NOTICES OF MEETINGS. 161 

left, and the Dinting viaduct and Coomb’s rocks straight before us, with Kinder 
Scout in the distance. With the exception of the water violet, ortonza palus- 
tris, Ranunculus Lenomand?, and the three species of wood-rush ; the specimens 
gathered chiefly consisted of Mosses and Hepaticze, of which over 40 species 
were collected ; the most noticeable being 7e¢radontium Brownianum, Campy- 
lopus fragilis, Bartramia calcarea, Webera nutans, with its puzzling forms, 
Hookeria lucens, Hypnum flagellare, H. velutinum, and Hf. denticulatum ; of 
the Hepaticee Lepedozia reptans ; Cephalozia bicuspidata, and C. multiflora, 
Leapania undulata, L. purpurea, and L. curta, Jungermannia Flerkit, and 
Nardia scalaris. After tea at the keeper’s house a cordial vote of thanks was 
passed to Mr. R. Stanley, and also to Mr. C. Wild, who named the whole of 
the plants collected during the ramble. 
MANCHESTER CRYPTOGAMIC SOCIETY.—At the monthly meeting 
of the Manchester Cryptogamic Society on Monday, May 8th, Dr. Carrington, 
F.R.S.E., who presided, distributed specimens of Orthotrichum Lyellit, which 
he had collected in fruit on trees near Lodore Waterfall, Cumberland. 
Some discussion took place in reference to the specific identity of the so- 
called Gymnostomum commutatum, which grows at Nant-y-Fydd, near Wrex- 
ham.. A general concurrence of opinion was arrived at unfavourable to its 
claim other than a form of Gymnostomum curvtirostrum. 
Captain Cunliffe exhibited a beautiful series of microscopical slides of Hepa- 
ticze, which he had just finished mounting, and in which he had succeeded as 
-well as in those of his manipulation of the mosses. Mr. Cunliffe also exhibited 
Funaria fasciculare, Hypnum giganteum, and £7. scorpioides in iit wee Maleses 
had recently been collected as Cheshire plants and were remarkably fine, the 
latter species being eighteen inches in length of fronds. : 
Mr. Cash read an interesting paper on some rare British Mosses, especial 
reference being made to the history and discovery of Hypnum Blandovit and 
Paludella squarrosa on Knutsford Bog. 
NORTHAMPTON NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—A meeting of 
the Microscopical Section of this Society was held in the Curator’s Room, 
Town Hall, on Thursday evening, March 23rd, 1882. Mr. A. Kempson 
presided, and there was a good attendance of members. Mr. J. Gregory, of 
Holdenby, explained the manner of mounting objects for the microscope. He 
spoke of the necessity of thoroughly cleaning the slide, and practically illus- 
trated the mode of building up the cells by means of cements and varnishes for 
the reception of the objects; also the mounting of objects in various media. 
He was listened to with much interest, and a cordial vote of thanks was given 
him at the close, on the proposition of the Chairman, who urged all members 
not possessing a microscope to procure one, assuring them, from his own 
experience, that it would prove a source of instruction and amusement. Mr. 
Gregory exhibited a large number of objects mounted by himself, and Mr. G. 
Osborn also showed under his microscope a very good section of a cat’s tongue. 
Previous to the meeting of this section the members of the Botanical Section 
met and elected the following officers:—President, Rey. M. J. Berkeley, F.L.S.; 
Secretary, Mr. C. E. Crick. On the suggestion of Mr. E. A. Durham, it was 
decided to meet fortnightly, and at each meeting to take one order of plants, 
Mr. Crick to commence with a paper on ‘‘ Ranunculacez.” 
ROCHDALE MICROSCOPICAL CLUB.—At the monthly meeting of 
the above club held on Monday evening, May 1st, Mr. J. Astin gave the second 
of his series of practical demonstrations on microscopical manipulation. He 
treated of the various forms of lenses used in microscopical work, either as con- 
densers, or in the construction of eyepieces, objectives and sub-stage illumin- 
ators. He gave the means of determining the vocal distances of the various 
