FIELD CLUBS AND SOCIETIES. 
1 39 
North Kent Entomological & Natural History Society. --A lecture 
on “ Slugs and Snails ” was delivered on Friday the 19th January at the Holy 
Trinity Schoolroom, Beresford Street, Woolwich, under the auspices of the 
above Society, Mr. A. S. Poore occupying the chair. The lecturer, Rev. J. N. 
Horsley, described the habits, etc., of many of the species in his well-known 
style and related many anecdotes concerning his own career as a naturalist and 
he illustrated his remarks by handing round specimens. He also pointed out 
to those of his audience who had any inclination towards any branch of Natural 
History how well they were situated; they were within easy distance of 
localities for the majority of the British Land and Freshwater shells and also 
for the study of other branches of Natural Plistory; they also had in their 
midst a Society whose members were all willing to give the benefit of theii 
experiences and concluded by saying that he thought a hobby tended to elevate 
a man. Mr. Cozens in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Horsley expressed 
the pleasure he had experienced by the instructive lecture they had just heard. 
Mr. W. Turner seconded the vote in a vigorous speech and the lecturer having 
responded in a brief speech the proceedings were closed by a vote of thanks to 
the chairman. 
The usual fortnightly meeting of the society was held at the Coffee Tavern, 
Woolwich, on January 31st, Mr. Potter presiding. Mr. J. Cooper was unani¬ 
mously elected an associate. Exhibits were made by the following members : 
—Mr. A. Old, preserved snake from the West Indies ; Mr. Allbuary, speci¬ 
mens of the locust and gigas species ; Mr. Poore, specimens of Britisii land and 
freshwater shells; Mr. Fieldhouse a number of specimens of minerals and fossils 
and sections of various local woods. Mr. H. Brougham gave notice that he would 
read a paper at the next meeting on “ Flow I became an Entomologist. ” Mr. 
Poore also gave notice of a “ Talk about Conchology,” which he would give 
at the second February meeting. 
Lambeth Field Club —January 22 : Mr. Perks lectured on the planet 
Venus for the greater part of the evening, but the subject proved too much to 
be properly dealt with in a single lecture, and the remaining notes were post¬ 
poned for a future occasion. Before commencing, the lecturer called attention 
to the fine specimens of “ petrified wood ” from Arizona, North America, now 
on view at the offices of Pearson’s Weekly in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden; 
these specimens included an exceptionally well-preserved stump of about two 
feet across and three, feet high, and were supposed to owe their preservation 
to an eruption of hot springs at some remote epoch. 
February 5th : Mr. Rivers exhibited some photographs of a huge whale, 
seventy-six feet in length, recently on view at the Agricultural Hall, Islington ; 
it was recognised to be a rorqual, a species sometimes attaining 100 feet in 
length. A long but entertaining discourse was then given by Mr. A. P. Wire, 
of the Essex Field Club, his subject being “ A Piece of Marble,” but limestones 
generally entered as much into his remarks. The test for a calcareous rock, 
he said, was a strong acid, hydrochloric acid being very suitable. When 
treated with the acid, a bubbling of the part affected by it ensued, this being 
caused by the escape of carbonic acid gas, one of the constituents of all lime¬ 
stones, chalks, and marbles. Iceland spar, so valuable to the optician when 
pure, also showed the characteristic re-action, A piece of marble or of lime¬ 
stone was chemically a carbonate of lime expressed as Ca, CO3, or one part of 
calcium, one of carbon, and three of oxygen. The application of heat or of an 
acid split this up into CaO and CO2, the latter being carbonic acid gas, and 
the former oxide of calcium, or lime, which was well-known as the substance 
kept in cases containing specimens, in museums, for the purpose of absorbing 
moisture, for which it had a great affinity. The absorption of water was at¬ 
tended by the production of much heat, so that lain falling on exposed lime 
in a cart would ultimately set the latter on fire. Carbonic acid gas, or as it 
