ICO 
NATURE NOTES. 
she is a warm advocate of the advantages of nature study in the work of edu- 
cation, and she has the secret of communicating her opinions and enthusiasm 
to others. The youthful Selbornians from the Richmond High School have 
during the past year shown in various ways their ardour in the pursuit of 
natural history. They have done some very creditable work in the stud) - of 
the flora of the Lower Thames Valley, and they have been the originators of 
a most enjoyable form of amusement in the first Selbornian dance. They have 
before them for the present year an extensive programme of botanical research. 
It was for their benefit chiefly that the “ May meeting” was held in the 
extensive gymnasium attached to the High School, which is always placed at 
the disposal of the Selborne Society for meetings. The whole of the wall 
space was covered by a collection of valuable natural history specimens lent 
by various members and friends. Some admirable collections from an educa- 
tional point of view were displayed, and were much appreciated by a large 
body of visitors. Much energy was exerted by Mr. F. W. A. Clarke, the 
hon. secretary, and Mr. T. F. Wakefield in procuring the materials for such a 
successful exhibition. After the various exhibits had been examined under the 
guidance of skilled scientific cicerones, a meeting was held, with the Rev. 
Percy Myles in the chair. A very valuable paper by Dr. Francis and his son 
Mr. William Francis was read by the latter. It was a concise guide to the 
admirable type-collection of British Lepidoptera (a selection from his large and 
well-known general collection), exhibited by Dr. Francis, and forming dis- 
tinctly the most interesting and instructive portion of the whole exhibition. A 
paper was also read by Mr. T. F. Wakefield, setting forth in a pleasing 
manner some of the leading facts of entomology. 
At the close of the general meeting there was held a numerously-attended 
meeting of the Committee, amongst whom it was pleasant to see Mr. King, the 
“father” of the Lower Thames Valley Branch. The Committee carried into 
effect for the first time one of the rules of the Selborne Society which empowers any 
Branch consisting of more than 150 members to elect a Vice-president of the 
Society. The unanimous choice for the honour fell upon Sir Mountstuart Grant 
Duff, who has on many occasions shown his warm interest in the Society, the last 
proof of which is his very interesting communication to the present number of 
Nature Notes. 
Whether the Richmond press gives as much attention to Selbornian news as 
does the “ fourth estate ” in Lymington we cannot tell, as we have received no 
newspapers in this case. We think, however, that our readers will be glad to 
have some account of these two meetings as specimens of the kind of work which 
is being continually done in all quarters of the land by the many branches of the 
Selborne Society. 
NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Owing to the very large number of contributions and letters received, we have 
been obliged this month to add four pages to the Magazine. In spite of the 
additional space thus secured, a large amount of matter is unavoidably crowded 
out. Several interesting communications on Animal and Plant Names are obliged 
to be postponed, and we are at the last moment very reluctantly obliged to exclude 
two sonnets w r e had selected from the great mass of original poetry which reaches 
us. Indeed for the future, we fear we shall be obliged to put more rigid limits upon 
this department of the Magazine, as the copy at present in hand would be sufficient 
to produce a couple of numbers entirely composed of verses. Contributions which 
reach us immediately after the publication of each number have, cater is paribus , 
the best claim to a place in the number that follows. May we remind corres- 
pondents that short communications, legibly written on one side of the paper only, 
are much more likely to obtain insertion than those which do not comply with 
these conditions. 
It is particularly requested that subscriptions and letters bearing on the general 
business of the Society, should not be forwarded to the editors, but to the Secretary 
of the Selborne Society, 9, Adam Street, Adelphi, Editorial communications 
should be addressed to the Rev. Percy Myles, i, Argyle Road, Ealing, W. 
