i-iS Natural Histori/ in the English Counties. 



they are of the colour of rusty iron, and are, I think, mostly of the genus 

 j&uccinum or ilfiirex. There is also a flat bivalve shell, very abundant, 

 probably a Mactra ; and some which I suppose to belong to the genus 

 Helix. One shell is precisely like the common whelk, except that it is 

 spirally twisted in the opposite direction ; a peculiarity which I observed in 

 no other speeies. 



To the north-east of Walton are extensive marshes, overflowed at spring- 

 tides ; these are the resort of a considerable variety of water-birds, particu- 

 larly the Grallae. An inlet of some width intersects these marshes ; and 

 on sailing down it, you hear the loud and mournful piping of the curlew 

 and whimbrel, the shrill scream of the redshank and pewit, and the hoarse 

 cries of the heron and sea-gull. On the shore are to be met with the 

 sanderling, the dunlin, the ring-dottrel, the turnstone, the green and purple 

 sandpipers, the oyster-catcher, and five or six species of gulls. It is alto- 

 gether a place which affords a rich field for the naturalist, whatever depart- 

 ment of natural science may be his particular pursuit. 



My researches in Essex have afforded me many hours of delightful re- 

 creation; and were the means of awakening that ardent love of rural enjoy- 

 ments, and that deep interest in the beauties of nature, which will, I hope, 

 never forsake me : and they have proved to me, that no district is so 

 unproductive as not to be worth investigating ; for we generally find that 

 where particular spots seem to produce an unusual proportion of rarities, 

 it is only because a greater share of labour has been bestowed upon them. 

 — J: G. Third Month {March) 3d. 1831. 



Lancashire. 

 Some Account of the Banksian Society at Manchester. — Sir, The Banksian 

 Society was established in January, 1829, for the purpose of supplying its 

 members with mutual instruction in botany, entomology, mineralogy, and 

 geology ,• and this by conversations, by the reading of papers, and by lectures. 

 As the Society is composed in a great degree of tyroes in these branches of 

 natural history, we at present are not able to furnish any information fit to 

 be published. Owing to the want of a convenient room for our meetings, we 

 have not made that progress which we might have made had we had a better 

 situation. I hope, however, we shall soon have a good room for our meet- 

 ings; and in the mean time we are improving each other by meeting to- 

 gether, by the exhibiting of specimens and conversing upon them, and by 

 occasional lectures. It is the intention of the members, individually, to 

 furnish an account to the Society, as far as it is practicable, of the geological 

 and mineral productions of about thirty miles round Manchester ; also of 

 the plants and insects that are to be met with in the same extent. Our 

 library is increasing very fast ; it consists of upwards of sixty volumes, in 

 active circulation amongst the members. The magazines are passed from 

 one member to another, according to the situation of the town in which 

 they reside, with the allowance of three days for the reading of them. We 

 have collected a great number of plants, which are arranged according to 

 the Linnean system, and are in ^ good state of preservation. We have 

 very few insects at present, on account of our cabinet not being complete to 

 receive them. We have several drawers of minerals and fossils, many of 

 which are very beautiful specimens. I am, Sir, yours, &c. — Wm. Garry. 

 223. JOeansgate, Manchester ^ May, 1831. 



Northumberland. 

 Birds shot in the Winter of 1829-30, at Greenhow, North Shields : — 



A^nas 5(jschas, Wild Duck. ^'nas er:f thropus [.4'nser Bdrnida Willughby] 



A^n&i fdsca [Oid^mia fi'isca Fleming], Velvet Bernacle Goose. 



Duck. Podiceps minor, Little Grebe, 



^nas Cygnus [C^gnus f^rus Ray\ Swan. P6diceps crista tuc. Crested Grebe. 



