Midland Union.—The Small Heath Literary and Scientific Society has joined the Midland Union of Natural History Societies.
Examination of Glacial Deposits (Scheme proposed by Mr. W. i. Harrison, F.G.S.)—At a meeting of the Geological Section of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society, on October 22nd, it was unanimously resolved that the Section should take part in the suggested examination. The Rev. H. W. Crosskey, F.G.S.,(who kindly undertook to act as Secretary,) will be glad to receive communications on the subject from local observers, addressed to 28, George Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Those Interested in the Progress of Natural Science at our old Universities should take notice of the fact that, after considerable opposition of the "Board of Studies of the Natural Science School," the majority of that Board (chiefly by the aid of the examiners, who are London, and not Oxford, men) have carried a series of resolutions which provide that "candidates for honours in Biology" may be examined in Experimental Physiology. The necessary encouragement to the study of this subject, viz., examination in it as an "honour subject" now existing, we may hope to see as the result some activity in the Physiological Laboratory of Magdalen College. Similarly we Nave ta notice the recognition of the Morphology and Physiology of the vegetable kingdom. As a necessary part of the study and examination of the Oxford student who is a candidate for honours in Biology." Botany was long resisted and sneered at in Oxford. External pressure has, however, reinstated Botany in the Oxford School of Natural Science, and it rests with the examiners in future to maintain the study of this subject in the direction indicated by Sachs' admirable treatise on botany published by the University press.—Nature.
Romans Milestone.—The most perfect miliare, or Roman milestone, yet found in Great Britain is that in the Leicester Town Museum. It is cylindrical in form, and is fashioned out of the coarse sandstone known as millstone grit. It is 3ft. 2in. in height and 5ft. 6in. in circumference. It bears the inscription:—
IMP CAES.
DIV TRAIANI PARTH. F. DIV. NER. NEP.
TRAJAN. HADRIAN. AVG, P.P. TRIB.
POT. IV. COS III. A. RATIS
II
showing that if was erected in the year A.D. 120, during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, at a distance of two miles from the station of Ratae (Leicester.) The letters are from 2in. to 4in. in height, deeply cut and quite distinct. It was probably erected to commemorate the visit of the Emperor to Britain. It was found in 1771 close to the road from Leicester to Melton, (the Roman Fosse-way,} and was at first destined for a garden-roller! Rescued from this fate, it stood for forty years in the centre of the town of Leicester, but fortunately escaped any serious injury, and finally food a safe resting-place in the Museum. In the same room with this fine object of antiquity is a smaller stone cylinder, measuring 1ft. 9in. in height by 1ft. in girth. It bears the letters IMP only, and was found at Six Hills, (also on the Fosse-way,) about ten miles north of Leicester, in 1854. When this stone was seen by a well-known antiquarian, he remarked that he was once much puzzled when examining the neighbourhood of the Roman Wall in Northumberland by hearing the natives speak of an “Imp stone.” When they took him to see it, he found it was one of these rude milestones. Altogether about fifty-four of these Roman milestones have now been found in Britain, of which the fine specimen above described is the earliest in date so far as is known.
