280 ' MISCELLANKOUS NOTrCES. 



noticed that Swallows would fly quite close to anybody walking in the fields. Were they 

 afiected by the rain? or mei-ely seeking the insects disturbed by persons passing? — Idem. 



The Window Swallow, (Hirundo urbica.) — A friend of mine informs mo that he saw on the 

 3rd of this month, at Grooby, about four miles from Leicester, three nests containing j-oung; 

 the old birds wore feeding them at the time. I think this unusually late. — Idem. 



Curious Varieties of the Drinker Moth, (Odonestis Potatoria.) — I think the following occurrence 

 well worth recording in your pages or in that of any other work treating on entomological 

 subjects, you will however judge best, and do as you think well by inserting it or not. I 

 bred this year about one hundred and fifty of the Larvaj of (Odonestis potatoria,) of course 

 letting all the Moths fiy in my garden : — On the 8th. of July, (a day not to be forgotten,) I 

 spied in the corner of the box, what I at first thought an enonnous male, judge of my surprise and 

 delight, when upon seeing it move a little, and catching a glimpse of its antennoB, it proved 

 to be a most splendid variety, the 9 colour of (^ a prize that rarely falls to the lot of 

 the entomologist. But mark my astounding good fortune. On the 19th. of July, came up an 

 equally curious variety of the male; the colour of all the wings being absolutely a strong 

 lead-colour. I know not which the most to prize. I never saw nor heard of anything like 

 either one or the other, and I have seen some few I can assure you. If one was disposed 

 to play the rogue, so complete and so brilliant are these varieties, it would only be necessary 

 to give them some now name, and create a new Odonestis. The caterpillars however would call out 

 "I am only Totatoria varietasT — Bombyx Atlas, August 5th., 1852. 



The Broad-nosed Sturgeon, (Acipenser latirostris,) was taken a few miles from the harbour 

 in a trawl net belonging to Mrs. Chard, April 29th., 1852. Description: — Body, elongated, 

 angular — five rows of honey plates without spines, but highly keeled; head, large, broad, and 

 depressed; eyes, small, greyish and about six inches from tip of snout; nostrils, small, the 

 apertures two inches from inner angle of eye; snout, conical, broad, and obtuse; mouth, small, 

 eight inches from tip of snout; ciini four, long, slender, two inches and a half from tip of 

 snout; skin very rough. Colour — upper portions greenish brown, with buff patches, sides, much 

 lighter; abdomen, dirty white; length, from tip of snout to root of caudal fin, seven feet five 

 inches, depth of body near shoulders as it lay on the stone slab, in the fish market, eleven inches 

 and a half; superior portion of caudal fin, eighteen inches and three-eighths, inferior portion, 

 eight inches and a half; pectoral fins, ton inches and an eighth. It was an old male: — the 

 body was cut up and sold at sixpence per pound, but the flesh was tough and rank, and the 

 consumers complained of its bad qualities when it was too late to remedy the evil ; I procured 

 several parasites from its tough and well-wom skin, as well as from the gills, viz: — Caligus 

 Miilleri, C. centrodonti, etc. The ci-eaturo was alive when I commenced the survey. — W. P. 

 Cocks, Falmouth, May 8th., 1852. 



Orthagoriseus trtmeatus. — This rather strange and rare fish was caught at the fishing station, 

 Portlethen, in Kincardineshire. It was taken while displaying the power these fishes have of 

 floating with their head and eyes above water, giving thom the appearance of a dead or dying 

 fish; and in this state they move slowly along sideways. They belong to the osso-cartiliginous 

 fishes. The dimensions ai'e as follow : — Length, four feet two inches ; breadth, five feet two 

 inches, from below the fins; circumference, five feet two inches; weight, fourteen stones, or 

 one hundred and ninety-six pounds. I have also seen the Ortliagoriscus Mala taken in the 

 Bay at Aberdeen. — James Taylor, Pitmixton, September 22nd., 1852. 



Gigantic Fungus. — I never remember seeing a Fungus so large as that the size of which I 

 give you underneath, and perhaps the account of it might be deemed worthy a place in the 

 useful "Naturalist." It was cut in a grass field at Wintcrborne Zelstone, in this county, on 

 Thursday, June 3rd., iust., and I carefully measured it myself, and can vouch for the accuracy 

 thereof.— Depth at narrowest side, twelve inches and a half; depth at thickest side, fourteen 

 inches and a quarter ; width across at narrowest side, fifteen inclics and a quarter ; width across 

 at thickest side, seventeen inches; circumference, fifty-three inches. Colour — dark brown on, 

 under side, white on upper part. — John Gauland, Dorchester, June 5th., 1852. 



TJie Misseltoe, (Viscum album.) — I have seen this curious plant growing here on the Thom, 

 and also the Nut. — Laius, Southwell, August 31st., 1852. 



