192 Northern Neivs. 



The Leeds Naturalists' Club is undertaking' a survey of the fauna and 

 flora as now existing' within the city boundaries. 



' The Northern Scientific Club ' has been formed in Newcastle ' to serve 

 as a social meeting-place for men interested, professionally or otherwise, in 

 scientific work.' The Hon. C. A. Parsons, F.R.S. , is the president. 



An earthquake caused a slight tremor throug-h Derbyshire, Nottingham- 

 shire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and in South-West Yorkshire on 24th March. 

 Professor Milne attributes the disturbance to ' some adjustment or slight 

 slip on the line of a pre-existing' fault or fracture in the earth's crust.' 



In the 'Journal of Conchology ' for April, C. H. Moore records the 

 occurrence of Vertigo alpestris at Holker, Lanes., a new locality for this 

 species. 



In the ' Proceedings of the Manchester Field Club,' Vol. i, Part I. (1899), 

 issued January 1903, p. 48, is a record of Viola ericitorum Schrader. ( V. 

 canina Bab.) growing on a turfy hill-slope overlooking the brook which runs 

 from Maltbv to Roche Abbey. This plant is not recorded for the Trent 

 drainage district in Lees' ' Flora of West Yorkshire.' 



Messrs. C. Crossland and J. Needham g'ive an interesting- account of 

 ' The Flora of a Boulder in March,' in the April ' Halifax Naturalist.' Nine- 

 teen species of plants are recorded from one block of grit. In the same 

 publication Mr. \V. B. Crump has an interesting paper on 'The Roosting 

 Habits of Rooks.' 



We much regret to record the death of Mr. Edward Birchall, of Leeds, 

 a member of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, which occurred on 6th April. 



We would draw special attention to the offer on the cover of the 

 ' Naturalist ' made to readers of the journal, in order that the}' may secure 

 back numbers at a cheap rate. The offer will be shortly withdrawn. 



A memorial tower to the late Rev. Y. O. Morris, the naturalist, was 

 opened by the Archbishop of York, on the 16th April, at Nunburnholme, 

 where Morris was Rector for 39 years. The cost of the tower and bells 

 was ;^i,ioo. 



Mr. W. H. Crofts has been elected President of the Hull Geological 

 Society for 1903-4. 



We should like to congratulate Mr. P. F. Kendall, F.G.S., a past president 

 c^'i the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, on his election on the council of the 

 Geological Societ}' of London. 



In the April number of the 'Journal of Botany ' (Vol.xli.,p. 113) Mr. Wm. 

 Westg'ivesa detailed description oi Polygala ainarella Cranlz. This milkwort 

 was found by !Mr. H. Andrews at Grassington nineteen years ago, and has 

 been gathered frequentlv since. Last year Mr. John Cryer collected it in 

 the neighbourhood of Grass Wood and Dibb Scar, and devoted some time 

 in working out its distribution, an account of whirli he adds to Mr. West's 

 description. The, plant had frequently been named either P. calcarea or 

 a form of jP. depressa by British botanists, but on specimens being submitted 

 to Prof. Chodat, of Geneva, he identified the plant as P. amarcUa Crantz. 

 An excellent plate accompanies the account of the plant. 



In the same number of the 'Journal of Botany ' (pp. 115-126) Mr. William 

 Ingham g'ives a list of the Mosses and Hepatics of the East Riding. We 

 notice Mr. Ingham omits all mention of the Moss list in the ' East Riding 

 Flora.' 



Mr. George Daniel records a curious conflict between a bat and a starling 

 in the Rectory g-arden at Hugg-ate. The two were found locked together, 

 the bat apparentlv having its teeth through part of the bird's beak the starling- 

 having hold of 'che bat's head. After being handled by the children they 

 were put upon the lawn, when the starling- placed its foot on the bat's head 

 and released its beak, then flew away. 



Naturalist, 



