REPORTS OF SOCIETIES 
14H 
Ifprts of ^oftcttfs. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.— 
GeneraIj Meeting. —May 1st.—Mr. Bolton exhibited PofIop7i?'(ya limbnta {SaviUo 
Kent’s Manual, pi. 48, fig. 5), from fresh water near Birmingham, the only 
previously-recorded habitats having been marine; and Clathrulina elegans, 
brought from U. S. A. by Mr. R. Hitchcock, together with Limnias annulatus, 
an unidentified rotifer, Vorticella, etc. Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Mosses:— 
OrthotricJium rioulare, in fruit, O. saxicola, Tortula mucronata, in fruit, and 
Hypnum chnjsopht/Uum, all rare, from near Wootton Wawen ; Tortula latifoUa, 
in fruit, T. margina,ta, T. revoluta (rare', from near Sherborne, and other mosses; 
Hepaticfe:— Lopliocole(t cuspiclata, from'Preston Bagot mew to Warwickshire', 
Metzgeria furcata, from Wootton Wawen, and other plants. Mr. W. B. Grove 
exhibited FungiiSoiYZaWa fimeti, Nectria mammoidea, Ditioln radicati, 
Trarnetes serpens (Berk.), all from Sutton, and new to Warwickshire; Helrnin- 
thosporium subclavatum, (Sacc.), new to Britian; Ascobolus glaber and A.fnr- 
furaceus, from Sutton ; and on behalf of Mr. So])pitt, Dineinaspnrium graminurn, 
on dead grass leaves. Sociologicae Section. —May 3rd.—The first meeting of 
this Section of the Society, for the study of Mr. Herbert Spencer’s System of 
Philosophy, was held at the Mason College. The President (Mr. W. R. Hughes, 
F.L.S.', occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance, including several 
ladies. The President explained that the new Section had originated in a wish 
to unite, for the purposes of mutual help, those who were already students 
of Mr. Herbert Spencer’s system, but were unknown to each other; and to 
introduce to the Synthetic Philosophy those already engaged in some special 
biological study, but as yet unfamiliar with the principles common to all 
departments of natural history. He read a letter from Mr. Herbert Spencer 
expressing cordial sympathy with the objects of the Section, and adding some 
valuable suggestions as to the course of work to be undertaken by the Section. 
An abstract of part of the President’s Address, together with the above-men¬ 
tioned letter in extenso, will be found at pp. 121-7. The President’s Address was 
followed by a discussion upon the first two chapters of the “ Essay on Education,” 
introduced by Mr. Greatheed. Mr. Greatheed warmly sympathised with Mr. 
Spencer in his views upon the English Public School System, and deprecated 
the spending of so many years in the study of the dead languages. Professor 
Sonnenschein thought that the “Essay on Education” overstated the case 
against the study of the Classics, and did not even lay sufficient stress upon 
the importance of modern languages. Professor Haycraft advocated specialisa¬ 
tion at an early stage of the school career, and Mr. S. D. Williams was strong!)’ 
opposed to it, urging a good general education, and afterwards specialisation. 
Dr. Hill agreed in the main with Mr. Spencer’s opinion that the study of 
Science is the most essential of all studies. Mr. Alfred Hayes (Hon. Sec.), whilst 
admitting its frequent abuse, defended the study of the dead languages on 
several grounds. After the discussion a series of slides was e.xhibited— 
under the superintendence of Mr. W. P. Marshall, Mr. J. E. Bagnall, and Mr. 
Greatheed—illustrating the cellular structure common to all forms of life. 
Bioeogical Section, May 8th.—Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Hepatics— Junger- 
mannia inflata, in fruit (rare), Cephalozia. divaricata, Sm., irare and new to 
Warwickshire', both illustrated by microscopical preparations, and other 
hepatics; Lichens— Cladonia rangiferina, Coleshill (rare), Tarmelia olivacea, 
Coleshill (new to Warwickshire', and other lichens; also male and female 
plants of Empetrum nigrum, from Sutton I’ark. Mr. W. G. Blatch exhibited 
two linnet eggs, one much paler than the normal form which was taken from 
the same nest, and also unmarked. Mr. W. B. Grove exhibited fungi— Helmin- 
thosporium siempliylioides (new to England, previously recorded for Scotlandi, 
Torula ovalispora, Coniothyrium glomerutum, Menispora ciliata, Helotimn 
pruinosum, Triposporium elegans (all new to Warwickshire), Teziza cyathoide i, 
and lieticularid unibrin i, all from Sutton ; and Ascobolus furfuraceus, from 
Edgbaston. Mr. A. W. Wills then read a paper u])on the “ Reclassification of 
the Conjugate Algie.” .\fter referring to the gradual increase in degree of 
