SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 39 



She could not at the time exactly ^inform me where they were taken ; but, on my 

 return to Portsmouth about a fortnight afterwards, she told me she had learned, 

 from the captor, that they were obtained in the New Forest. — From what I have 

 said, I feel justified in considering myself the fortunate possessor of specimens of 

 British P '. podalirius. — I am, respectfully, thy friend, 



Thomas Allis, 

 Curator of the York Phil. Soc, 

 York, 2nd Month 21, 1837- 



[We have much pleasure in inserting the above communication from our amiable and re- 

 spected correspondent, setting at rest, as in our opinion it does, the point in dispute relative to the 

 Papilio podalirius Ed.] 



PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



ST. JAMES'S ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 We are happy to be able to state, that this Society — which we mentioned 

 in a number — is in a flourishing state, and that the list of members, al- 

 ready long, is fast increasing. The collection of water birds in the park is very 

 interesting. A few weeks ago, one of those beautiful birds, the Smew Merganser 

 (Mergus albellus) was turned in, and delightful it was to observe its agility in 

 the water, and wonderful success in fishing ; but, alas ! it had not been there 

 three days, before some blackguard killed it with a stone. It was found dead, with 

 its skull indented. Such acts of wanton destructiveness must be very discour- 

 aging to the Society, and we hope means will be taken to prevent their recurrence. 



ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 

 March 4. — The Right Hon. C. W. William Wynn, M. P., President, in the 

 chair. — A paper by Colonel Sykes, "On the Origin of the popular belief in the 

 Upas, or Poison Tree of Java," was read. The romantic story of this wonderful 

 tree, which spreads its baneful influence many miles round, and the near approach 

 to which is almost certain death— with the details of condemned criminals sent 

 to the tree to collect its poisonous juices, and pardon to the few who might escape 

 its malignant emanations — have been for many years before the public. The dis- 

 covery of the real Upas tree very much lowered the interest of the tale, and tie 

 whole was set down to the imagination of the Dutch physician who first circu- 

 lated the account. But a visit made in 1830 to the Poison Valley of Java, by 

 Mr. Loudon, whose account has been published, has restored much of the interest 

 of the original story, though still much must, be referred to exaggeration. The 

 noxious exhalations — the rapid extinction of life in the animals directly submitted 



