Northern News. 155 
volatile oil ; the alcoholic extract contained quercetin and a 
phlobaphenic tannin which precipitates gelatine and bromine 
water, a trace of free phloroglucin, little or no sugar, and a 
resin which dissolves in sulphuric acid with brown to deep 
violet colour ; there is considerable pectosic mucilage extracted 
by dilute soda, some pararabin, no starch, and considerable 
oxalate of calcium ; the ash of leaves and petioles amounted to 
8.5 per cent., and contained 41.4 per cent. soluble salts, 3.4 
silica, 22,7 lime; 7-3 «magnesia... 3:75 P2702, 13-50%) andin54. 
chlorine. The analysis indicates the general features or condi- 
tion of a normal plant, z.e. a plant whose vegetation is flourishing 
and wherein the albumenoids and soluble carbohydrates are 
fulfilling, so to speak, their chemical activities, oxidation pro- 
ceeds far, and the products of deassimilation are well represented. 
The flowers contain a tannin same as in the leaves; the pink 
pigment is not fully developed, but is shown off to best advan-. 
tage by the configuration of the perianth ; the ash of the spike- 
like raceme amounts to 6.4 per cent. in dry, and contained 27.5 
per cent. soluble salts, 20.3 lime, 9 magnesia, 14.7 P*O°%, 5.4 
SO, with considerable manganese and little carbonates. 
The twisted, much branched rhizome contains much starch 
which is edible and nutritious, also oxalate of potass, and a large 
quantity (about 20 per cent.) of soluble and insoluble tannin 
which is not a glucoside, and does not yield gallic or ellagic acid 
when fused with caustic alkali or heated with dilute sulphuric 
in a closed tube. 
A ‘young man, aged 26,’ advertising in a contemporary, ‘desires a 
place as Assistant with Museum.’ He is ‘an excellent collector and setter 
of Lepidoptera,’ and can also make Bird-skins. He ought to find a post 
readily. 
We regret to record the death of Councillor J. E. Robson, of Hartlepool, 
at the age of 74. He was a member of the Yorkshire Naturalist’s Union. 
Also of Mr. B. Hirst, of Oldham, who has been connected with the same 
society since 1890. 
Sir Archibald Geikie has been elected President of the Geological Society 
of London for the third time. Though near seventy years of age, he is able 
to occupy many important offices, not the least of which is Secretary of the 
Royal Society, which post he has held since 1903. 
Nos. 1 and 2 of Vol. 16 of the ‘Irish Naturalist’ have been issued 
together, and form perhaps the finest part of that journal yet issued. It is 
entirely devoted to ‘Contributions to the Natural History of Lambay, 
County Dublin,’ and is admirably illustrated. 
At a recent meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological 
Society, Mr. C. H. Forsyth exhibited about 90 species of North Lancashire 
tortrices, collected near Lancaster. These included Sciaphila penziana 
from Arnside, Conchylis alternana, Aphelia ossiana, Grapolitha penkleriana, 
and Dicrorampha saturnana. 
1907 April. 1. 
