Darwin 1 s Letters to Professor Henslow. 44 1 



report the inaugural address of Archdeacon Butler, the first president, 

 which it is a treat to read. In this report it is stated, that 



The Ludlow and the Caernarvonshire Natural History Societies, highly 

 meritorious institutions, have been established. 



The Botanical Society of Edinburgh. — The purposes of the Society 

 have been noticed in p. 271, 272. Two local secretaries for London have 

 been appointed ; namely, Wm. Christy, jun., Esq., Clapham Road ; and 

 N. B. Ward, Esq., Wellclose Square. 



The Yorkshire West Riding Proprietary School. — On May 21., about 50 

 of the senior pupils, accompanied by two of the masters, proceeded on an 

 excursion to investigate the natural history of the district round Wakefield. 

 The party set out about 1 1 o'clock in the morning. As they proceeded 

 over the old bridge, each carrying his vasculum, or entomological appa- 

 ratus, their joyous countenances showed how exhilarating the prospect of 

 a bright summer day's ramble was to them, though Science dare hardly 



venture to claim them all for her sons The entomologists were 



not so very successful in capturing many insects remarkable either for their 

 beauty or for any good or bad properties. Another week of warm weather 

 will probably induce a state of entomological things which will better repay 

 their labour. The botanists seem to have fared better, as the following 

 enumeration of the flowers, &c, which came under their notice will show. 

 Then there is appended a list of 93 species of plants, arranged according 

 to Professor Henslow's Catalogue of British Plants, and with certain of 

 them distinguished as being only in bud. ( The West Riding Herald, May 

 27. 1836.) Professor Henslow himself used to communicate lists, similar 

 to that cited, the results of the herborisations of himself and party, to the 

 Cambridge Chronicle. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Notices of Works in Natural History. 



Darwin, C. : Extracts from Letters to Professor Henslow of 

 Cambridge. Printed for distribution among the members 

 of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 8vo, 30 pages. 

 Cambridge, Dec. 1835. 



These extracts contain various interesting statements re- 

 lating to the geology and natural history of the most remote 

 parts of South America, and also of Chili and the Andes. It 

 must be obvious, that, in a vast extent of an almost unknown 

 country (where the objects are on such an immense scale, 

 and often extremely difficult of access), the visit of a tra- 

 veller for a few months can allow him little more than to 

 trace the general features of its geology, &c. ; but we cannot 

 feel the less obliged for the information given by the scientific 

 pioneer who first opens out the natural history of a country 

 presenting so many wonders, because he must leave the more 

 accurate details to be filled up by numerous succeeding tra- 

 vellers. We may say the same of the labours of Humboldt, 

 who resided some years in different parts of South America, 

 but who left a rich field for succeeding enquirers. In a notice 

 Vol. IX. — No. 64. k k 



