130 British Association for the Advancement of Science. ’ 
tion under different circumstances, and a peculiar selection of seed 
and soil, have reduced the period of this plant to five months. 
A quick crop might be produced by pressing and compacting the 
soil, and in light soils, well manured, a quicker growth is ensured. 
One great means of obtaining early crops is the use of seed pro- 
duced by plants that were themselves of early growth. 
Mr. Felkin exhibited the results of an experiment in the growth 
of silk at Nottingham. 'The circumstances of the case had been 
unpropitious, but the result was successful. Land and labor being 
high in England, it is improbable that she can in silk cule 
compete with other countries, but in her colonies, and in the vast 
regions of Hindoostan, she has the means of raising immense 
quantities ata low rate. He imagined that the whole world © 
might be supplied from India with raw silk, at half its preset 4 
cost 
Mr. George T. F E 
_in connexion with an account of the remains of a whale receni y 
Pte. _ found at Durham. In recently clearing out the rubbish | ‘from ‘ 
: “the basement story of the old tower of Durham Castle, the work cd 
“* « ‘men were surprised to find several large bones; and as they ad- E 
~~ . vanced these accumulated, until twenty vertebree, and about as 
"many ribs were taken out, and also two large jaw bones.. Mr. F.~ 
ae Re | L 
coma 
~~” on examination, determined that the bones belonged toa sperma- — q 
ceti whale. The discovery excited much interest in the town, 
and while the subject was in agitation, Rev. Jas. Raine discov- — 
ered a curious letter from Jo. Duresme to Mr. Stapylton, dated 
London, June 20, 1661, which at once accounted for the discov- 
ery of diese animal remains. ‘The letter clearly shows that the 
bones belonged to an animal cast on shore on the coast of Dur- | 
ham at Earington, in 1661; and it is therefore the oldest whale 
of the kind recorded to-have been found on the British = eh | 
The bones have been collected and set up in the Museum of | 
Durham University. 
Dr. Prichard read a paper on the extinction of the human races. — 
He expressed his regret that so little attention was given to Eth- 
hography, or the natural history of the human race, while the 
opportunities for observation are every day passing away ; and 
concluded by an appeal in favor of the Aborigines Protection So 
ciety. _ 'The paper gave rise toa long and desultory conversation. 
