SELBORNIA NA . 
37 
of the system by which the press is to supersede the pulpit and the platform is 
too busy in denouncing any one who disagrees with the standard of morality it 
happens to set up for the day, to spare a line in behalf of those common principles 
of humanity and justice which happily existed before it was invented.” There 
maybe some truth in his contention that “ the Pall Mall Gazette is certainly more 
dogmatic in its creeds (for the moment) and more excommunicatory in its 
anathemas (to all eternity) than any priest or parson ; how can you expect an 
authority which holds the balances of heaven, to concern itself with the fate of 
dickey-birds, who are cared for by its less pretentious but far more generally 
respected contemporaries ! ” But this is, of course, quite an ex parte statement, 
of which we should be glad to obtain either confirmation or contradiction. If 
any enthusiastic “ Pall-maller ” will furnish us with proofs that his paper is sound 
on Selbornian questions (other things are of no importance whatever to us, edi- 
torially) we shall be glad to publish them. But we certainly cannot be expected 
to read through the Pall Mall Gazette ourselves, in order to ascertain its guilt or 
innocence in this matter. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Sowing Flower Seeds in Hedges, &c.— Miss Margaret Marchetti, 
Manor Heath, Halifax, who is to take the post of Hon. Sec. to the newly-formed 
Halifax branch of the Selborne Society, writes to know “ what is the easiest and 
best way of obtaining seeds that we may be able to sow in the woods and lanes 
about us.” 
Miss Agnes Martelli, Hon. Sec. of Northern Heights Branch, writing on the 
same subject, rightly points out the “ undesirability of introducing specimens not 
natural to the locality.” 
[The object of the Selborne Society is far more to prevent the extermination of 
rare wild flowers in their original stations than to encourage the sowing of wild 
plants where they have not naturally flourished, although for the latter practice 
the authority of Gilbert White has been appealed to. We fear most of our scien- 
tific botanists would wax wroth at such a corruption and confusion of our native 
flora.] 
Parkinson Society. — In connection with the subject just mentioned we 
have received several queries as to the work of this society, which sprang, as most of 
our readers know, from Mrs. J. II. Ewing’s delightful gardening book, “ Mary’s 
Meadow.” The Society was formed in 1S84, and in May, 1886, the Secretary 
was Miss Alice Sargant, 7, Belsize Grove, N.W. In April, 188S, it was inti- 
mated in the columns of the Selborne Magazine that the Parkinson Society already 
possessed more members than was convenient. If this is still the case, there can 
be no objection to the formation of a department of the Selborne Society for such 
of the objects of the Parkinson Society as may be found in accordance with our 
own aims. Several of our members would be glad to co-operate in the intro- 
duction of some of the most beautiful plants in our native flora into gardens, the 
cultivation of old garden flowers which have become scarce, the exchange of 
seeds and plants, dec. But if these things would only give an impetus to the 
already existing devastation of our rare wild flowers for the purpose of replenish- 
ing herbaceous gardens, they would be clearly contrary to, instead of in 
accordance with, Selbornian views. We shall be glad to have the pros and cons 
of this interesting subject discussed by our correspondents. 
Notes of Birds, &C. (Answer to “Studens”). — The accentor does not 
intone in the ordinary acceptation of the word. 
Perhaps you are not aware that the French name for the Woodlark is “ l’Alou- 
ette lu-lu,” an instance of onomatopoeia. “ Lu-lu ” repeated quickly a good many 
times represents the song fairly well. Yes ; “ Gre-gre ” may be said to resemble 
one phrase of the Thrush, but this bird has many hundred different phrases in its 
song. Syllables, such as those you mention, may help to remind you of songs 
which you have already heard ; but they are apt to be very misleading, for though 
they may suggest the rhythm, they can convey no idea of either pitch or timbre. 
