5648 Reason and Instinct. 



species. In the box was a fine Acronycta Alni, also from Ireland ; and a Noctua never 

 before taken in Britain, Agropbila Leo, Gu. ii. p. 205, a native of America. The 

 specimen was taken by Mr. Birchall, in his garden near Leeds. He observed that 

 there were many American plants growing in the grounds and in the greenhouses, 

 and it had probably been imported with them. 



Mr. N. Cooke exhibited the whole of his foreign Sphinges, observing that, in ad- 

 dition to the nine species before named, Mr. Birchall had enabled him to complete 

 several series and to improve many specimens. 



Mr. Cooper observed that amongst the humming birds Mr. Birchall had given 

 him for the Warrington Museum were many rare and interesting species. 



The Secretary read a summary of the ' Transactions ' of the Society for the year 

 1856, from which it appeared the Society was in a most flourishing and satisfactory 

 condition.— C. S. G. 



"Reason and Instinct"— Having read and re-read Mr. Atkinson's paper, intituled 

 as above, I am also of opinion that " the subject has never been so lucidly treated 

 before." Nevertheless, I must demur to the following passages: — " And therefore I 

 expect to find, in the Bible, no information, properly so called, on geological matters, 

 and none in Natural History, or Science, or Philosophy, in whatever department. 

 Allusions and references to such topics I may and do expect, but conveyed, notwith- 

 standing, in words uncharacterized by precision or scientific accuracy." Surely the 

 writer, when he penned these lines, must have forgotten the words of Jeremiah, " Yea, 

 the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times ; and the turtle and the crane 

 and the swallow observe the time of their coming." Now what says Montagu, in his 

 * Dictionary,' to which I beg to refer the author of "Reason and Instinct:" — The 

 Crane : " It is said to fly remarkably high in its passage, even out of sight." And 

 what says Temminck, in his 'Manuel d'Ornithologie,' ii. p. 557: — GrueCendree: 

 *' Mais le plus souvent les volees ne font que passer rapidement en se rappelant par un 

 cri tres sonore, qu'on entend lors meme que la bande est elevee a perte de vue." But 

 to return to Montagu ; let us see what he has to say about the coming of the dove : — 

 11 The turtle visits the southern parts of England in the spring, and re-migrates the 

 beginning of September." White's ' Natural History of Selborne,' p. 40 (note by 

 editor): — " The turtle dove (Columba tartur, Linn.) is common enough in the southern 

 counties of England, arriving in the end of April or beginning of May, and departing 

 in September.'' With regard to the "coming" of the swallow, I may perhaps be 

 excused for referring to my own notes, published in the 'Zoologist' (Zool. 4994), 

 where it will be seen that, in the year 1839, the first swallow "came" on April 21st; 

 in 1840, April 15th; 1841, April 27th; 1842, April 23rd ; 1853, April 12th ; 1854, 

 April 15th. What is this but to "observe the time of their coming?" What 

 naturalist, may I ask, in conclusion, could have told us more in four lines than the 

 inspired writer? — Henri/ W. Hadjield ; Tunbridge, March 7, 1857. 



