Eeports of Societies. 



11 



AcKwoRTH School Juvenile 

 Improvement Society. — Although 

 this title scarcely comes within the 

 scope of a Natural History Society, 

 yet its work, judging from its 

 report, must be of a highly satisfac- 

 tory character to every adult natu- 

 ralist ; for we are sure nothing can 

 contribute so much to the healthy 

 growth of the youthful mind as an 

 early training along the paths of 

 scientific research. It is for this 

 reason, and in the hope of stimula- 

 ting the managers of other schools 

 to "go and do likewise," that we 

 have pleasure in noticing the report 

 just come into our hands. The boys 

 are in the habit of writing and 

 reading essays on a variety of sub- 

 jects which must train their minds 

 to research ; and, besides this, they 

 make periodical excursions into 

 various districts in search of objects 

 of Natural History and Archseology^ 

 which will equally train their minds 

 to careful observation. The Asso- 

 ciation further possesses a Herba- 

 rium, containing 633 flowering 

 plants and ferns, 56 mosses, and 

 63 Madeira ferns ; a collection of 

 local shells some 70 in number, a 

 cabinet of birds, and a library, to 

 which a considerable number of 

 standard works on scientific sub- 

 jects have been added during the 

 year. Diaries are also kept by the 

 boys of botanical, ornithological, 

 &c., occurrences, and two prizes 

 are awarded annually for the two 

 best diaries in each department. 

 This little organisation is worthy of 

 record and copy, and, moreover, 

 furnishes an example which many 

 of our adult Natural History socie- 

 ties might follow with advantage. 



We hope to hear more of their 

 continued success, as the managers 

 report that " they have no hesita- 

 tion in saying that this little associa- 

 tion is of real service in the school. " 



GooLE Scientific Society. — At 

 a meeting held in Goole on May 

 5th, it was resolved that a society 

 should be formed in that town, 

 for the cultivation of science, to 

 be called the " Goole Scientific 

 Society." It was decided to meet 

 once a month in the summer for 

 excursions to places of interest, 

 and in winter for the exhibition of 

 specimens, and the reading and 

 discussion of papers on scientific 

 subjects. M. A. Morris, Esq., was 

 elected president, and Dr. Parsons 

 secretary. After the business of 

 the meeting had been transacted. 

 Dr. Parsons gave an address on the 

 characters of mosses, illustrated by 

 microscopic preparations and recent 

 specimens. Yotes of thanks were 

 given to the president for the 

 active part he had taken in the 

 formation of the Society, and to 

 Dr. Parsons for his lecture. The 

 first excursion of the Society took 

 place on June 19th. The members 

 met at Moorfields, near Goole, and 

 proceeded to Thorne Waste, under 

 the guidance of Capt. Best, who 

 there read a paper on the peat 

 deposit, in which its extent (much 

 greater below than upon the 

 surface), origin, age, structure, 

 physical properties, chemical com- 

 position, and analogy with coal, 

 were ably pointed out. Several 

 interesting plants, including Vacci- 

 nium Oxycoccos, the three British 

 species of Drosera, Andromeda 

 poUfolia, and Gomarum palustre, 

 were found on the moor ; and the 

 first excursion of the Society was 



