RURAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
103 
bulbs. The lecturer related an anecdote of a man at that time 
who had in his garden, a black tulip, and hearing that another 
horticulturist had one also, he purchased it for 300 guineas 
and then cut it to pieces, so that his should be the only one ! 
The lecturer concluded with references to the poets who had 
immortalised flowers, both wild and cultivated. 
On December 18, the Society will hold a “ social evening” at 
their rooms, St. Mary, Newington, Schools, s.e. The meeting- 
will be partly devoted to the exchange of duplicate specimens, 
and the reading of the postponed paper by Mr. W. R. Baskerville 
on “ 'Fin and Lead,” and partly to light refreshments. The lec¬ 
ture on January 8, 1894, will be by Mr. Frank R. Taylor, on ‘‘A 
Ray of Light” (with limelight illustrations), and at the meeting 
on January 15, Mr. F. P Perks will read some notes on the 
planet Venus. 
The Practical Naturalists’ Society. —The Ornithological 
M.S. circulating magazine contains papers on “ Variation in the 
Colour of the Plumage and Eggs of the Paridae” and “The 
Winter Visitants to the Cambridgeshire Fens.” 
RURAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
ROYSTON, CAMBS. 
November 22nd : The great storm which has just passed over 
has driven the sea birds inland. Gulls have been seen passing 
both from East to West and from West to East. During the 
the storm on Sunday large numbers of larks were seen passing 
south. 
November 23rd : A Little Auk (.Mergulus alle ) was picked up 
here, having been against the telegraph wires. There is no 
record of one being taken in this locality since November 1841. 
The force with which the bird struck the wires fractured the 
breast bone. 
The Cormorant I mentioned in my November notes left Newark 
during the storm. 
Thousands of sparrows are feeding on the seeds of the Poly 
gonnem aviculare , or Knot grass. This is a very troublesome 
weed and the great draught appears to have favoured its growth. 
December 5th : Albinos appear to be more frequently met with 
this season than usual. I have seen to-day a white lark and a 
nearly white chaffinch ; also a white linnet and a white sparrow 
