1899] THE HULL CLUB COMMENCES AUTHOR 105 



The Hull Club Commences Author. 



The Hull Scientific and Field Naturalists' Club is one of those local 

 societies to whose energy, directed as it is into the most appropriate 

 channels, we have often had pleasure in alluding. Therefore, although 

 we are accustomed to deprecate the multiplication of minor publica- 

 tions in natural history, we are half inclined to welcome the appear- 

 ance of the first of a series of annual Transactions which the com- 

 mittee has decided to issue. Indeed, our welcome becomes almost 

 whole-hearted when we read that the aim is " to publish original 

 papers and notes of local interest." For in these matters it is just 

 those accurately-made local observations that have an abiding value 

 for naturalists at large, whereas the general, even cosmical, lucubrations 

 that fill up some publications of the kind are of interest chiefly, if not 

 solely, to the writers themselves. 



The contents of the present number coincide to such an extent 

 with the aspirations of the founders that our welcome becomes actually 

 a warm one. We entertain no doubt that these Transactions, if they 

 continue as they have begun, will materially advance the scientific 

 study of natural history in Hull and its neighbourhood. The first 

 paper is by Thomas Bunker, on " The Natural History of Goole Moor 

 and the Immediate Vicinity"; this is historico-pastoral, botanico-orni- 

 tholouical, zoolosnco- economical, and shows that the marshland of 

 Goole and Thorn e Moor is a happy hunting-ground for many kinds of 

 naturalists. H. M. Foster gives a useful and interesting account of 

 " The Fishes of the Paver Hull," which are of twenty-one species. An 

 exceptionally fine pair of antlers of the red deer (Cervus elaphus), from 

 the peat at Hornsea, is illustrated and described by T. Sheppard. 



Extracts from the Secretary's Eeport are published, and from 

 these we learn that the Club now numbers 127 members. Several of 

 them are country members, residing more than ten miles from Hull, 

 and admitted at a reduced fee. A good scheme recently carried out 

 by the Club consists in practical demonstrations on such subjects as 

 taxidermy, microscope preparations, preservation of larvae, and local 

 fossils. J. F. Robinson, the recorder for botany, has compiled a Flora 

 of the East Biding ; while the entomologists have in preparation a list 

 of the Macrolepidoptera collected within eight miles of Hull. These 

 will be published in future numbers of the Transactions. 



The present number is, correctly considered, a cpiarto, but measures 

 22x14 centimetres (8|- x 5|- inches). It contains viii. + 2 8 pages, 

 and one plate. The date of publication, December 14, 1898, is 

 printed on the wrapper ; if it were also on the last page it would be 

 still better. The price to non-members is Is. We congratulate the 

 anonymous editor on the general appearance of the number; at the 

 same time, we would suggest that each annual issue should form an 

 independent part, with fresh pagination. 



