1861.] TODMORDEN BOTANICAL SOCIETY. 85 



We have a request to make to tliese zealous and successful 

 Lancashire botanists, viz. that they would not confine their dis- 

 coveries and limit the utilities of their example to their own 

 neighbourhood. If they would send us, now and then, a report 

 of their successes as published in their local papers, we would 

 print them for the common information of all who take an inter- 

 est in the subject. Our periodical is very widely extended ; it 

 embraces the United Kingxlom and its colonial dependencies, and 

 it has a very fair circulation in the Continent. 



We beg to conclude our report of this interesting and instruc- 

 tive meeting with the following extract from the ' Todmorden 

 Post,^ above referred to : — 



" The programme being now complete [that is, all the speeches being- 

 spoken, all the songs sung, and all the healths drunk, as appointed by the 

 authorities], a veiy animated conversation ensued upon the siibject of 

 Darwin's theory, before alluded to by Mr. Grindon.* The gentlemen who 

 took part in it were Mr. Grindon, Mr. Blomley, Mr. Hedley, Mr. W. M. 

 Sutcliffe, and Mr. C. Chambers, to all of whom Dr. Wood replied in a very 

 long and forcible argument, confuting the Darwinian theory iu: (oto, which 

 was listened to with breathless attention, and drew down upon the Doctor 

 the loudest applause. The proceedings concluded about twelve o'clock. 

 W* understand Dr. Wood presented to the Todmorden Botanical Society, 

 privately, a collection of dried specimens of plants, 170 species, and from 

 300 to 400 varieties, gathered in Britain, the Pyrenees, and Switzerland." 



Through the kind intervention of a friend and well-wisher to 

 the progress of humanity, we are able to give our readers a very 

 succinct history of this well-organized, carefully-managed^ and 

 successful Society. It is from the Honorary Secretary ; and the 

 thanks of the proprietors of the ' Phytoloffist ' are hereby ten- 

 dered to him, for his very interesting history of an association 

 which has far higher objects in view than the collecting, naming, 

 and localizing the native vegetable productions of the district 

 where the members reside. 



" I deem it a duty I owe to you and to the Institution, as 

 Honorary Secretary, to furnish you with a few of the statistics 

 and other particulars of the Society. 



* If Ml". Grindon or any other of the maintainers of the Darwinian theory (if 

 there be one) about the origin of species, will be so good as to draw up a succinct 

 epitome of his view on this question, the Editor of the ' Phytologist ' will gladly 

 avail himself of such a precis for the information of his readers. 



