26 



the hornets in the construction of their cells, and adverted 

 to other articles exhibited on the table, the greater portion 

 of which we hare enumerated above. 



The following new members were then formally proposed 

 and elected : — The Eev. Sanderson Robins, incumbent of 

 St. Peter's, and Mr. and Mrs. Gibson. 



Mr. DoWKER then read the following letter, which he 

 had received from Sir Norton Knitchbull, president of the 

 society: — 



London, July 24th, 1860. 

 Dear Sir, — I am extremely sorry that engagements long 

 since made, and not in any way dependent upon myself alone, 

 prevent me from attending your meeting at Margate on the 

 26th instant. I had been led to suppose when I agreed to 

 your kind proposal of acting as your President for this year 

 that your annual meeting would have been beld at Ashtord. 

 but even had that been the case I could not have been with 

 you on the 26th. I regret this very much, because it may ap- 

 pear to some of your friends that 1 am making a very unkind 

 return to the compliment your society was good enough to 

 pay me. Had it been possible I would have met you any- 

 where : as it is, I can only express my regret, my thanks to 

 the society for the attention shewn me, and my best wishes for 

 the success and useful progress of the East Kent Natural 

 History Society. — I have the honor to remain, dear sir, yours, 

 Tery truly, 



Norton Enatchbull. 



Mr. DowKER reported that he was anticipating a great 

 deal of pleasure this year from somo nightingales building 

 in his garden. All his expectations, however, were dis- 

 appointed. A pair of "butcher birds" had taken up their 

 abode in the garden, and the consequeuee jvas that all the 

 other birds excepting sparrows had forsaken their neigh- 

 bourhood. Whenever the butcher birds attacked the spar- 

 rows, the latter raised an instant alarm, and all the sparrows 

 in the neighbourhood collected together, and proved too 

 many for the foe. lie was now left with only the sparrows ; 

 and certainly whenever he came again across any of the 

 butcher birds ho should make them as scarce as possible. 

 He exhibited at that meeting a specimen of the Anguis 

 fragilis, or blind worm, which was rather noticeable in 



