A YORKSHIRE NATURALIST 83 



resolved upon rejoining the Major. Unfortunately 

 the latter was also becoming lonely, and he resolved 

 to follow his wife to England. They both sailed 

 about the same time, and the vessels that were 

 conveying them in opposite directions met in mid 

 ocean, exchanged postal packages, and went on 

 their several ways. Unfortunately the parties so 

 interested in catching sight of each other failed to do 

 so, and it was only when they landed, one in Eng- 

 land and the other in Africa, that they discovered 

 what had happened. 



The ordinary meetings of our Philosophical Society 

 were much more social in those days than they have 

 been in later years. The two principal causes of 

 this change are not difficult to find. The building 

 still occupied by the Society was then surrounded on 

 all sides by private dwellings. No warehouses 

 existed in any of the neighbouring streets. The 

 great business centre in those days was Cannon 

 Street. I well remember when the distinguished 

 free-trader, Richard Cobden, converted his house in 

 Mosley Street into a warehouse for the sale of 

 printed calicoes. This was the first house in this 

 highly respectable street that was so changed. Many 

 members of the Society resided here, and others 

 in George Street, Faulkner Street, or elsewhere 

 within a few minutes' walk of our meeting rooms. 

 Hence their attendance involved no difficulty, and 

 since the gatherings always broke up punctually at 

 ten minutes past nine, it was no uncommon thing, 



