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West London Entomological Society.—On February 22nd, Mr. Silcock exhibited A. prodromaria, P. pilosaria, N. hispidaria, A. ascularia, H. tenesphearia, and H. progemmaria. March 1st, Mr. H. Timms, N. hispidaria. March 8th, Mr. Walford, N. hispidaria and H. leucopharia, Mr. Coverdale, a very dark var. of H. progemmaria, the oblique lines on the fore wings being quite invisible, March 15th, Mr. Russell several dark varieties of H. progemmaria.
Geological Society.—At the Annual General Meeting, held on February l3th, H. C. Sorby, Esq., F.R.S., of Sheffield, was elected President; and Profs. Bonney and Judd were chosen Secretaries. The medals, &c., were awarded as follows:—Wollaston Medal, Dr. T. Wright, of Cheltenham; Wollaston Fund, Mr. W. J. Sollas; Murchison Medal, Dr. Hans Bruno Geinitz, of Dresden; Murchison Fund, Mr. Chas. Lapworth; Lyell Medal, Prof. Geo. Busk; Lyell Fund, Dr. Waagen, of Vienna.
The Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford.—The Radcliffe Observer, the Rev. Robt. Main, M.A., has just published his Meteorological Observations for 1875. There are two sets of instruments in use in the Observatory; one of the ordinary kind, from which eye-observations are taken by Mr. John Lucas, the excellent and careful assistant; and the other self-registering, by means of photography. The diurnal inequalities of the mean monthly and yearly meteorological elements have been carefully worked out by Mr. Main, as in former years. We note that Moffat's test papers are used for the detection of ozone with apparently good results. The position of some of the instruments seems open to question. Thus, the vacuum solar-radiation thermometer, with blackened bulb, is stated to be "in a niche in the front of the west wing of the Observatory, about 5ft. from the ground;" surely the radiation from the Wall must effect it? Such instruments are usually placed on a post, over grass, with the bulb of a height of 4ft. Until uniformity can be obtained in the placing of all instruments, the comparison of observations taken at different places under different conditions must be misleading. Why should not a general conference of English Meteorologists discuss these questions, and issue rules by which all observers would, we are sure, be willing to be bound? In an appendix Mr. Main gives very valuable tables of barometric and thermometric heights for the last twenty-one years, and mean monthly rainfall fer twenty-five years at Oxford. Altogether the publication is one of great accuracy and interest, and worthily sustains the high reputation of the Radcliffe Observatory.
The United States Survey.—I have just received from Professor Hayden, of Washington, a parcel of the publications of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey for 1877, comprising monographs of North American rodentia, by Coues and Allen, (a thick 4to. volume;} Annual Report of the Survey of Colorado, (a thick royal 8vo. vol,, full of maps and plates and woodcuts;) monograph of the North American Mustelidæ, by E. Coues, (with twenty plates;) Ethnography and Philology of the Hidatsa Indians, by W. Matthews; besides several thick pamphlets, published at short intervals, with outline reports of the work to progress. The immense amount of labour and expense which these five volumes represent, the great value of their contents, and the liberality with which they ave presented to such institutions as are likely to appreciate them, deserve the most cordial recognition in all scientific circles throughout the world, yet it is probable that a majority of the members of the Midland Union are scarcely aware of their existence. I will endeavour at a future time to give some further particulars of the work which is being done by Professor Hayden and his numerous colleagues, and being paid for by the American people.—F. T. Mott, Leicester.