196 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. THE RETROSPECT. 



Tt is during this process that most of our song-birds are in best voice. 



"'Tis sweet to be awakened by the lark, 



Or lull'd by falling waters. Sweet tbe hum 

 Of bees, the voice of girls, the song of birds, 

 The lisp of children, and their earliest words." 



It is at this time of the year that the ornithologist takes his sylvan 

 rambles with the greatest delight. The woods, the hedgerows, and the 

 fields are alive with song. And as he strolls along, what a pleasure it is 

 to him to recognise by their voices the different warblers of the feathered 

 race. But there is a charm even beyond this. 



Birds have great perceptive qualities; they are easily taught and trained? 

 and love the hand that fosters them. Those who have had much insight 

 into the habits of birds, are aware that their tempers vary even as our 

 own. Some have larger capabilities for learning than others. 



I doubt not, many present have witnessed the exhibition of canaries 

 in the open streets. A deserter is tried, condemned and shot; a canary 

 pulls the trigger, the prisoner falls dead — but in imitation only, for at 

 the word of command it starts up, and flies to the finger of its patron. 



{To be continued.) 



The Shropshire and North Wales Naturalists' Field Club. — The members 

 of this Society held its first excursion for this season yesterday week, in 

 the neighbourhood of the far-famed "Pistyll Rhaiadr," about four miles 

 from Llanrhaiadr, when the following gentlemen were present: — The Rev. 

 W. W. How, vice-president; Rev. J. 0. Phillips; Rev. D. P. Lewis; Rev. 

 P. W. Parker; Rev. D. Lloyd; Rev. Henry Jones; Rev. D. Evans; and Rev. 

 J. C. Hill; Mr. C E. Parker; Mr. Roberts; Mr. W. Wilding; Mr. D. C. 

 Davies; Mr. E. W. Thomas; Mr. T. Vaughan; Mr. A. E. Evans; Mr. Lees; 

 Mr. Gwyther; etc.; who afterwards dined together at the Wynnstay Arms, 

 Llanrhaiadr; the Rev. W. W. How, of Whellington, in the chair. The 

 second excursion is fixed for the Breidden-hill, and the third for Llangollen. 

 — Shrewsbury Chronicle, June 18th., 1858. 



With reference to Mr. Fuller's just observations upon irry— «rror of 

 latitude and longitude, all I remember is that I gleaned, a long time ago, 

 a large mass of statistics from various sources, and think that fact was 

 from a topographical work, which I must have copied mechanically. It 

 is manifestly too erroneous, I hope, to mislead any one; if it did, I fear 

 they would not find Sunninghill! — 0. S. Round, 19, Richmond Terrace, 

 Westbourne Grove, North, July 3rd., 1858. 



