3o6 Notes and Comments. 



if ever, heard in August, even by writers of Nature Notes. A 

 cow moos gently in an adjoining field. The day is built up 

 of just such little incidents, not exactly soul-shaking, but 

 none the less infinitely helpful in supplying useful grist to the 

 mill of the Summer Diarist.' 



HUDDERSFIELD NATURALISTS. 



We are glad to find that some of our Yorkshire scientific 

 societies are not only able to carry on their work under the 

 present conditions, but are also able to publish the results of 

 their work. One of the oldest of these, the Huddersfield 

 Naturalist, etc.. Society, has just issued its 67th Annual Report 

 (14 pp.), which contains a useful record of the Society's manv 

 activities. We notice that the valuable relics from a British 

 tumulus on Pule Hill have been presented to the town, as have 

 also the geological specimens and books collected by the late 

 Wm. Simpson, of Catterall Hall, Settle. There are reports 

 (general) and photography, by M. C. Whiteley ; Natural History 

 and Entomology, by C. Mosley ; Antiquities, by C. Wood ; 

 Library and Ornithology, by E. Fisher ; Botany, by W. E. 

 L. Wattam ; Microscopy, by G. H. Charlesworth ; and 

 Geology, by T. W. Woodhead. 



NATURAL GAS. 



From the last-named report we learn that : ' While boring 

 for water at Prospect Mills, Longwood, owned by Messrs. 

 Joseph Hoyle and Son, a large supply of marsh gas was dis- 

 covered. The boring commenced in the sandy shales below 

 the Rough Rock, and in these shales excellent specimens of 

 the leaves of Cordaites were found. On June 8th, igi8, while 

 boring through the compact grit below, at a depth of 186 feet, 

 the gas escaped under great pressure, and taking fire, did 

 serious damage to the roof of the shed covering the boring 

 apparatus. Only after considerable effort was the flame 

 extinguished by plugging the bore hole with soil. The boring 

 operations were suspended and the gas was conducted to the 

 boilerhouse by means of pipes, and for three weeks two fires 

 were fed with the supply before any considerable diminution 

 of pressure was observed. Since then the supply has fallen 

 off very much and instructions were given to continue boring, 

 though on August ist the gas was still escaping. A large 

 supply of gas was not expected in these beds, as the coal 

 seams and carbonaceous shales are insignificent. So far as 

 I can ascertain, this is the largest supply of gas met with in 

 this country in the Millstone Grit Series.' 



RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER NESTING. 



The Right Rev. Arnold H. Mathew writes to Bird Notes 

 and News (Vol. VIII., No. 2) from Walmer, May 12th : ' A 

 rare visitor to England has successfully brought off a nest of 



Naturalist, 



