OBSERVATIONS— NOTES AND 



by permission of tlie Council, at University 

 College, Gower-Street, on the 23rd ultimo, 

 a removal from Sackville-Street, to more 

 commodious rooms having become neces- 

 sary from the rapidly increasing number of 

 its members. Mr. M. C. Cooke, (Y. P.) 

 who, in the unavoidable absence of Dr. 

 Lankester (President) occupied the chair, 

 read a paper on " Universal Microscopical 

 Admeasurement," the object of which was 

 the advocacy of the universal adoption of 

 the French measurement, with the " milli- 

 metre" as the standard, for microscopic 

 objects. A discussion ensued, after which 

 the proceedings terminated with a conversa- 

 zione. Eight members were elected, and 

 seven candidates were proposed. 



NoTwicliNabiiralists' Society. — The usual 

 meeting of the above society took place on 

 Monday, March 5th, in the rooms, Surrey 

 Mews. Mr. I. S, Sayer, the president, 

 occupied the chair. The Hon. Sec. Mr. 

 T. E. Gunn read a paper on the mammalia 

 of Norfolk, giving an account of the recent 

 occurrences of various species, and noticing 

 the different abnormal hues that are occa- 

 sionally met with ; the paper was illustra- 

 ted by a collection of specimens, including 

 buff, piebald and white varieties of the 

 common brown rat ; black, buff, and white 

 varieties of the common mouse ; slate and 

 cream-coloured varieties of mole ; buff, pie- 

 bald and white varieties of the common 

 rabbit ; piebald and grey varieties of the 

 common hare ; and a curious ash-coloured 

 variety of the bank-vole ; also specimens 

 of the stoat or ermine, in their summer and 

 winter dresses, and the half-change of garb 

 between the seasons. Mr. AV. Winter read 

 some Entomological notices, and related 

 several instances of the superstition held 

 by persons at the present time, respecting 

 the " Death Watch." The secretary 

 exhibited a collection of shells talc en prin- 

 cipally on the beach at Burnham, near 

 Wells, in Norfolk, in December last. 

 Thanks were accorded to the readers, and 

 the meeting adjourned till the 19th of 

 March. 



QUERIES. 347 



Richmond and North Pddiiig Naturalists' 

 Field Club. Monthly meeting, Tuesday, 

 March 13fh. Mr. E. Wood, F.G,S., in 

 the Chair. The President exhibited a 

 Stone Hammer Head found near Keeth. 

 Mr. J, M. Bradley sent for exhibition some 

 ancient pottery ware dug up in a field near 

 Richmond, supposed to be Roman or early 

 British age. Mr. J. Aspdin exhibited the 

 nest eggs of the Rock Pipit, Dipper and 

 Blackheaded Gull. Mr. J. Stoddartjexhi- 

 bited a specimen of LuUagmite. The Chair- 

 man announced as donation to the Museum 

 several specimens of, and a work on, the 

 Lead Mines of Swaledale, by the author, 

 Mr. L. Bradlej^, F.G.S. Messrs. Wilson, 

 Oliver, Lucey, Gibson, Clark, and E, 

 Harrison, of Richmond, were elected 

 members of the Club. — James Aspdin, 

 Hon. Sec. 



Variety of the Starling. — At the meeting 

 of the Huddersfield Naturalists' Society, 

 held on Monda}^, the 19th instant, Mr. 

 John Walker, exhibited Sturnus vulgaris, 

 in white plumage ; this ram avis was found 

 in a nest at Golcar, and was hand reared by 

 the exhibitor. Mr. G. D. Porritt, exhibited 

 a very early specimen of Achermitia atro- 

 pos. Mr. W. H. Charlesworth, exhibited 

 Dorcus imrallelopipediLS, taken from a 

 decayed Avillow tree, at Wakefield. — J. 



TiNDALL. 



On the establishment of a RooTcery. — 

 Would some of your numerous correspond- 

 ents kindly advise me as to the best means 

 of establishing a rookery ? I have been 

 trying for the last six or seven years to 

 get the rooks to build nearWoodsome Hall, 

 but witliout permanent success. ]\ly first 

 plan was to excliange Rook eggs with 

 the Magpie ; this I did several times but 

 the fact of the Rook laying so much earlier 



