180 

 FOREIGN BODY IN A HEN'S EGG. 



BY HENRY DENNY^ ESQ. 



A GRNTLEMAN' in this town mat witli a somewhat singular o^currenca on tlie 

 5th. of last month at InvernesSj and which he has CiiUed upon me to relate ^ 

 which is this: — On breaking an egg for his breakfast at the above town, he 

 perceived something black in the substance of the egg upon removing the shell, 

 and which proved to be a horse hair sixteen inches in length, and which he 

 brought home with him to shew me. Can you or any of your friends account 

 for the hair being in this extraordinary situation. 



Leeds, May 14f7i., 1851. 



NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OP 

 THE WEST OF SCOTLAND AND FIFESHIRE. 



BY J. GRAY, ESQ. 



(Continued from page 136. J 



The next section of the Lepidopterous insects, that of the Geometrine 



Moths, on which we now propose giving a few local notes, comprises species 



of much beauty and elegance of structure, in which respect, as well as in the 



occasional suspension of the crysalis, they bear considerable resemblance to the 



Dlurna — the 



■ "painted populace, 



That live in fields, and lead ambrosial lives." 



DiiFering widely from the preceding group in their general aspect, they are 

 equally distinct in their habits, and in their flight devoid of that strength of 

 wing and rapidity of motion so conspicuous amongst the species of the Nocturna; 

 startins: oflF in a sluojo-ish and unwillinsj manner on boina; disturbed durino; 

 the day, and hovering in the twilight over hedge-rows, etc., ever and anon 

 settling amongst the foliage. 



These pretty Moths are found in much greater abundance in cool and 

 shady places, secure from the heat of the summer sunj for no sooner are the 

 wandering steps of the naturalist turned in the direction of their favourite 

 haunts, in some woody ravine or grassy dell, than they may be observed, 

 alarmed at the saund of his advancing footsteps, and shunning his approach, 

 forcibly telling of intrusion — seeming almost to urge his departure, and restore 

 them to their former repose. 



Though at some loss amongst the great number of synonyms with which 

 the Lepidoptera are burdened, we have been guided in our selection by a 

 desire of using those most generally recognised* with a view to which, we 

 have in most cases employed the original specific names given by their describers, 

 without availing ourselves of the artificial terminology recently attempted to 

 be introduced. 



Amongst the more abundant of those species frequenting heathy places in 



