Natural History in the English Counties, 387 



members meet once a month, at 7 o'clock in the evening from April 1. to 

 October 51., and at 6 o'clock from November l. to March 51. At each 

 meeting every member pays eight-pence to the treasurer, to form a fund for 

 the purchase of books, for the expenses of the annual feast, &c. Members 

 are admitted by ballot. The feast is held on the Tuesday preceding the 

 longest day, when 5s. is allowed to each member, for that purpose, from the 

 fund. Members may invite friends, on giving due notice to the president, 

 and paying 5s. for such admission. The money remaining, after the ex- 

 penses of the feast and other contingencies are disbursed, is laid out in 

 books, which are kept for the use of the members. When any plants are 

 brought to the meeting, they are shown to the members ; and those who 

 state their correct names in writing are entitled to a mark. The member 

 who gets most marks is chosen president for the following year, and vice- 

 president for the one succeeding ; and, while in office, he is expected to 

 give the members every information in his power, without claiming any 

 marks for himself. No more than thirty members are allowed to belong to 

 the Society at one time, and while four attend its meetings it is to remain 

 undissolved. Expulsion of members, alterations in rules, &c., are decided, 

 as usual, by majorities. We observe that a Hortus Siccus was to be com- 

 menced on the formation of the Society, and kept with the books, for the 

 inspection of the members. — t 



The Discovert/ of Plants varying with white Flowers seems to be quite 

 fashionable, and I must, of course, do something in that way. A short 

 time since a friend of mine took me to two meadows about five miles from 

 this place, in which there was a profusion of the Colchicum autumnale, and 

 the variety with white flowers was equally abundant with the purple. It 

 was a truly delightful spectacle, — Daniel Stock. Bungay, Nov, 17. 1828. 



Triodia procumbens. — I have also, since I wrote to you last, found a 

 grass growing on Bungay Common, which was new to me and to our bota- 

 nists here ; it was the Triodia procumbens of Smith, in tolerable abundance. 

 — Id, 



Gloucestershire. 



A White Rooky in full feather, was taken at Eyford rookery, on the 

 estate of Vernon Dolphin, Esq. The eyes were blue, with two white rings, 

 and the legs and bill perfectly white, as well as the body. — Cheltenham 

 Chronicle, May. 



Herefordshire. 



Vicus minor. — You mentioned in your Magazine (Vol. I. p. 595.) the Picus 

 minor as being a rare bird. In the large oak groves of Herefordshire it 

 abounds, and may constantly be heard emitting its jarring note, though dif- 

 ficult to be seen. — William Henry Hill. Newland, Gloucestershire, Sept. 10, 

 1828. 



Northamptonshire. 



Plants collected by the Rev. S. Palmer, the rather uncommon marked with 

 a star (*). — ^yoscjamus niger, Barnwell, All Saints, near Oundle. A'tropa 

 Belladonna, road-sides near Peterborough, also in Blatherwicke Park, at 

 KingsclifTe. *Cynogl6ssum sylvaticum, the same. *^quilegia vulgaris, woods 

 between Wansford and Kingscliffe. *Datura Stramonium, Blatherwicke. 

 *^ambucus JE'bulus, Rockingham Forest, near Kirby House. — S. P. 



Northumberland. 



Newcastle upon Tyne Literary and Philosophical Society. — The Museum 

 Committee commence their Report for May, 1827, by informing the So- 



