150 THE LOCAL FIELD-CLUBS OF GREAT BUITAIN. 



the more general adoption of bricks and tiles for rural cottages is fast 

 displacing the use of thatch, and, consequently, the use of the reed. We 

 have been told that the stems of this plant are used for the drones of the 

 Scotch bagpipes as well as for the Northumberland small pipes ; but the 

 stems of Arundo Donax have usually had the credit of being employed for 

 bagpipes and other wind instruments. Can any one confirm either of 

 these queries ? — J. K. Jackson. [In Germany the common Reed is 

 much used for making matting for protecting hotbeds, etc. ; and children 

 make small pipes of the stems. — B. Seemann.] 



Walking-sticks. — Few people, probably, have any idea of the ex- 

 tent of the trade in walking and umbrella sticks. Having recently re- 

 ceived from one of the largest makers in London a collection of walking- 

 stick materials for the Museum, I was not a little surprised to tlnd among 

 them such woods as the Carob {Ceratonia SiUqua), a Eucalyptus, pro- 

 bably E. globiihis, both from Algeria; Soapberry {Sapindiis saponaria), 

 and Flowered Ebony {Brya Ehenus), both from the W^est Indies. The fol- 

 lowing, however, I cannot easily determine. One thick, clumsy-looking 

 stick, labelled " Citheure, from the Haute-Garonne, France," has very 

 much the appearance of a gigantic stalk of the common Burdock {Arctium 

 Lappa), and another, labelled " Jerusalem Thistle, imported from Smyrna," 

 appears like an Articlioke or Sunflower stem. Perhaps some reader of the 

 ' Journal of Botany ' can say whether the stems of these plants are com- 

 monly used for walking-sticks in any part of the countries from wherice 

 they are said to have been imported. — J. R. Jackson. 



gep0rfs» 



THE LOCAL FIELD-CLUBS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



By James Britten, F.L.S. 



VII. The Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club. 



This was the second Field Club, in respect of date, established in 

 Britain, and from the scientific value of its printed Transactions, mav 

 justly be considered the first in importance. It was founded on the 25t'li 

 of April, 1846, for the joint purpose of investigating the Natural History 

 and Antiquities of the district. The officers consist of a President, Vice- 

 President, Committee, and Secretary, all of whom are chosen annually. 

 The subscription was fixed at 5s. per annum, ladies being admitted as 

 honorary members. The publication of correct lists of the various na- 

 tural productions of the counties of Northumberland and Durham was 

 among the objects which it was proposed to accomplish ; as well as the 

 formation of local collections, illustrative of such lists, which were to be 

 placed in the Newcastle museum. With a view to the more convenient 

 carrying out of these arrangements, a sub-committee was appointed for 

 each branch of natural science. Five fiehl-mectings are held during each 

 year, the first of these having taken place on May 26, 1846. Mr. Ralph 

 Carr and Mr. John Thornhill were respectively President and Secretary 

 during the first year of the Society's existence. 



The first volume of the Transactions of the Club was published in 1850, 

 and at once took a high posilion, from the scientific value of the pajjcis 



