78 



The Naturalist. 



spheralitic structures subsequently developed^ or by tracing the sequence 

 in which the minerals have crystallised out of the fused magma, and the 

 order in which these crystals have been caught up and imprisoned within 

 each other, the observer is enabled to work out the life-history both of 

 the rock mass and its individual particles, and to read in legible characters 

 the natural history of the eruptive rocks. Mr, Tate exhibited original 

 drawings and microscopical slides of igneous rocks, including a series 

 prepared from chippings made by workmen in paving the streets of Leeds. 



§lj^|3oris of Sncidus. 



Barnsley Naturalists' Society. — Meeting Nov. 9th, Mr. T. Lister 

 presiding. — Several communications to him were read by the president, 

 with observations made by others. The most important features were 

 the late stay of summer migrants, notwithstanding the severe season and 

 ice-storms experienced. On October 23, swallows in small flocks were 

 seen by Mr. Lister near the town, and on the telegraph wires at Darfield ; 

 stragglers Nov. 6 by T. Rose, and Nov. 8 by E. Brady, jun. — both near 

 the town, and one obtained at Redditch, near Manchester, Nov. 9th. 

 Martins noted nearly as late (Nov. 4) over the Calder, reported by 

 Mr. F. Laxton, Brighouse ; five seen on the 5th by Mr. T. Dymond, of 

 Burntwood Hall, near Barnsley. A swallow was reported Nov. 4th, by 

 Mr. T. Ormerod, of Brighouse, near the canal there. These cases show 

 a wide range of occurrence, and mostly in companies — contrary to the 

 experience of some good naturalists this season. Last report of white- 

 throat Sept. 21, whinchat Sept. 8, spotted flycatcher 22nd, willow 

 warbler same date ; Oct, 5, landrail, 16th, sedge warbler caught at Dr. 

 Payne's, Newhill Hall, and liberated ; 31st, wheatear near Burton 

 Grange Abbey, and chifi"chaff heard by Mr. Tomlinson, woodman, at New 

 Park Spring ; same day, Ray's wagtail seen in numbers with the pied 

 wagtail, the resident species, in Dodworth-road. A puffin, inland, was 

 sent to the president by Mr. W, Dransfield, of Penistone ; it was caught 

 in a field Nov. 2nd, fed on flesh, and died two days afterwards. It 

 proved a young puffin (the bill not being developed), with the peculiar 

 form which obtains for the adult bird the name of sea parrot, and is a 

 rare visitant here. Of winter visitants, the jacksnipe was reported by 

 Mr. J. W. Salter ; it had been wounded, and probably stayed all summer. 

 He saw the great grey shrike Oct. 23 (very rare), the tree creeper and 

 coletit at Nostell, also herons, kingfishers, wigeons and scaup duck. Mr. 

 E. Hailstone reports (Nov. 6) ^' wigeons have come back to Walton Lake, 

 and a stoat was caught on the island before the Hall, which had gone 

 over the bridge." Several kestrels, a sparrow hawk, sea-gulls, and 

 hooded crows have been noted about Barnsley, and field-fares, in flocks, 

 were seen Oct. 2nd. — T. Listek. 



Elland-cum-Greetland Naturalists' Society. — Monthly meeting, 

 1st November. The following were the exhibits :— skin of the wandering 



