314 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



forget to avail themselves. The Bean Goose is never seen near its nest except 

 when laying, and it covers its eggs before leaving them, like a Duck. The nest 

 is placed under a thick Box-bush, in a place similar to that which a Duck would 

 choose. The eggs are very pure white, and of a large proportional size. A 

 Canada Goose has a nest within half-a-dozen yards ; it is guarded at all hours 

 by the two birds, which are noisy and fierce, contorting their necks singularly 

 on the approach of any person. This species invariably selects an open, uncovered 

 situation, merely scraping a slight hollow in the ground. The large China 

 Goose, however — like the domestic breed — prefers an artificial box in which to 

 retire. We are confident the Smew would breed if it had a mate. It has a 

 curious manner of throwing back the neck, uttering at the same time a very 

 peculiar low rattling note, evidently expressive of its desires. The Shoveller 

 raises and lowers its neck several times successively, accompanying the movement 

 by a low thick sound ; this it does particularly after driving a rival from its 

 mate. We have often seen a pair of Shovellers with their bills quite immersed 

 vertically downwards, sail round and round in a small circle for perhaps a quarter 

 of an hour together, thus causing a small eddy, and straining floating particles 

 from the water by means of their bill-laminae. 



Few spots are more interesting to the ornithologist than St. James's Park. 

 The superiority of its arrangements over those of most other collections of a similar 

 nature is both striking and considerable. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY. 



March 16. — J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., Pres., in the chair. — Mr. D. Cooper, 

 A.L.S., delivered his second lecture on the practical part of Botany. — The 

 Secretary announced a splendid donation of foreign plants found in different parts 

 of Europe, comprising 1,000 species, presented by H. B. Fielding, Esq., Corresp. 

 Memb. of the Soc, and Local Sec. for Lancashire. — Dr. Robert J. N. Stree- 

 ton was elected a Corresponding Member. — A paper from J. Riley, Esq., 

 was read, being remarks on a paper lately read before the Society by Mr. White, 

 " On Hybridity in Ferns," translated from a paper by M. Martens, of the Royal 

 Academy of Brussels. — Specimens of Gymnogramma colomelanos, G. chrysophilla, 

 and G. sulphur ea, were exhibited. 



April 6. — J. E. Gray, Esq., in the chair. — The Secretary announced donations 

 of books from Mr. W. Baxter, A.L.S., and also of some plants from Mr. Edwin 

 Lees, Corr. Memb., and Loc. Sec. for Worcestershire. — Mr. Cooper delivered his 

 third lecture on practical Botany. — A leaf of Victoria regina, sent to the Society 

 by Mr. Schomburgk, was exhibited. 



The Secretary read a paper from R. H. Schomburgk, Esq. (still in British 

 Guiana), on Triplaris Americana, the Ant-tree of Guiana. The trunk is 



