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MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 153 
one end, with a piece of perforated zinc nailed on to the front. A hole 
should be cut in the back, large enough to put the hand in, to be used 
as a door. There should also be a false bottom to the cage with two 
separate trays, which should be alternately in use and drying. Water 
must always be placed in the cage, as bats are very thirsty creatures, 
and always run to the vessel to drink directly they wake. 
[I may remark that Mr. Norton obtained Bechstein’s bat at 
Godstow, and the Serotine at Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight. Both 
these examples were presented to the Oxford Museum by Mrs. Norton. 
The Serotine is interesting as differing in colour from those presented 
in 1865 by Mr. Bond, though according well with the Isle of Wight 
Serotines described by the Editors of “ Bell’s Quadrupeds.” The other 
hats in the Oxford Museum not yet alluded to are—Daubenton’s bat 
(no locality given) ; Keddish Grey bat, obtained at the church of 
Poyning, Sussex, by Mr. J. R. Griffith, in 1863. Among numerous 
examples of the Pipistrelle presented by the Hon. Mrs. Norton is one 
of a reddish dormouse colour, apparently approaching the colour of a 
specimen of this species described by Mr. Borrer in the “Zoologist.” 
—H. A. M.] 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATUEAL HISTORY 
SOCIETIES. 
TAMWORTH MEETING, JUNE 12 th and 13th, 1883. 
The Sixth Annual Meeting of the Union was held at Tam worth 
during the second week in June, a date which seems now to be finally 
recognised as the most suitable for an engagement combining indoor 
work with outdoor recreation. 
The Council Meeting was held (by kind permission of Thomas 
Cooke, Esq.) in the Banqueting Hall of Tamworth Castle, at 12 o’clock, 
on Tuesday, June 12th. Delegates from sixteen Societies were 
present; Reports were received from the Hon. Secretaries and from 
the Management Committee; the draft of the General Report was 
discussed, and a grant of ten guineas was made towards the funds of 
the “Midland Naturalista further donation of £2 for the same object 
being announced from the surplus funds of the late Nottingham 
Literary and Philosophical Society. 
The Annual General Meeting was held in the same room at three 
o’clock—the President of the Union (Egbert de Hamel, Esq., of 
Tamworth) in the chair. Among those present at the Council Meet¬ 
ing and General Meeting were—the Rev. H. Norris, Dr. Fleming, Mr. 
Edward Argyle, the Rev. W. Macgregor, Rev. H. Dale, Rev. C. B. 
Maude, Mr. Thomas Cooke, Mr, A. A. Clarson, Mr. S. Spruce, F.G.S., 
Mr, A. Lucy (Tamworth), Rev. J. Thornewill (Burton), the Rev. O. M. 
Feilden (Oswestry), Professor Milnes Marshall, M.A., M.D., D.Sc, 
