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REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
and loving nature of the dog, the affection and love of home of the 
cat, and the many good qualities of other beasts and birds educated 
by, or brought into contact with, man. The paper concluded by 
recommending kindness to all dumb creatures, as they were a sacred 
trust, and should be cared for as such.—October 3rd, Mr. Corbet 
exhibited a collection of fossil coal plants in shale from Darlaston ; 
Mr. J. W. Neville, chirping file and drum of cricket.—October 10th, 
Mr. H. Hawkes showed specimens of the following fungi:— Agaricus 
elatus , Panus conchatus, Nectria cinncibarina, and Tubercularia vulgaris , 
the two last being a common instance of dimorphism ; Mr. J. Madison, 
a curious shell of Limncea staghalis, which had two distinct lips. Under 
the microscope, Mr. Collins showed Vaucheria luimata; Mr. Mulliss, 
moss fruits; Mr. Hawkes, a large series of slides of microscopic fungi. 
CARADOC FIELD CLUB.—The concluding meeting of the 
season—specially devoted to the study of Cryptogamic botany—was 
held at Pulverbatch on Friday, September 23rd. The party drove 
first to Pontesbury, and then proceeded on foot through the woods to 
Westcott, and thence over Cothercot Hill to Castle Pulverbatch. 
Here a halt was made at the Mound, where stood the fortress which 
was probably founded by Roger Venator, one of the followers of the 
Conqueror. On the drive homewards, the party paid a visit to Lower 
Moat Farm, which still contains some ancient portions, and stands on 
the site of a manor house of the Stapletons, who claimed descent from 
Roger Venator, lord of Pulverbatch. They also stayed for awhile at 
Stapleton Village to examine its very interesting church, the peculiarity 
of which is that it is really made up of two churches, the one built 
over the other, and originally forming a second storey. In the evening 
the Annual Dinner of the Club was held at the “ George ” Hotel, 
Shrewsbury, the President, Rev. J. D. La Touche, occupying the chair. 
After dinner, the President delivered his Annual Address on the work 
of the Club, and the following papers were also read :—“ The Hessian 
Fly,” by Rev. W. Houghton, M.A., F.L.S.; “ Chlorophyll,” by Mr. T. 
P. Blunt, M.A.; and “ Methods of reproduction in Fungi,” by Mr. W. 
Phillips, F.L.S. 
DUDLEY AND MIDLAND GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—This 
Society held their last Field Meeting for this season on Saturday 
afternoon, October 8th, at Moseley, for the purpose of examining the 
fine exposure of glacial gravel and sand in the cutting of the Midland 
Railway. Mr. A. J. Evans, who has devoted a vast amount of labour 
to breaking up these pebbles in search of the fossils they contain, 
and whose fine collection formed so interesting a feature in the 
Geological Department of the Birmingham Exhibition last year, kindly 
undertook the guidance of the party, and exhibited a number of 
specimens of Orthis Budleighensis, worm-burrows, Ac. from the 
quartzite pebbles, Pentamerus, Ac. from the Caradoc sandstone, and 
crinoid stems, Ac. from the mountain limestone, and explained the 
character of the pebbles most likely to contain fossils. A few fossils 
wei’e found, and the party were much interested in examining the 
lithological character of the stones, which is so varied, and unfamiliar 
to this district, in situ. Mr. Horace Pearce, F.G.S. (the President 
of the Society), expressed the thanks of the members to Mr. Evans 
for his kind assistance and valuable information. 
