COERESPONDENCE GLEANINGS. 311 



Aspidium aculcatnm, and the one enclosed, wliich istlie rarest. Centaurca 

 scabtosa and SoJidd [JO rirgaurea waved from the wall-like rocks everjrwhere. 

 I was fortunate enough to raeet with three Ashton-nuder-Lyne botanists 

 who were acquainted A\aththe district. They said the Dale was veiy rich 

 in CrucifercE in the early summer and spring. They pointed out a spot 

 where a Mr. Whitehead had found a new sedge. It was on a tunnel between 

 Monsal Dale and Ci'essbrook, but I had not time to visit the place. From 

 conversation that passed it seems working men in that district are much 

 before the Leicester working men as Natm'ahsts, and they meet with 

 more encouragement from the upper classes. They gave me a card on 

 which is a list of names of landowners who have given them liberty to 

 go over their grounds, and nearly at the top is our ovvti Lord Stamford. 

 To come back to our own hunting ground. Enclosed is a curioiis rush 

 from Bradgate Park which I don't quite understand. It seems to be an 

 instance of exuberance of gi'OAvth, or cliloranthy, I think you call it. I 

 have a specimen of white clover similar in gi'owth, also a bifid frond of 

 N.filix-inas. I am told there are specimens of Scoloju'iidrium on the 

 Narborough Eoad with trifid fronds. I intend going to see them. But, 

 perhaps, the greatest curiosity of the year was a sparrow I had. Its 

 wings and tail were white, with a white I'ing roiind the throat. It could 

 not peck, nor was it full feathered when caught. My intention was to 

 keep it a while, and on being liung out of doors in a cage it caused much 

 amusement by the old birds coming regularly to feed it. They seemed 

 to sjinpathise with it and make a great to do. If it was taken in the 

 house at night they — that is the old birds — would come in through the 

 window when left open very early in the morning, and often the younger 

 members of the family, too, to feed and condole with it. It knocked 

 itself about much in the cage, so when it could peck it was turned in an 

 empty room where I thought it would soon get fine, but the silly thing 

 fretted and died. — G. E., 92, Cranbom-ne Street, Leicester." 



Heeefoedshike Pomona. — The first part of this magnificent work 

 has just been issued. It is the work of the Woolhope Natiu-alists' Field 

 Club. In our next niimber we hope to give some account of it. In the 

 meantime we urge all who are interested in the cultivation of hardy 

 fruits to buy the book. 



BiEMiNGHAM LiBKAEY. — The Committee have recently issued a 

 supplement to the catalogue of books added fi-om April, 1876, to 

 December, 1877 ; and to this is subjoined an " experimental classified 

 index of subjects," prepared by the Librarian, Mr. Charles E. Scarse. 

 We are led to make this announcement, in order to point out that this 

 classified index is but the outcome of a recent rearrangement of the books 

 in the Birmingham Library in Subjects, the books in each division 

 being further arranged alphabetically as to authors. Mr. Scarse, in under- 

 taking this arduous task, (the library contains upwards of 50,000 volumes,) 

 was encouraged by the hope that he would thus render the treasures of 

 the library much more accessible to young students than they were 

 previously. A jpublic library, the books in which are thus classified, must 

 obviously be a gi-eat boon to those whose knowledge of literature is 

 more or less limited. We have carefully examined the large collection 

 of Scientific books, (each science being separately arranged.) and find 

 them so disposed, that in whatever department information may be 

 desired it is at once and readily accessible. Mr. Scarse has executed 

 this wox'k most satisfactorily, and he has set an example which may be 

 advantageously followed in other public hbraries. 



