considered by the author to be unique.—Mr. Lawson Tait made some interesting observations on the varying powers of perception of sounds in different persons, and in regard to the organs of hearing in lower animals remarked that, though he had seen many cases of total deafness in cats, be had never found this to be accompanied by muteness.—Among specimens contributed by members of the section the following may be mentioned:—Mr. Blatch described a very rare beetle, Miscodera arctica, from Hednesford, and exhibited both the male and female, the species never having been hitherto recorded further south than Yorkshire; Mr. J. Bagnall various rare plants from Warwickshire habitats; Miss Hadley specimens of Bellis perennis, showing phyllody of various parts of the flower; Mr. Slatter the male, exceedingly rare, of Conochilus volvox. May 21st.—General Meeting.—Mr. J. Bagnall exhibited Ophioglossum vulgatum, from Hamstead; Mr. T. J. Slatter exhibited Achlya prolifera on the dead larva of a gnat—a microscopic fungus; also, Ulva crispa, (Contervoid Alga,) both from Redditch. Mr. A. W. Wills read his third and concluding paper of the series on "Freshwater Algae." June 4th.—General Meeting.—Mr. J. Bagnall exhibited Carex fulva, from Sutton Park; Poterium muricatum and Alopecurus agrestis, from near Marston Green; Mr. H. E. Forrest exhibited Alegonella fungosa, (Polyzoa,) from Sutton Park; Mr. J. Morley exhibited Alchemilla alpina; Mr. M. Browne exhibited nine species of Papilionidæ, including the rare Papilio xalmoxis, from West Africa, (unknown three years ago;) Mr. Bolton exhibited Embryo of the Roach, (Cyprinus rutilus.) June 11th.—Botanical Section.—Mr. W. R. Hughes presented, on behalf of Mr P. H. Gosse. F.R.S., the papers reprinted from Philosophical Transactions "on the Structure, functions, and Homologies of the Manduentory Organs in the class Rotifera," and "on the Dicerious Character of the Rotifera." The following specimens were exhibited:—By Mr. Montagu Browne, a white variety of common Starling, (Sterns vulgaris,) from Hamstead. By Mr. J. Bagnall, Polystichum augulare, from Rowington; Sanicula Europœa, and other plants, from Fillongley, &c. By Mr. C. E. Crick, Aquilegia vulgaris, Cynoglossum vulgare, and other plants, from Llangollen. By Mr. W. Southall. Equisetum arvense, E. limosum, E. palustre, and E. Telmateia, all from one pool at Edgbaston, in which they occupy distinct situations corresponding to the different aspects of its various parts. By Mr. A. W. Wills, the very rare Rotifer, Melicerta pilula, (Cubbit.} more correctly Œcistes pilula, first observed by Mr. J. G. Tatem in 1868, and subsequently named and described by Mr. C. Cubitt in 1892. The peculiarity of the species is its mode of building up its theca from its own excreta, and Mr. Wills exhibited specimens in which, by feeding the animal on alternate days with carmine and indigo; he had obtained tubes built of alternate courses of red and blue bricks. In referring to this Rotifer. Mr. T. Bolton showed drawings of a tube-building Rotifer, probably another species of the same genus, recently described as a new one at a meeting of the Royal Microscopical Society, but which he thought to be identical with one sketched by a friend some years ago, and provisionally named Œ. Anacharis. In consequence of an unavoidable engagement Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., was obliged to postpone his paper on Hippocampus brevirostris. June 15th—General Meeting.—Mr. J. Bagnall exhibited Geranium Columbinum, Onobrychis sativa, Galium tricorne, Helminthia echioides, Carex acuta, and a number of other plants, found between Binton and Stratford-upon-Avon. A number of plants were also exhibited by Mr. J. Duttertfield. Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., read, on behalf of Dr. Spencer Cobbold, F.L.S., a continuation of his valuable communications on "The Parasites of Man," which will appear in the "Midland Naturalist" for August. The paper was illustrated by numerous remarkable microscopic preparations.
Burton-Upon-Trent Natural History and Archæological Society.—The first excursion made by the members this year took place on May 22nd, and was to Bardon Hill, under the leadership of Mr. W. Molyneux, F.G.S. The granite quarries were first visited and the processes of quarrying, &c., inspected. A good general notion of the geology of the district was obtained. The party next made for the top of Bardon Hill, and enjoyed the glorious landscapes visible therefrom. After collecting numbers of geological and other specimens, the monastery of St. Bernard was visited. After tea at The Forest Rock Hotel, the party returned by train to Burton.
