20 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



with intermedium, is a very prettily marked species. 



Pipiza noctiluca. — Taken off the leaves of hazel in a lane near Landport, 

 near Lewes, in June. Occasionally. 



P. notata. — Two specimens from the blossoms of the common blackberry 

 by the roadside near the Spittal, Lewes. 



P. virens. — Found near Landport in the flowers of Ranunculus acris, in 

 June, 1854. Individual species of this genus do not appear to be very common. 



Chrysogaster chalybeata. — Rare. I have observed, or ratber captured, two 

 specimens from the flowers of ranunculi. The flowers of the ranunculi, and 

 also tbose of the dandelion, appear to be especial favourites witb the Diptera. 



C. viduata. — Not uncommon in June and July in the neighbourhood, on 

 the flowers of Ranunculus acris and bulbosus. 



C. metallica. — Same habits as tbe last, and, no doubt, frequently confounded 

 with it. A difficult genus to determine. 



Brachyopa bicolor. — Of frequent occurrence generally. I have observed it 

 in several localities in the neighbourhood in May and June. 



Rhingia rostrata. — Very common and generally distributed in this locality, 

 visiting the blossoms of the hawthorn in May and June; it continues to be 

 found all the summer montbs, and is then attracted by the flowers of the 

 different species of Cardui. It is a very pretty species, and one which may 

 be easily known. 



{To be continued.) 



BHsrtlltwnms r Sntirm 



Carnivorous Propensity of the Hedgehog. — When shooting in the preserves 

 of Sir Brydges Henniker, near Dunmow, the beginning of the present 

 month, I saw among the "vermin" a long row of Hedgehogs. I asked 

 the [keeper what his object was in exterminating this, in my opinion, 

 harmless animal. He answered, "It sucks eggs, and I once saw it kill 

 a Leveret." On further enquiry, he stated that this took place when he 

 was in the service of a gentleman in Norfolk, who was present and saw 

 it done. The young have been tamed and turned down in the garden. 

 Should this meet the eye of the gentleman referred to, I should be much 

 obliged if he will confirm or deny the story. — C. R. Bree, Stricklands, 

 Stowmarket, October 15th., 1857. 



[It is well known that the Hedgehog is, on occasion, carnivorous. — 

 F. 0. Morris.] 



Mildness of the Early Winter of 1857. — "As a proof," to use the ste- 

 reotyped phrase, "of the extraordinary mildness of the season," I have to 

 mention, in addition to other instances from Lincolnshire and elsewhere, 

 that here we have at the date of "these presents," in our garden, sweet- 

 peas, fuchsias, and violets in bloom and bud; and until within the last 



