Natural History in the Bnglish Counties, 



;89 



Boletus {bolos, a mass; globular form). — The curious deformed fungus 

 which I send you {^g. 152.) 

 grew for ten years on the oak 

 tree whence it was taken. 

 Unlike others of the genus, it 

 is not a solitary, but an ag- 

 gregated or branched pro- 

 duction, hence its irregular 

 shape, which would well jus- 

 tify its being called medus<^- 

 formis. The pores are not 



circular as in the common boletus, but oval; and this, it is thought* 

 is a distinction, which separates it from its family, or, at least, is sufficient 

 to mark it a subdivision thereof. Notwithstanding this genus seems 

 to be one of the lowest of vegetable productions, and apparently one 

 of the most useless to mankind, yet some of them have been applied to 

 useful purposes ; as the B. igniarius, which is used as a styptic, and also for 

 tinder ; and, in all probability, qualities may lie hidden in their uninviting 

 forms, which future analysts have yet to discover. — J. A. Botanic Gar- 

 den, Chelsea, Feb)'uarj/, \ 828. 



Art. III. Natural History in the English Counties, 



FritillA'RIA tessellata. {fig. 1 53.) — Last spring I 

 saw this plant very abundant in some meadows near Har- 

 leston, Norfolk. — D. S. Bungay, August. 



Hull Ijiterary and Philosophical Society, April 25. — The 

 last Meeting of this Society now took place, and Dr. Al- 

 derson being in the chair, Mr. Northen, one of the secre- 

 taries, delivered a lecture on the new and interesting 

 science of electro-magnetism, or the relations which sub- 

 sist between magnetism and electricity. Dr. Alderson 

 announced that, next session, he should produce a paper 

 on the migratory habits of the swallow. He gave this 

 notice, that other members might direct their attention to 

 the subject, and intimated that such a practice might be 

 beneficial to the Society. Mr. W. H. Dikes, the cura- 

 tor, announced that several specimens of fish, with the 

 jaws of a shark, had been presented by Captain Rossindale. Other presents, 

 have also been lately made to the Institution, including two lambs (stuffed), 

 one with two bodies joined together at the neck, by Mr. Brownlow ; and 

 the other with two heads and six legs, by Mr. Stickney, of Ridgmont. A 

 king parrot [ ? ], from New South Wales, has also been presented by Mr, 

 Parker, and a male and female brook m ^ ^ j^^ 



ouzel, or water rail, Rallus aquati- 

 cus Z/m., Grallse (j%154.), which 

 were in the recently-printed list of 

 desiderata, by Mr. T. Thompson. 

 The water rail has grey wings, spot- 

 ted with brown ; flanks spotted with 

 white ; bill, orange beneath. It in- 

 habits watery places in Europe and 

 Asia ; is 1 ft. long ; hides itself among ; 

 the sedges ; runs and swims with 

 celerity, but flies heavily, with its 

 legs hanging down. Eggs yellowish, v?ith dusky-brown spots, 



