Natural History in the English Counties, 267 



The Literary and Philosophical Institution of Chatham. — This institution 

 was formed, a very short time since, by the spirited and commendable 

 exertions of a ^e^^ gentlemen, who possessing varied knowledge themselves 

 felt a proportionate zeal for its diffusion. The establishment is yet in its 

 infancy; but if we may judge of its ultimate success by that which has at- 

 tended its commencement, we may calculate that it will speedily rise into 

 eminence, and excite an interest in the promotion of natural science, which 

 cannot but be attended with the most happy results, as the beautiful county 

 of Kent furnishes the first-rate advantages for the prosecution of this inter- 

 esting branch of knowledge. The Committee have shown a most laudable 

 zeal in the formation of a good library and in the establishment of a 

 museum, which, under the present liberal management, bid fair to become 

 extremely useful. A considerable collection of birds is already made. The 

 illustration of mineralogy has not been less sedulously attended to ; and the 

 very fine Herbarium of Staff-Surgeon Gulliver has been purchased by the 

 Society, This latter collection is entirely indigenous, and is prepared and 

 arranged in a very excellent manner, and I understand is particularly rich 

 in the minuter plants of the order Cryptogamia, especially the i^ungi and 

 Z/ichenes : its value is, moreover, materially enhanced by the immense labour 

 which has been bestowed by that gentleman in determining and noting the 

 synonyme of every author who has written on the subject. This is an im- 

 portant feature of the collection, for every one knows, who has studied this 

 iDranch of botany, how much difficulty and error have arisen in this enchant- 

 ing science, by the custom of merely quoting synonymes from books, without 

 an attentive examination of their accuracy, and hovv useful and pleasant it is 

 to have an opportunity of access to the practical labours of those who have 

 spent time and research in the record of their observations. I hope shortly 

 to furnish you with some information on some points touching natural 

 history. I am. Sir, &c. — Zeta. 



A White laarh was lately shot in this neighbourhood. — P. H. Kingston 

 Rectory, near Canterbury, Nov. 22. 1828. 



k'mpelis garrula and {Jpiipa E'pops. — Sir, That lovely-plumaged bird, 

 ^'mpelis gaWula (the Waxen Chatterer), and Z7pupa -E'pops (the Upoe), 

 were frequently seen during the brumal months in various parts of Kent. 

 The former generally appears in small flocks of from five to eight in num- 

 ber, and is an occasional visitant even in the most northern parts of our 

 island ; this being probably the first instance on record of its being found 

 «o far south as the above-mentioned county. The latter is a timid, shy, 

 and solitary bird, but by no means uncommon in severe winters. Little, 

 however, as a correspondent has before remarked^ seems to be known of 

 the natural history of these, or indeed of any of the northern feathered 

 tribes which occasionally visit our coasts ; and an ornithologist who has 

 enthusiasm, leisure, and ability for the undertaking, might reap many a rich 

 harvest by a few years* residence on those inhospitable and barren shores, 

 which " seem," says the animated Bewick, whose recent death all men of 

 science must so deeply deplore, " as if they were set apart for the nations 

 of the feathered race as their peculiar heritage, a possession which they 

 have held coeval with creation." 1 am, Sir,&c. — Perceval Hunter. King- 

 ^tone Rectory y near Canterbury, April, 18. 1829. 



Suffolk. 



Insects collected near Ipswich. — E'ndromis versicolor, Notodonta Frdo- 

 pha, *Silpha quadrimaculata. Larva; of Paphia, A'tropo*, Zeuzera tp'sculi, 

 Mgeria crabroniformis et apiformis. — K. Ipswich, Feb. 17. 1829. 



Moss Agate. — A very beautiful moss agate has recently been found at 

 Aldborough, on the coast of Suffolk. Since it has been polished, its size is 

 5 in. long by 3 in., the greatest width, and about If in. thick; weight, 



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