REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
167 
Blue Caps. —In the June number of the “ Midland Naturalist” Mr. 
Rogers asks what plant is meant by the popular name of Blue Caps. 
In Dr. Prior’s work on “ The Popular Names of British Plants,” page 
26, I find, “Blue-Caps, from its tuft of blue flowers (Knautia arvensis, 
Coult).” In Dr. Johnston’s “ Botany of the Eastern Borders,” p. 101, 
this plant is called Curly-Doddies, and this name is said to be derived 
from the resemblance of the head of flowers to the curly pate of a boy, 
and is very ancient.—See “ Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border,” 
i., p. cix. 
“ Where yon Blue-bells and Curly-doddies bloom 
On the fair Knowes, amid the waving broom.” 
—“ Scenes of Boyhood ” (George Henderson). —The flower affords a 
horologue of a primitive sort. The head is twisted round a few times, 
and then left to recover its position. The number of circumvolutions 
is the true index to the time of day. — J. Hardy. In the Isle of Wight, 
according to Bromfield’s “ Flora Vectemis,’’' this plant is called 
“Gipsy, or Egyptian Rose.” Withering states “That sheep and 
goats eat it. Horses and cows are not fond of it. It is slightly 
astringent, bitter, and saponaceous. (When held over the fumes of 
tobacco the colour of the blossoms has been observed to give place to a 
beautiful green).” This peculiarity may also be seen in the purple 
flow'ers of the Candy-tuft if tobacco smoke is blown upon it.—J. E. 
Bagnall. __ 
Xlepris of Sotiefits. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.— 
General Meeting, May 29.—Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Carex 2 >rcBcox and 
Moenchia erecia, from Yarningale Common, and Cratcegus oxyacantlioides, from 
Lapworth; a moss, Hijpnuvi filicinum, in fruit (rare) and an hepatic, Aneura 
muUifida, in fruit, both from Rowington; a fungus, Axiricularia mesenterica, 
from Upper Eatington, near Stratford-on-Avon ; and a lichen, Parmelia saxatilis, 
Horn Oakley Wood. 3Ir. W. B. Grove exhibited the following fungi:— Lenzites 
hetulina, Diatrype verruccBformis, D. stigvw, P. ferruginea, Cucurbitaria cupu- 
laris, Uredo potentillarum, and Uromyces ficarice, from Marston Green; Pluteus 
cerviniis (the Ag. latus of Withering, who records it from Edgbaston), Thelephora 
corrugat'j, Peziza hyalina, Helotium pruinosum, Helmintliospormm folliculatum, 
Helicomyces roseiis, Helicocoryne viridis, Sporidesmium lepraria, Lycogala epi- 
deitdron, Sind Perononpora nivea, from Sutton; CEcidium depauperans, on Yiola. 
“Bluebell,” from Perry Barr; and on behalf of Mr. R. M. Lloyd, Coprinus niicaceiis, 
and Comatriclia typinna, from Handsworth. Mr. F. H. Collins, F.L.S., read a note 
drawing attention to the necessity of gradually changing the magnifying powers 
of a microscope while examining any object, and thus observing it under a 
gradually increasing ampliiication. He explained the various methods for 
facilitating these changes, previously in use, and exhibited a microscope arranged 
with a means for readilyattaching objectives, superior to the mode usuallyadopted. 
The difference consists in cutting down the ordinary screw worms along three 
equal and equidistant segments both of the body-tube and the objective screw; 
then, when the objective is pushed home, a sixth part of a turn engages the 
screws and fixes the objective in its propei position. The altered screws will fit 
unaltered body-tubes, and vice versa, so that objectives will still be interchange¬ 
able as under the ordinary arrangement. A discussion followed, in which the 
President, Messrs. Levlck, Goode, Pumphrey, Hughes, and others took part. 
General Meeting, June 5. — Mr. W. H. Wilkinson exhibited Lichens from the 
Highlands of Scotland: — Cladonia extensa, C. endivicefolia (ren'e), C. gr iciiis, C. 
macilenta, C.pyxulata, C.rangiferin t, C.rincialis,a,udSphcBroplioron compressinn 
(rare). Mr. J. E. Bagnall exhibited Polytrichum formosvm, Salix Smitliiana, 
Veronica montana, Equisetum fluviatile, and other plants from Arbury Park, 
collected during the excursion of the Sociological Section on Saturday last. Mr. 
C. Pumphrey exhibited a number of specimens of Swiss, Italian, and Channel 
Island plants, at that time in flower in his garden. Mr. W. B. Grove exhibited 
the following Fungi: — Lenzites sepiaria, Clavaria incequaJis, Pacrymyces 
