152 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



belly, vent and sides, including the under wing- 

 coverts and tail feathers ; under sides of the wing 

 dark bpown, nearly black ; iris and cere yellow. 

 Bill and claws black ; tarsus and feet yellow. 



9. The large Ashy Falcon or Harrier. Unidenti- 

 fied, but possibly Montague's Harrier {Circus 

 ci/ierescens). 



Distribution. — I have only been able to procure one 

 specimen, and am inclined to think the bird is only 

 an occasional visitor. My example was shot in some 

 grass land, in the Puselawa district, at an elevation 

 of about 3500 feet above sea level. 



Size. — 5 length 18 in.; span 41 in.; wing 13I 

 in. ; tail 9^ in. ; tarsus 2% in. 



Gaieral colour. — Ashy all over the upper parts, 

 darker on the back, and paler on the forehead and 

 upper tail-coverts. The feathers of the crown, having 

 a dark centre to each, give that part rather a mottled 

 look. The eye is surrounded by a circle of brown- 



NOTES ON THE SUCCINEAS. 



HITHERTO there has been some doubt as to 

 whether Succinca Pfeifferi is to be found in 

 England. I am happy to be able to solve the doubt. 

 It is found in this neighbourhood (Folkestone) and 

 also its variety Ochracea. 



In the past summer, my attention was particularly 

 directed to this genus by finding a small form on the 

 mud of a stream partly run dry. 



The animal appeared dark and the shell thick, both 

 more so than any I had before found. On comparing 

 them with drawings of Succinea elegatis,' and also 

 with specimens from Continental localities, I was per- 

 suaded that they were not the " elegans" of Risso — 

 and on looking over my entire collection I felt doubt 

 as to whether I had the true shell amongst them. I 

 wrote to some of my correspondents, soliciting help, 

 and Mr. Philip Mason, of Burton-on-Trent, kindly 



Fig. 90. — Jaws of Succinca elegaiis. 



Fig. 92. — Jaws oi Succinea Pfeifferi. 



Fig. 91. — Succinea Pfeifferi. 



Fig. g^.— Succinea elegans. 



ish feathers, that extend also upon the ear, and add 

 much to the beauty of the bird. A portion of the 

 breast and chin is pale ashy white, ending in pure 

 white upon the remainder of the under parts of the 

 body. The tail, which contains twelve feathers, is 

 crossed by five or six bars that go across the first 

 four outer ones, and on the inner web of the next, 

 having the two central feathers pale or ashy ; the 

 whole margined with white, with a tinge of cream- 

 colour. Irides golden-yellow ; cere yellow ; bill 

 black at the tip and leaden at the base. Inside of 

 the mouth also leaden ; tarsus and feet yellow ; 



claws black. 1^ , ,- .v 



\Io be contimied.) 



Early Flowering Milkw^ort. — I do not know 

 whether the flowering of milkwort {Polygala vulgaris) 

 in Epping Forest, so early as April 18, is worth 

 noting or not ; at any rate I found the plant in full 

 bloom on that day. — W. Mawer. 



placed the whole of his collection at my disposal. I 

 selected from this and my own and sent them to ^Mr. 

 Hazay, of Budapest, who is a great authority on this 

 subject. He has carefully examined and named all 

 that I sent. Pfeiffer gives a distinct difference in the 

 jaws of .S". Pfeifferi and oi S. elegans. Mr. Hazay does 

 not find it a permanent difference, but in the shape 

 of the jaws and general characteristics of the shell. I 

 enclose sketches copied from both of these authors 

 for me by Dr. Boettger, of Frankfort,, in which the 

 difference of form is plainly shown. 



Added to this amongst the shells I found last 

 summer in abundance here, Mr. Hazay has dis- 

 covered a new variety of Succinea putris, which he has 

 courteously named after me " Fitz-Geraldian." His 

 description of this shell is this : "Its flat windings, its 

 pointed top, short slender shape, its strange reddish- 

 yellow tint with lighter stripes." Mr. Hazay has 

 found it in Mr. Philip Mason's collection and in 

 mine, and it is well authenticated amongst Con- 



