162 Natural History in the English Counties. 
near the Commandery, Worcester. Foxgtove (Digitalis purptrea), with white flowers, on the 
north hill at Malvern; an old inhabitant informed me that this white variety was many years ag@ 
almost as common on the hills as the purple one, but curious visitors having repeatedly reoted 1% 
up year after year wherever it appeared, it is now quite rare to find a white-flowered plant. 
Small-flowered cranesbill (Ger’mium pusillum), with white flowers, Henwick hill, on sandy 
ground. Musk mallow (Mélva moschiata), with white flowers, as a weed in a garden on Henwick 
Hill; a straggler from the wild ones with pink flowers, growing by the road-side. Milkwort (Po- 
l¥gala. vulgaris), with white flowers, on limestone, to the north of Malvern. Wood vetch (Vicia 
sylvatica), with flowers entirely cream-coloured, on limestone, in the middle of the Lime-kiln 
Woods, near Wellington, Shropshire ; some other plants, not far off, had their flowers of the usuat 
variegation of blue, white, and grey. Musk Thistle (Carduus ntttans), with white flowers, on Mal- 
vern Hills. Pyramidal orchis (O. pyramidalis), with white flowers,"on transition limestone, at the 
north-west base of the Malvern Hills. Iam, Sir, &c. — Edwin Lees. Hunter's Hall, near Littte 
Malvern, Sept. 17. 1829. 
WARWICKSHIRE. 
Weaver's Museum in Birmingham, — Richard Weaver, a working shoe- 
maker, being in bad health, was advised to walk frequently into the coun- 
try, and on these occasions amused himself with collecting various species 
of insects and especially the Lepiddptera, in their different stages. By 
making up small cases of butterflies for sale, he obtained a sufficient sum 
to purchase a cabinet, and is at length become possessed of one of the 
most complete collections out of the metropolis. At the suggestion of 
some friends, he is endeavouring to establish a museum here *, which at 
present he wishes to confine to the natural history of the British islands. 
He has a few British birds, but his means of obtaining a greater variety of 
specimens are extremely limited. Weaver has some subscribers of I/. Is. 
per annum, but still too few to defray the expenses of obtaining a larger 
collection ; and, to aid his funds for this purpose, he will gladly make up 
small cases of British insects to order, either for sale, or in exchange for 
birds and other objects of natural history. 
The character of Richard Weaver will be highly interesting to any of 
your readers, lovers of natural history, from the ardour he exhibits in the 
pursuit of his objects, apart from the consideration of pecuniary profit, be- 
yond the most moderate maintenance of himself and his wife. He evinces 
ereat gratitude for any assistance afforded him either by instruction, speci- 
mens, or donations. It should be added, that Weaver has learned to set 
his butterflies with skill and effect. — C. Birmingham, Nov. 17. 1829. 
Rarer Plants found in Warwickshire. — Sir, In making out, according to 
my promise, a list of the rarer plants of Warwickshire, the chief difficulty I 
have met with is that of selection; I mean, of determining, in many cases, 
what plants are of sufficient rarity to justify their insertion in the sort of 
list intended. And here I cannot help remarking, that in several instances 
the lists of rare plants and insects, furnished by some of your correspondents, 
from various parts of the country, consist principally of articles which have 
no pretensions to be so distinguished ; and the publication of such lists in 
your Magazine, has accordingly drawn forth some severe, yet just, remarks 
from others, under the head of Retrospective Criticism. From the very 
nature of the case much difference of opinion, Iam aware, must unavoidably 
exist on the subject. The occurrence of a plant in any particular district 
depends much on the nature of the soil, the presence or absence of a suit- 
able habitat, or place of growth, of wood, mountain, heath, bog, water, 
waste ground, &c., and a variety of other circumstances. Some plants, too, 
though distributed very generally over a wide extent of country, are scarcely 
any where found in much abundance ; while others are extremely local, yet 
where they do occur, sometimes occur in great profusion. As an instance 
of the former kind may be mentioned Samolus Valerand?, and, of the latter, 
Lithospérmum purpureo-certleum, a plant which I never happened to have 
met with except in the neighbourhood of Chedder in Somersetshire, where 
the woods abounded with it to a great extent. The common Foxglove 
* No. 38. New Street, Birmingham. 
