; Mr. Hopkins, specimens of Vertigo 
edentula, from Solihull ; Mr. J. W. Neville, a Gorgonia, from 
Australia, and spicules of the same under the microscope.—April 18th. 
Mr. H. Insley exhibited some sketches of the auditory organs of 
insects; Mr. A. T. Evans, pebbles from the Drift containing specimens 
of Orthis elegantula, Modiolopsis and other fossils ; Mr. J. Collins 
(under the microscope), Draparnaldia glomerata; Mr. J. W. Neville, 
