FLORA OF WARWICKSHIRE. 
201 
P. nigra, Linn. Black Poplar. 
Alien : Near rivers. Very rare. 
I. Curd worth bridge ; near Three May Poles, Shirley. 
II. Myton, near Warwick, H. B ., Herb. Brit. Mus.; this tree has since 
been cut down. Rainsbrook, near Barby Road, near Dunchurcli, 
R. S. R., 1877; Honington, Neicb.; near Moreton Morrell; near 
Salford Priors. 
(To be continued.) 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY 
SOCIETIES. 
SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING, AT PETERBOROUGH, 1884. 
As the Meeting of the Union took place later in the month than it 
has done before, we are only able, in the present number, to print the 
Annual Report. It may be said, however, that the meeting was in every 
respect a great success. Fine weather and a good attendance rewarded 
the energetic and well-directed efforts of the members of the Peter¬ 
borough Society, of whom, among a crowd of hard workers, Mr. J. W. 
Bodger was conspicuous for his untiring energy and devotedness. 
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 
As the Midland Union of Natural History Societies has now been 
in existence for seven years, it seems necessary to consider how far it 
has fulfilled the expectations of its founders, and, if it has in any 
degree disappointed them, to consider the causes of its shortcomings 
and how best to remove them. The objects of the Union are thus 
stated in the first number of the “ Midland Naturalist.”* 
“ To extend the usefulness of Local Societies by affording facilities 
for intercommunication through an authorised and regularly published 
magazine.and, by providing opportunities for personal 
intercourse among the members at meetings to be held from time 
to time.to promote the study of Natural History, 
especially that of the Midland District.” 
With reference to the first point. Seventy-eight (monthly) numbers 
of the “ Midland Naturalist” have now appeared, and it may be stated 
without fear of contradiction that these numbers contain a mass of 
new and reliable information with reference to the Natural History of 
the Midlands such as is not to be found elsewhere. Local workers 
who possess complete sets of the magazine will find their value 
increase as the years roll on. Many faults have been found with this 
organ of the Union, of which the most common is, perhaps, that its 
science is not of a sufficiently “ popular” nature. The reply to this is 
that it has always been laid down that the main object of such a 
publication is to be a record of local scientific facts. Still, the editors 
have always endeavoured that the articles should be attractive and 
readable, as well as accurate and scientific. The amount of original 
(or other) matter sent in for publication has been far less than was 
anticipated. Instead of having trouble in deciding what to publish, 
the difficulty has been to obtain a sufficient supply of matter of a 
* Jan. 1878, p. 2 
