231 



HAJIDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Oct. 1, 1S69. 



meadow brown {Hipparchia jcinira) is, as usual, 

 abundant. I have seen at least three humming- 

 bird hawk-moths— two in the garden and one at 

 Uplyme.— F. J. D. Hinton, Lyme Regis. 



The Scarce Spotted Hawk-Moth {Sphinx 

 Galii). — A caterpillar of this exceedingly rare 

 insect was taken in this vicinity in the latter end of 

 August. The following description is to be found 

 in J. O. Westwood's "British Moths and their 

 Transformations" :—" The caterpillar is of an 

 olive green colour, with a yellow dorsal line, and a 

 row of yellow pear-shaped spots, bordered with 

 black on each side of each segment. The spiracles 

 are yellow, and there is a line of the same colour 

 above the legs ; of which latter the fore ones are 

 black, and the pro-legs flesh-coloured. It feeds on 

 several species of Galium, such as the wild madder 

 (G. mollvgo), and the yellow lady's bcdstraw {G. 

 verum)." It is at present living on the latter 

 plant. — J. H. Fox, Harleston, Norfolk. 



Insects of the Season.— I have noticed during 

 this year a very great scarcity of the large garden 

 white {Pieris brassicce), and although the small 

 white {P. rupee) has appeared in very few numbers 

 to what it usually does, the visits of the large white 

 were far more rare. There has been, however, an 

 extreme abundance of the small tortoise-shell [V. 

 nrticce), and the peacock butterfly {V. 16) ; whilst 

 among our moths the bright-line brown-eye [M. 

 oleracea) proved a perfect nuisance, collecting in 

 large numbers in our bedrooms, and the willow 

 beauty {Aids rhomboidarid) has also been extremely 

 abundant. When at Cardigan, S. Wales, last 

 month, scarcely [a bush could be touched without 

 starting half a dozen or more magpie moths {Abraxas 

 grossulariata) off on the wing ; whilst in the after- 

 noon they were fluttering about amongst the hedge- 

 rows almost as numerously as the meadow-browns 

 and large heaths. The caterpillar of the privet 

 hawk-moth has been far more abundant than last 

 year. I collected in a few hours last week upwards 

 of six-and-thirty fine specimens on a low privet- 

 bush. At Gwbert, the famous watering-place of 

 Cardigan, and opposite the island, there is a large 

 tract of ground covered with gorse and heather; 

 the vegetation about here was literally strewn with 

 the empty chrysalis of the six-spot Burnet moth 

 (Anthrocera filipendulte) during the past month. — 

 W. Bevan Lewis, L.B.C.P. Loud. 



Centre Barred Sallow {Cirrcedia Xeram- 

 pelina).— Having had the pleasure of taking two 

 specimens of this beautiful species I thought it 

 would interest some of the readers of Science- 

 Gossip, both specimens being taken at the begin- 

 ning of this month (September). This species has 

 been taken more than once before by myself and my 

 friend, Mr. W. J. Smith, at light. -C. B. Doicard, 

 Worcester. 



Cats and Starfish. — In answer to W. Field in 

 September number allow me to record the case of a 

 favourite and very tame cat who is always glad to 

 devour a starfish when one dies in the aquarium 

 and never seems at all the worse for it. I have 

 known her do it several times this spring and sum- 

 mer whilst staying at her home in the neighbourhood 

 of Ramsgate. In whatever part of the kingdom the 

 piece of " folk-lore " mentioned by W. Field may 

 be prevalent, I think it must be entirely un- 

 founded.—/. G. H. 



A 'cute Squirrel.— A very curious instance of 

 squirrel sagacity has lately come to my knowledge. 

 It was related to me by an eye-witness to the fact, 

 now some years ago. A tame squirrel having 

 swarmed up the bell-pull threw down from the 

 end of the mantel-shelf an imitation egg and egg- 

 cup, in one. He immediately descended and 

 endeavoured, having secured it in his paws, to 

 re-ascend with it. Failing in this he again climbed 

 up the rope, but evidently not satisfied, came down 

 again, and this time having managed to secure the 

 ornament in some way that allowed him to use his 

 paws, ascended the rope with it and replaced it on 

 the mantel-shelf. This was witnessed at a friend's 

 house by a relative of mine, the friend also being 

 present. — W. Hambrough, Worthing. 



Animal from Salt Lake.— In the April num- 

 ber of Science-Gossip is figured an animal from 

 Salt Lake, which the correspondent and editor seem- 

 unable to identify. It is undoubtedly the larva of 

 Ephydra, of which the fly and puparium have been 

 figured in the Naturalist, vol. ii., p. 278, and a short 

 account given of the occurrence of other species in 

 the salt-works in Germany; the Equality Salt-works, 

 Gallatin County, Illinois ; the Salt Lake Mono, Cali- 

 fornia ; and the coasts of Labrador and Massachu- 

 setts, where it lives in salt or brackish water. — 

 A. S. P. in "American Naturalist "for Sept. 1869. 



Spiders as an Article of Food.— Reaumur 

 tells us of a young lady, who when she walked in 

 her grounds never saw a spider that she did not 

 take and crack upon the spot. Another female, the 

 celebrated Anna Maria Schurman, used to eat them 

 like nuts, which she affirmed they much resembled 

 in taste, excusing her propensity by saying that she 

 was born under the sign Scorpio. If you wish for 

 the authority of the learned, Lalande, the cele- 

 brated French astronomer, was, as Latreille wit- 

 nessed, equally fond of these delicacies. And lastly, 

 if not content with taking them seriatim, you should 

 feel desirous of eating them by handfuls, you may 

 shelter yourself under the authority of the German 

 immortalized by Ivoesel, who used to spread them 

 upon his bread like butter, observing that he found 

 them very useful "urn sich auszuiaxiren."— Kirby's 

 Introd. to Entom. 



