June 1, 1869.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



137 



early in the year as AprilHth.— W. I \\Llandderfei ', 

 Merionethshire. 



Early Birds observed by John Lloyd at Batter- 

 sea, Surrey — The Wryneck, April 12th; White- 

 throat, April 12th; Chiffchaffand Blackcap Warbler, 

 April 15th; and House Martin, April 17th— W. P. 

 Swallows were seen at Ashling, near Chichester, 

 on the 9th of April; Wheatears at Ham, on the 8th. 

 The Nightingale was heard at Slindon on the 10th, 

 the Cuckoo at Salthill on the 11th, and the White- 

 throat on the 12th.— George Dale, Chichester. 



The Swallow {Hirundo rustica).— Three were seen 

 on Sunday, the 11th of April, flying about this neigh- 

 bourhood. In 186S they were first seen on the 29th 

 of March, and in 1S67 on April 14th. The Cuckoo 

 {Cuculus canorus) was heard here on the lSth of 

 April, in 186S on the 6th, and in 1807 on the 17th. 

 Redstart {Phcenicura ruticilla) was first seen here 

 on the 2Sth of April; but it was collecting materials 

 for its nest, which it had commenced under the tiles 

 of an outhouse, so that it must have been here for 

 some days. In 1S68 it was seen on the 26th, in 1867 

 on the 25th, in 1866 on the 14th, and in 1S65 on 

 the 27th.— John Ramon, York. 



Perhaps the following dates of the arrival of some 

 of our summer visitors here may be worth a corner 

 in S.-G. : — Cuckoo {Cuculus canorus), April 9 ; 

 Chiffchaff {Sylvia rufa), April 10; Willow Wren 

 {Sylvia trochilus), April 11; Swallow {Hirundo 

 rustica), April 12; Whitethroat {Sylvia cinerea), 

 April IS; Sedgewarbler {Sylvia phragmitis), April 19; 

 Tree-pipit {Anthus arboreus), April 19 ; Whinchat 

 {Sylvia rubetra), May 5; Corncrake {Gallinula crex), 

 May 5.— F. G. Binnie, Healaugh Lodge, Tadcaster. 



The Cuckoo made its first appearance here on 

 April 21th ; the Chimney Swallow on the last day 

 of the same month. I have as yet not had the for- 

 tune to hear our Land Kail : I fear that it has not 

 reached us as yet.— John Sim, West Cramlington, 

 North um berland. 



Otter in Norfolk. — Mr. Middleton will be 

 glad to know that the Otter is still found in various 

 parts of the county of Norfolk, particularly in the 

 district known as the "Broads," where it not un- 

 frequently occurs. So recently as about the 13th of 

 March last a brace of young otters were taken at 

 Trigby. The Black Bat was to be found in small 

 numbers at Lynn about eighteen years ago, and, I 

 doubt not, in other parts of the county ; but it is 

 long since I heard of its occurrence, and I fear its 

 fiercer and stronger cousin has by this time exter- 

 minated it. The Badger is very rare with us.— 

 T. Southwell, Norwich. 



Insects and Light— The theory of "George 

 Guyon," that nocturnal insects, especially moths 

 (not forgetting daddy-longlegs), make for the flame 

 of a candle in a room as a probable means of exit 



from their confinement, seems worthy of attention, 

 and finds support from his experiment with the 

 flies in the test-tube. But still the question 

 remains why do they come to the lightened room 

 out of the gardens and fields without, where their 

 natural food awaits them, and where they can roam 

 at pleasure ? Why should they come to a point of 

 light placed in the field or garden, as my "American 

 moth-trap " can testify they do ? That they feel in a 

 room " cribbed, cabined, and confined," I have no 

 doubt ; but why were they attracted thither ? 

 Thoughts do come into one's head sometimes, and, 

 not being always consonant with scientific fact, or 

 within the range of probability, are often put aside 

 by ourselves, or are summarily "pooh-poohed" by our 

 friends. But they mil suggest themselves ; and 

 one that has suggested itself to me is the following:— 

 We know (I have often seen it) that certain flowers 

 emit of an evening a strong phosphoric light, visible 

 at some little distance. How many do so whose 

 light is only visible to the keen eyes of insects we 

 do not know ; but I think it probable that many 

 more do than we are aware of. Is it too wild a 

 suggestion that Nature has supplied these store- 

 houses of insect food, the flowers, with this 

 phosphoric glow, as a beacon-light to the hungry 

 night rovers, and, responding to the invitation, that 

 they make for our lighted rooms as to a banquet- 

 hall? If this moves the risible muscles of any 

 reader, all I can say is, " Grin away, but suggest 

 something better." Passing to the Carnivora, who, 

 on the contrary, dread the light, I would suggest 

 the following as a reason for their doing so :— We 

 know that their prairie homes are liable to become 

 the scenes of the most appalling conflagrations, 

 before which the wild beasts naturally flee in 

 extremes!, terror, often fruitlessly. Is it not of the 

 range of probability that instinct teaches them to 

 dread any, even an insignificant appearance, nay, 

 even the colour of flame ? This would account for 

 the frantic "roarings and bowlings" which 

 attended the exhibition of the light brought in 

 front of their dens at the Zoological Gardens, as 

 described by "George Guyon." It would also 

 account for the dread manifested by elephants at 

 the presence of fire. - Should you think these 

 suggestions worthy of notice, they are at your 

 service. — W. H. 



Otter and Badger. — Several correspondents 

 (in S.-G.) relate instances of the recent capture of 

 those rare, and in some parts of the country almost 

 extinct, animals the Otter and Badger. We believe 

 they are still to be met with occasionally in this 

 neighbourhood. Within a few years they have been 

 hunted in the Colne Valley, and not many mouths 

 since we heard of a fine Otter being killed in the 

 neighbourhood of Pinchingfield.— Halstead Times, 

 May 22, 1869. 



