48 



The Naturalist. 



difficulty of making collections under the circumstances, he called upon 

 the annalist for the minutes of the last meeting. Representatives from 

 the following societies were present : — Huddersfield, Heckmondwike, 

 Wakefield, Ovenden, Stainland, Holmfirth, Liversedge, Rastrick, 

 Mirfield, Middlestown, Bradford, Leeds, Goole, Selby, and the Hud- 

 dersfield Literary and Scientific Society. The botanical specimens, 

 numbering upwards of 80 species, were named by H. F. Parsons, Esq., 

 M.D., of Goole, and the Rev. W. Fowler, the rarest being Wahlenhergia 

 hederacea, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Triglochin palustre, Gentiana Amarella, 

 Mercwrialis annua, Actcea sp'xata, Euhus glandulosus. The fungi 

 included — Polyporus squamosus, Phallus impudicus, Marasmius oreades, 

 Agaricus semiglohatus, A. separatus, A. fascicularis, A. campestris, A. 

 pascuis, and Goprinus niveus. Dr. Parsons, in naming the fungi, gave 

 some interesting and useful information respecting them, pointing out the 

 chief features by which the edible and the poisonous species might be 

 distinguished. The specimens of conchology produced were named by 

 Mr. J. Neville, of Mill Bridge, and the minerology by Mr. J. Tindall, of 

 Huddersfield. In consequence of the unfavourable state of the day, but 

 few specimens of entomology were collected ; these were in the larva and 

 imago states, exhibited by Mr. Jas. Varley, of Almondbury Bank, and 

 named by Mr. G. T. Porritt, F.L.S., of Huddersfield. Amongst other 

 specimens was a fine locust found in Wakefield, and exhibited by Mr. W. 

 Talbot, which led to several reports of locusts having been captured in 

 other parts of Yorkshire. Mr. W. Talbot of Wakefield, Mr. C. C. Hanson 

 of Stainland, Mr. W. Stoks of Hopton, and other members reported on 

 the birds seen and heard during the day, amongst which were the swift, 

 the swallow, the house and the sand martin ; the kingfisher had 

 been seen on the Calder, indicating that fish might still be found 

 there, which has since been verified. Mr. J. Sanderson, of Holmfirth, 

 exhibited a curious egg, produced by a pheasant hen. Conversation and 

 discussion ensued, when the chairman reminded the members that the 

 next gathering would be the annual meeting, and would take place on 

 Saturday afternoon, the 7th October, in the Battyeford Church School, 

 Mirfield, near Cooper Bridge station. Yotes of thanks were then passed 

 to the Bev. H. and Mrs. BuUivant for the use of the school-room ; to 

 Mrs. Marriott, of Hopton New Hall ; and to E. A. Leatham, Esq., M.P., 

 for their kindness in allowing the members to ramble and collect specimens 

 in their grounds ; also to the president, of whom the members took a 

 cordial farewell. — J. M. Barber, Hon. Sec. 



— Owing to a great pressure of matter for this month's issue, we 

 have been unwillingly obliged to condense several of the Reports of 

 Societies, and to postpone Mr. Talbot's " Birds of Wakefield " and other 

 papers until our next issue. — ^Eds. Nat. 



