26 



The Naturalist. 



account, forced to the conclusion that there is nothing in the universe but 

 matter and force. The simplest physical law is absolutely inconceivable 

 by the highest of brutes, and no one would be justified in assuming that 



man had already attained the limits of his powers mind, as well 



as body, is thus travelling onwards through higher and still higher phases. 

 The great law of Evolution is shaping the destiny of our race ; and 

 though now we may at most but indicate some weak point in the general- 

 ization which would refer consciousness, as well as life, to a common 

 material source, who can say that in the far-off future there may not yet 

 be evolved other and higher faculties from which light may stream in upon 

 the darkness, and reveal to man the great mystery of Thought 



Barnsley Naturalists' Society. — Meeting Aug. 5th, the president, 

 Mr. T. Lister in the chair. — Many of the rare plants collected during the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' excursion to Doncaster the previous day were on 

 the table. The absence of song birds about Barnsley up to the first week 

 of July was noted ; most of the warblers, however, have since been 

 heard, including the nightingale, the garden warbler, blackcap, grass- 

 hopper warbler, sedge warbler, &c., not only in the extended excursions, 

 but in the richly wooded districts about Barnsley. All four of the 

 swallow tribe have been numerous, though the swift had been scarcely 

 noted near the town. Starlings, grey and green linnets, and lesser 

 redpoles, have been seen in mmierous flocks since the breeding time, 

 though rarely noted before. Blackbirds, thrushes, and skylarks are yet 

 scarce, consequently gardeners and agriculturalists have found a difference 

 in the over-abundance of worms, grubs, snails and other vermin. The 

 wood warbler was heard to the middle of July. The willow warbler 

 resumed its pleasing strain at the present date (Aug. 6th). Mr. C. 

 Wemyss, of Cannon Hall, reported on Jul}^ 23rd the great snipe near 

 the cascade there, also cuckoos and sandpipers on the moors, where 

 several flights of gulls were observed. He has since observed the goat 

 sucker (rare this year), and a great snipe was shot on the moors on the 

 12th August. Lapwings have appeared in large flocks in the Dearne 

 valley, on the grounds so frequently flooded. — T. Lister. 



Bradford Naturalists' Society. — JMeeting July 22nd, Mr. Firth 

 in the chair. — Mr. J. Hebblethwaite gave a paper on "Gardening, and 

 the Tulip Mania." Mr. Spencer recorded over 100 plants which had 

 been brought to the botanic garden since the last meeting. Mr. Gilliver 

 showed a collection of shells ; Messrs. Butterfield of Wilsden sent for 

 exhibition Y. impluviata, N. dictveoides, arid M. liturata — the two latter 

 from Bingley, and new to the district record list. Mr. J. W. Carter 

 exhibited A. leporina and C. russata from Hawksworth, also new to the 

 district record list. 



Meeting August 5th, IVIr. Firth in the chair. — Mr. J. Saville read a 

 paper entitled Notes on Natural History." Many plants, insects, and 

 minerals were laid on the table for examination. — Wm. West, Sec. 



