1859.] THIRSK NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 305 



consider the following list at random in this parish (Kinnoul) : — 

 Cynoglossum sylvaticwn (plentiful), C. oficinale, Allium vineale, 

 A. Scorodoprasum, and A. oleraceum, Ilesperis matronalis, Pri- 

 mula veris, Lactuca virosa, and Dipsacus sylvestris, and many 

 others far from common. I also found a variety of Lamimn 

 purpureum with white flowers ; it is, I presume, only a variety, but 

 it is certainly distinct from L. purpureum. There is a brown 

 spot on the top of the corolla, and several other minor differences. 

 I enclose a specimen for you I gathered in dry cultivated ground 

 this morning : there grew a great number of plants of it, and I 

 was struck at once with their appearance. I also enclose a recent 

 plant of Viola hirta, which I gathered this morning : it is certainly 

 quite different from V. odorata ; for one thing, it is scentless, and 

 the leaves are differently shaped, and the plant more hairy. I 

 most certainly consider it a different species, but as doctors differ, 

 as they say, so do botanists : " Quot homines, tot sententise.^' 

 This V. hirta is really a lovely plant, and it is also luxuriant and 

 plentiful in Kinnoul Wood, indeed far more so than V. cafiina ; 

 for, like a vanquished enemy, V. canina almost seems to retire and 

 leave its fair rival sole occupant of the field. I wish I had a 

 little more physical energy to cope with my intellectual abilities ; 

 there would be few holes or corners, mountains or moors, banks 

 or braes, in this neighbourhood, unexamined by me. 



THIRSK NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 

 Botanical Exchange Club. 



The monthly meeting of the Thirsk Natural History Society 

 was held on the evening of Tuesday, the 6th of September. Mr, 

 J. G. Baker exhibited specimens as under. 



" Glaucium phceniceum. A single specimen of this species was 

 found by Mr. Gerard Burton, in the month of June of the present 

 year, under the cliff near the east end of Brighton, and this has 

 been courteously sent for our inspection by Mr. John Barton. As 

 a well-established weed of cultivated ground in France, it is con- 

 fined to the provinces bordering upon the Mediterranean, and 

 therefore it is hardly likely to be found in Britain, except as a 

 casual straggler, like Speculai'ia Speculum or Phalaris paradowa, 



N. S. VOL. III. 2 R 



