A Working Man Botanist. 



119 



new to Britain, found in Miller's Dale (1874), by Mr. H. Newton, 

 and first named by Mr. Whitehead ; Juugermauuia Nevicensis (a liver- 

 wort), Ben Nevis (1S7C), new to science. 



Among Mr. Whitehead's numerous correspondents are Dr. Spruce, 

 the late Mr. William Wilson, author of the " Bryologia Britannica," 

 Pi'ofessor Babington, Sir Joseph Hooker, Professor Balfour, Mr. H. 

 C. W^atson, and Professor Schimper, of Strasburg. In his Synopsis 

 of European mosses, Schimper refers to Mr. Whitehead as " sharp- 

 eyed,'' and they were introduced to each other tvhen the Professor 

 visited this country in 1865, Dr. Braithwaite published in 1877 a 

 work on Sphagnums (bog mosses) with dried specimens, those for the 

 counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire being collected and 

 prepared by Mr, AVhitehead ; and he is contributing to the same 

 gentleman's superbly illustrated British Moss Flora," now in 

 course of publication. He is also providing specimens for a new 

 edition of Wilson's Bryologia Biitannica," which is being brought 

 out by the Rev, J. Fergusson, of Bi echin. In addition he is pre- 

 paring a moss flora for North Derbyshire, and another for a circuit 

 of ten miles round Ash ton. 



Mr. Whitehead was one of the founders and first president of the 

 Manchester Cryptogamic Society, is now the president of the Ashton 

 Linnsean Society, and the United Field Naturalists, and the Ashton 

 Biological Societies number him among their vice-presidents. He 

 possesses a small but valuable library of scientific works, his herba- 

 rium is probably unequalled for variety and completeness, and he is 

 a not infrequent contributor to our botanical journals. It will be 

 seen that ]\Ir. W^hitehead has done good work in the cause of science, 

 of which he is an enthusiastic lover, and his chief characteristics are 

 untiring energy, modesty, and a willingness to impart his knowledge 

 to others." 



NATUEAL HISTORY NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 



( Continued.) 

 By S. D. Bairstow, F.L.S, 



Again, we might excusably imagine that when daylight was exposed 

 on the raising of a stone, beetles would immediately, without premedi- 

 tation, rush away in all directions, i\Iy own experience points to an 

 opposite result. They wait for the word of command, when one signal 

 trumpet annihilates the colony. Insects luaij give expression to their 

 affections by means of audible (or inaudible to human ears) specific 



