164 



UrnroMitgB nf Inriittra. 



Thirsk Natural History Society. — The quarterly meeting of this Society 

 was held on the evening of Wednesday, May 6th. The following 

 gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing quarter : — Mr. J. G. Baker, 

 President; Mr. R. D. Carter, Secretary; and Mr. J. J. Packer, Librarian. 



The following additions to the library were announced: — "Hugh Miller's 

 Testimony of the Rocks," and "The Entomologists' Annual," for 1857. 



E. D. Swarbreck, Esq., was proposed and duly elected a member. Mr. 

 J. H. Davies exhibited a series of specimens of Bryum obconicum-Hornch, 

 and announced the discovery of a new station for it in the neighbourhood 

 of Sawley. He observed that although Mr. Wilson had been led to doubt 

 the distinctness of that species, and seemed inclined to refer it as a variety 

 to B. capillars, yet it was found that in this neighbourhood it retained 

 its characteristics from year to year. 



Mr. Baker laid before the meeting a series of British and Continental 

 examples of the Sweet Violet and its allies, and remarked respecting them, 

 that a plant which he had gathered in April, by the side of the Ure, near 

 Tanfield, he was inclined to identify with Viola sepinafr^ fl£"^Qrdan, a 

 species new to Britain. /<£ 



€\t torist. 



On Birds using oil from Glands. — The May number contains an 

 enquiry from Mr. Waterton, in reference to some observations of mine 

 upon the above subject, which appeared in the "Naturalist," for February 

 last. Had I then known the subject had been disposed of by abler hands 

 you would not have heard anything from me. In compliance now with 

 your injunction to be brief in any reply to Mr. Waterton's questions, I 

 cannot do better than refer that gentleman to the articles mentioned in 

 your notes upon both occasions. Mr Waterton has sarcastically designated 

 me "The learned Naturalist." The pleasure I have received in the 

 perusal of his interesting essays on Natural History amply compensates for 

 the uncourteous epithet, as applied to a tyro like myself. — Thomas Fuller, 

 2, Grafton Place, Bath, May 2nd., 1857. (A word from me hereafter. — 

 F. 0. Morris.) 



Would any gentleman favour Mr. Twinn, with information regarding 

 the Synapta lineata, and the employment of its anchors? He would 

 consider it a great favour. — G. R. Twinn, May 5th., 1857. 



I think I have never before heard the birds sing so little as they have 

 this year. Have any correspondents made a similar remark? — F. 0. Morris, 

 Nunburnholme Rectory, June 1st., 1857. 



