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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Jan. 1, 1867. 



established, the meetings should be held as regularly 

 in winter as in summer; and personal experience 

 testifies that they are even better attended. In such 

 a case, the staff of the society is responsible for the 

 management of the meetings, &c. ; but our hints 

 are intended more especially for those who have no 

 such assistance. 



In most places there is at least one person who 

 takes an interest in Nature's works, Very probably 

 he is in humble circumstances ; in all likelihood he 

 is considered harmlessly insane by his compeers, or, 

 as they would phrase it, " a button short ! " There 

 are also usually two or three more, who use their 

 eyes, and know something of the habits of birds, 

 insects, or plants. If these three or four would 

 meet together, and talk the matter over, they could 

 arrange affairs according to their own convenience ; 

 and, all being straightforward, we may suppose 

 them to agree in inviting as many people as they 

 think likely to come, to attend at such a place on 

 such a night. In villages it is always easy to hire a 

 room for such a purpose at a trifling cost ; and in 

 them, as in towns, one or more of the parties inte- 

 rested will, in all probability, be able to lend a room 

 or rooms, on one occasion at least. Where practi- 

 cable, the sociability of the evening is much 

 enhanced by having tea or coffee handed round 

 before the real proceedings begin. The conversation 

 which then arises serves to place at their ease those 

 who might otherwise be prevented by shyness from 

 taking part in the business of the evening. Indeed 

 our experience leads us to believe that naturalists 

 seldom find any difficulty in conversing with one 

 another when once the ice is broken ; and the 

 pursuit of Nature is so truly Catholic that Church- 

 man and Dissenter, Papist and Protestant, can 

 alike join in it without any fear of treading upon 

 one another's (mental) corns. The humanising 

 influence of Natural History is certainly not the 

 least of its many charms ; and it is pleasant to 

 notice how the instinctive good-feeling, which all 

 true naturalists possess, enables them to avoid 

 topics which are likely to be in any way distasteful 

 to those with whom they are temporarily associated. 

 In towns the tea is frequently provided at the ex- 

 pense of the lender of the room, but this of course 

 cannot be expected ; and the small cost is easily 

 defrayed by a proportionately small contribution 

 from each present. 



Having thus supposed that all preliminary diffi- 

 culties have been surmounted, and that our friends 

 are comfortably gathered together, the next question 

 is, what to provide for their amusement ? It is well 

 to start with the definite principle that the evening 

 is to be devoted solely to Natural History, and that 

 objects of vertu or art, however beautiful or interest- 

 ing in themselves, must consequently for this occa- 

 sion be left unnoticed. In this respect some little 

 judgment is necessary ; for people willing to assist, 



but lacking objects suitable for exhibition, will offer 

 for inspection a collection of coins, or some curiosi- 

 ties from China, or a volume of portraits— all 

 extremely interesting, no doubt, but quite out of 

 place at a Natural History meeting ; and it is 

 sometimes difficult to refuse without giving offence 

 to the would-be lenders. We must not, however, 

 particularise too minutely as to the objects exhi- 

 bited, lest we be reminded of the old adage, 

 " Beggars must not be choosers ; " but we would 

 suggest that the first place should be given to 

 specimens connected with the district in which the 

 meeting is held, and the next to those which are 

 furnished by other parts of the British Isles. Cases 

 of Birds or Insects (especially the latter) are attract- 

 ive objects to many, both on account of their varied 

 and beautiful colours, and because they may be 

 looked at without any great trouble on the part of 

 the inspector. Dried Plants, which require to be 

 turned over with care, and lose so much of their 

 beauty when pressed, are seldom much noticed, 

 with the exception, however, of Perns, which are 

 more frequently appreciated. A Microscope, if avail- 

 able, and if presided over by one well "up " in its 

 use, will be found to excite considerable interest ; 

 and a few nicely-illustrated books (relating, of 

 course, to natural objects) may be placed upon the 

 table. As many specimens as possible should be 

 exhibited in a living state. Slow-worms, Toads, and 

 other reptiles may be temporarily domiciled in glass 

 globes (which may be borrowed for the occasion, at 

 a trifling expense, from any china-shop) ; and 

 Water-beetles, Pishes, and other aquatic objects, 

 may be shown in a similar manner. Specimens of 

 the few plants to be found in flower, the common 

 Perns and Mosses, and various forms of Pungi — 

 all these should be pressed into service. The one 

 great advantage gained by the exhibition of such 

 objects is, that they, by their presence, furnish and 

 suggest appropriate subjects for conversation ; but, 

 in addition, it is always as well to have at least one 

 short paper read by some one present, upon some 

 local or interesting natural production. This should 

 be as much as possible original : the writer should 

 speak from his own individual knowledge — and 

 makes a break in the evening, besides affording 

 further material for conversation. The simpler the 

 style of language employed, the better. In the 

 succeeding discussion, many . facts may be elicited 

 which, though perhaps trivial in themselves, all 

 go to perfecting the links of Nature's endless 

 chain. 



Such are a few of the ideas which arise upon this 

 subject, most of which have had the test of success 

 applied to them, and have stood it well. Imperfect 

 as they are, they may suggest to some a course of 

 action as yet new to them ; while others may, from 

 their own experience, add further hints, which may 

 prove yet more useful. B. 



