256 BOTANICAL NOTES^ NOTICES, AND QUERIES. [AugllSt. 



6th and 7th extremely hot for the time of year. 11th, thunder at 5 p.m. 

 We had sharp frosts from the 15 th to the 33rd, which did much damage 

 to the fruit : Laburnum flower-buds destroyed, and Lilacs much injured. 

 21st, aurora borealis during the night. 23nd, swallows first seen, and the 

 cuckoo heard. 



North Shields. — More snow has fallen during the past month than 

 dm'ing the previous months of winter. Vegetation has received a veiy 

 severe check. 



Betchworth. — The register of 21° on the 1st of this month is the 

 minimum of the whole winter season in this locality, which is remarkable 

 as happening in this month. It will be still more remarkable should the 

 register of the 7th, viz. 80'25, prove to be the maximum of the year, which 

 is quite possible, and in which case the maximum and minimum will 

 have occun-ed within a week of each other. All the early fruits in this 

 neighbourhood were killed by the late frosts ; and vegetation, both agricul- . 

 tural and floral, much nipped and retarded by the subsequent east winds. 



Dover. — On the 13th and 15th, ozone 7. Snow- on 16th. Evapora- 

 tion during the month, 2-33. 



Street. — Whitethorn (or May) in blossom on the 22nd. 



About London the Hawthorn was in flower the last week of April : that 

 was in the parks and squares of London. In the last week of June, just 

 two months later, the same was in full flower on the north slope of the 

 Berwyu Mountains, in Merionethshire, between Pont-Cwm-Beddws and 

 Llandrillo, about eight miles fi'om Bala. A. I. 



The Poisonous Property of Yew. 



Two fine steers, the property of Mr. J. Taylor, Summer HiU, Gains- 

 borough, were seen to be unwell on Saturday week, and one of them im- 

 mediately fell, and died before any remedy could be obtained. To the 

 second (which also fell) a bottle of gin was given instanter by the ovmer. 

 The animal rallied, and with other remedies applied by Mr. Chapman, 

 veterinary surgeon, is now fast recovering. The steers had been in the 

 garden cropping a Tew fence, which was the cause of the illness, as in the 

 post mortem examination was clearly defined. — Times, January 2, 1858. 



Communications Jiave been received from 

 C. Howie; F. V., with a dried plant of Orobanche elatior ; Rev. H. W. 

 Webb; T. W. Gissing ; Cambricus; S. B. ; George Jorden; E. Green; 

 Wm. Dickinson, F.L.S. ; W. P.; A. L; T.E. E.; Benevolus; E. ; John 

 Lloyd, with a living? plant of Orobanche elatior ; Rev. T. P. Ravenshaw, 

 President of the Birmingham Nat. Hist. Association ; Dr. Lindsay ; M. 

 Attwood; the Right Hon. the Earl of Ilchester, with a specimen of 

 Astragalus glycypliyllm. 



BOOKS EECEIVED FOE EEVIEW. 

 Birmingham Daily Post. Flora Hertfordiemis, Supplement No. 11. 

 Plantes Rares ou Critiques de la Belgique ; par F. Crepin. Hooker's 

 Species Filicim, vol. iii. pt. 1. The Critic. The Friend, etc. 



