Eeports of Societies. 



11 



excursion to Edlington Wood July 12, many birds were noted — as the 

 bulliinch, great spotted woodpecker, carrion crow, magpie, and jay, — all 

 scarce, from persecution by gun and snare. 



ELLA]srD-cuT,i-GKEETLAND Naturalists' Societt. — Monthly meeting, 

 July 5th, the president in the chair. — A good display of the local flora 

 included Solanum Dulcamara, Geum urhanum, Valeriana officinalis, 

 Corydalis claviculata, &c. Mr. C. C, Hanson showed the following eggs : 

 razor bill, herring gull, oyster catcher, great black-backed gull, and shag. 

 Mr. B. Garside, brood of young lapwings. — Wm. Hy. Stott. 



HuDDEESFiELD Naturalists' Society. — Meeting 12th July, Mr. J. 

 Varley in the chair. — Some very good botanical specimens were 

 exhibited, principally by Mr. J. Armitage, who named them : Bianthus 

 deltoides, Lychnis vespertina, Helianthemum vulgare, Geranium lucidum, 

 Alchemilla alpina, Anchusa sempervirens, and Laihyrus pratensis. In 

 geology Mr. Jno. Yarley sent several teeth of an extinct species of shark, 

 ventriculites, &c., from the Suffolk crag. Mr. J. Robinson gave a short 

 paper, entitled " Popular errors of the people in respect of K"atural 

 History subjects," saying that ignorance had long fostered beliefs that 

 were at entire variance with the truths of Nature. He showed living 

 specimens of the ringed snake {Natrix torquata), the common toad {Bufo 

 vidgaris), the common frog {Rana femporaria), and the green tree frog — 

 ail of which reptiles have been persecuted almost to extermination in 

 some parts of the country. Yet each of these had its use, and by their 

 destruction man destroyed that balance in nature which was so essential 

 to the welfare of both the animal and the vegetable kingdom. Several of 

 the feathered tribe had been held in abhorence by farmers and others for 

 centuries, as the rook and magpie. While in some instances these had 

 been known to do injury to the growing crops, he maintained that the 

 good done by the destruction of worms, grubs, &c., was of inestimably 

 greater value. — Geo. Wilkinson, Hon. Sec. 



The Leeds Naturalists' Club and Scientific Association. —385th 

 meeting, June 22nd, the president, Mr. B. Holgate, F.G.S., in chair. — 

 A petition to Parliament was adopted, praying that hawks and owls be 

 protected by law. A note from Mr. H. Pocklington, F.R.M.S., on the 

 breeding of siskins in captivity — an unusual thing — was read. Mr. W. 

 Raine gave an account of the nesting of the blackheaded gull at RiccaU 

 Common. Mr. A. P. Dobson exhibited a fine 8inodend/ron cylindricnm 

 from Studley ; Mr. Roebuck, Bhagium inquisitor from New Park Spring, 

 Plnsia chrysitis, Xylophasia rurea and other insects from Weeton. The 

 eggs and a juvenile larva of Attacus Atlas were shown by Mr. Henry 

 Marsh. The fly orchis, gathered at Burton Leonard limekilns by Mr. C. 

 Blenckhom, was shown on his behalf. Mr. J. R. Murdoch showed the 

 rare Malva horealis from Sussex. Various botanical, geological and 

 microscopical exhibits were made by him, Mr. George Dobson, Mr. Jas,. 

 Abbott, and Mr. W. Barwell Turner, F.C.S. 



