Natural History. 63 



usually exhibited and named for the benefit of any members 

 who are interested in the study and who care to attend. 



But theirs have not been the only efforts recently put forth 

 to diffuse a knowledge of local botany, for during the past 

 winter the technical committee of the Mechanics' institution 

 laudably spent some of the funds at their disposal in engaging 

 a competent instructor, in the person of Professor J. W. Carr 

 of, Nottingham, to deliver a course of four lectures upon 

 " Plant Life," which lectures proved to be highly interesting 

 and were much appreciated. At the end of his course the 

 Professor intimated his willingness to spend an afternoon with 

 the students in pradtical field work, if such proceeding were 

 deemed desirable. The Antiquarian and Naturalists' Society 

 cordially approved the suggestion and took the initiative in 

 arranging for a ramble, the day chosen being Thursday, June 

 2yth. 



The time for meeting at the London Road Railway Bridge 

 was two o'clock, but, owing to the threatening weather and 

 the attractions of an auspicious celebration at the Parish 

 Church, the party was less numerous than had been anticipated. 

 The faithful, tenacious few, however, whose fixed resolutions 

 quailed not before the menaces of Jupiter Tonans et Pluvius, 

 spent about four hours very pleasantly in wandering over 

 Coxey Hills in company with Mr. Carr, whose ample know- 

 ledge and experience enabled him to impart various hints and 

 bits of information which were novel to his hearers. In one 

 cornfield the bladder campion (Silene cucubalus) was very 

 common, and Mr. Carr pointed out a nameless variety, with a 

 kind of fringe round the edges of the leaves, which he 

 described as being intermediate between the type and the 

 variety puberula. This field also produced lamb's lettuce 

 (Valerianella dentata\ shepherd's needle, greater knapweed 

 (Centaurea scabiosd] and scabious (Scabiosa arvensis}. In the 

 next field, which was a pasture, a good find was made by 

 Master Hall, whose acute eyes detected a solitary specimen of 

 the dropwort (Spiraea filipenduld], which has not in recent times 

 been recorded for the immediate locality. Other plants 

 gathered in the same field were : Purging flax (Linum 

 catharticum\ betony (Stachys betonica\ helleborine orchis 

 (Epipacfis latifolid), tway blade {Lister a o^ata\ lady's mantle 

 (Alchemilla vulgaris\ and pepper saxifrage (Silaus pratensis). 

 Among the other plants noted were the great burnet, spurge 

 (Euphorbia amygdaloides)^ tufted vetch, water bedstraw (Gallurn 



