NOTES — ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. QI 



Belfast meeting of the British Association, the Council have to thank our Hon. 

 Member, Mr. W. Whitaker, F.R.S., for acting as the Club's Delegate. 



Re- Afforestation of Hainhault. — The Council can hardly permit the 

 report of the year to pass without recording the warmest thanks of the Club to 

 the Vice-President, Mr. E. N. Buxton, for his persevering efforts to reclaim a 

 large part of Old Haiuhault Forest. It is a matter in which the Club can only 

 cat by way of exhortation and example, but the Council had much pleasure in 

 organising the meeting in the Forest on June 14th, to which reference has already 

 been made. The best wishes of all naturalists and lovers of open spaces will 

 be with Mr. Buxton in his truly noble work. 



Professor Meldola.— The Council wish to express their warm thanks ta 

 Prof. ^Nleldola, F.R.S., for his work as President during the past two years. During 

 the whole life of the Club our President has had its welfare close to his heart, and 

 a very valuable record qf our work was the subject of his Presidential Address last 

 year. In the Club's interests he can only regret that pressure of Professor 

 Meldola's engagements in the cause of Scientific Education, and particularly of 

 ill-health during the period immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, has 

 precluded the prejxaration of a valedictory address. But we still retain his services 

 as a Permanent Vice-President, and may look forward to his advice in the future 

 as in the past. 



Presidency.— The Council have great pleasure in recommending that :Mr. 

 F. W. Rudler, F.G.S., V.P. Ant. Inst., and late Curator of the Museum of 

 Practical Geologv, be elected President. Mr. Rudler has for many years been 

 an Honorary Member of the Club, and is now qualifying as an Ordinary Member, 

 so as to be eligible for election as President. 



NOTES— ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



ZOOLOGY. 



BIRDS. 

 The Influence of the Nature of the Soil on Poultry — 



In the Live Stock Journal Almanac for 1903 there is an article by 

 Mr. Edward Brown, F.L.S., entitled " Breeds of Poultry for 

 Farmers " in which the writer states : — 



" Some years ago I Avas consulted by a farmer in Essex, whose idea was to 

 develop table poultry on similar lines to those met with south of the Thames. 

 He lives in a very heavy clay-soil district. I pointed out to him that it was 

 altogether unsuitable for the best qualities of table poultry, and that his wiser plan 

 would be to go in for egg-production. Personally I was not then as fully 

 convinced of the causes for this advice as is now the case, and was unable to give 

 him as clearly as might have been desired the reasons for my objection. How- 

 ever, he went on, and found that what had been stated was absolutely true, 

 so that he was compelled to give up the attempt and turn his attention to the 

 production of eggs. In experience it is found that chickens take much longer tc^ 

 mature upon heavy land, and thus the cost of production is much greater, whilst 

 the best quality is not realised. To summarise the results of inquiries which 



