168 



THE NATURALIST. 



the habits of the toad. It is one of the greatest of balance keepers ; and 

 why for generation after generation its persecution should have been so 

 absolute, I am at a loss to conceive, — would that the stolid ignorance of 

 the farmer could be removed hy facts, then this remorseless extermination 

 would cease 1 Only look at the annual destruction of crops by the canker- 

 worm, and the beetle that deposits the egg which produces this canker- 

 worm is the toad's favourite food ! 



I am reminded of the Churchwardens paying fourpence a piece for 

 hedgehogs — because of their milking the cows — a thing all naturalists 

 Mow to be absurd. 



"Oh kappy he that can the kno-w ledge gain, 

 To know the eternal God made nought in vain." 

 Almondhury Bank, Huddersfield, 

 September, 1864. 



Birmingham Naturalists' Union. — 

 At the meeting of this Society held 

 at the Eooms, Suffolk-Street, on the 

 31st August, Mr. F. Enock exhi- 

 bited a larva of Acronycta alni taken 

 by him at Sutton Coldfield on the 

 S7th August. This very rare larva 

 was taken on a holly bush, but it 

 had evidently fallen from the over- 

 hanging branches of an oak, on the 

 leaves of which it feeds. It has 

 since changed into a pupa, and with 

 care Mr. Enock hopes to I'ear the 

 perfect insect. 



Society of Amateur Botanists. — At 

 a meeting of this society, held on 

 the 91st ult., at 197, Piccadilly, Mr. 

 Bywatcr in the chair, Mr. Dyer 

 made some remarks on the botany 

 of Haslemcre, Surrey, and exhibited 



specimens of the fruit of Agrimonia 

 odorata. Some living examples of 

 Amaranthus Blitum were laid on the 

 table ; and Mr. W. G. Smith exhi- 

 bited some beautifully coloured 

 drawings of Fungi. Several speci- 

 mens of Osmunda regalis, showing 

 its development from the seedling 

 state, were submitted to the meeting 

 by Mr. Dyer. A copy of Baker's 

 " Eeview of tlie British Koses " was 

 presented to the library by the 

 author. 



Doncaster Philosophical Society."— 

 On Monday evening, September 19, 

 the usual fortnightly meeting of this 

 society was held in the Guild Hall, 

 when Mr. Geo. Eayner delivered a 

 short paper on '' Microscopical sec- 

 tions of woods found in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Doncaster." Mr. Saml. 

 Appleby, vice-president, occupied the 



