NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



OUR MARINE FAUNA. 



The Rev. Canon A. M. Norman, LL.D., F.R.S., etc., has 

 favoured us with a copy of his Presidential Address, dehvered 

 to ' The Hertfordshire Natural History Society and Field Club ' 

 on April 25th last. This is entitled ' The Celtic Province, its 

 Extent, and its Marine Fauna.' In this Canon Norman dis- 

 cusses many interesting problems connected with the occupants 

 of the seas surrounding Britain, and particularly refers to the 

 periodical migrations of Eiithemisto compressa, a small crus- 

 tacean which is occasionally washed up in large quantities at 

 Redcar and other places on the Yorkshire coast, as already 

 recorded in this journal. The author appeals for further 

 workers on the coast, and in this we trust his appeal will not 

 be without avail. On the Yorkshire coast there is ample 

 opportunity for research, and it seems a pity that this interest- 

 ing study has not more followers. 



AN AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



With the first part of volume xv. of the Journal of the 

 Board of Agriculture, that interesting and useful publication 

 is increased in size, though the nominal price of fourpence 

 remains the same. The part for April is before us, and contains 

 many items of interest to our readers. Sir W. T. Thiselton 

 Dyer writes on the supposed Degeneracy of the Potato ; Mr. 

 W. P. Wright deals with the Pruning of Established Fruit 

 Trees, and there are notes on Insect, Fungus and other pests, 

 soil surveys, varieties of apples, etc. A paper on the Meadow 

 Saffron or Autumn Crocus (Cokhicum autiimnale) is illustrated 

 by a coloured plate, which the Controller of His Majesty* 

 Stationery Office kindly permits us to reproduce. (Plate xxi.). 



MEADOW SAFFRON. 



The ' Meadow Saffron is a plant belonging to the order 

 Liliaceae, with flowers closely resembling crocuses,' we learn. 

 ' The leaves are lanceolate in shape, dark green in colour, and 

 several inches in length ; they are fully developed in spring, 

 dying down during the summer. Although flowering takes 

 place from August to October, the blooms soon die. The 

 Autumn Crocus, known also as meadow crocus, naked ladies, 

 etc., is poisonous in all its parts. ' Experiment has shewn that 

 from 3 lbs. to 5 lbs. of green leaves and seed vessels are necessary 

 to act fatally upon a cow ; the poison, however, appears to be 

 cumulative, and a small quantity eaten each day with other 

 food for a few days may lead to fatal results.' Particulars 

 are given of the best methods for exterminating the plant. 

 Fortunately it also grows in situations not favourable for 

 grazing purposes, consequently botanists will still have the 

 pleasure of seeing the plant without feeling that it is their duty 

 to exterminate it. 



1908 July I. • - 



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