2G4 



OCCURRENCE OF 



SOME OP THE RARER BRITISH MAMMALIA, BIROS, 



Ils^SECTS, &c., NEAR ALVERSTOKE, HAKTS. 



BY MRS. MARY ADAMS. 



The following notice of a few rather uncommon animals as observed by me 

 in this locality, (Alverstoke, Hants,) during the summers of 1851-52, may 

 not be uninteresting to some of the readers of "The Naturalist:" — ■ 



An old English Black Rat, (Mus rattus,) was watched towards evening 

 playing about the mouth of a drain in Stokes Bay. 



A Field Vole, (Arvicola agrestis^ was rescued from the claws of a Weasel, 

 not however in time to save its life, in a lane betwean Grange and Rowner. 



A specimen of the rare Shrew, (Sorex remifery) was captured in a wheat 

 field near Stoke village, with the mark near the ear very white and conspicuous. 



The Black Cap, (Carruca atricapiUa,) and Nuthatch, [Sitta Europoea,) paid 

 frequent visits to the apple and damson trees in the garden this autumn. 



Odynerus spinipes, a beautiful Wasp, forms projecting tubular porticoes to 

 its nest in the banks along Brown Down. 



Eumenes coarctata, another handsome Wasp, forms a cluster of several red 

 clay huts, and builds in the furze bushes in the same locality. 



Ccelioxys Vedis, a sharp-tailed banded Bee, whose specific name implies its 

 usual locality, is not uncommon along the shores opposite the Isle of Wight, 

 and builds in the banks about here. 



Dasypoda hirtipeSy a curious Bee with very hairy hind legs, nearly peculiar 

 to the UnderclifF, (I. W.,) has thrice been found '^^straying in leafy bowers" 

 near Brown Down. 



Two specimens of the apterous female of the beautiful hymenopterous 

 insect Mutllla Europoea, were taken crawling on the sandy banks of Brown 

 Down. 



A swarm of Honey Bees, {Apis mellifica,) constructed a large double comb 

 of dazzling white wax, suspended in a bush near the coast. 



The large Black Spiny Fly, (Echinomyia grossa,) was twice taken by myself 

 and husband hovering near the heads of Umhelliferce. 



Three specimens of the Clouded Yellow Butterfly, (Colias Edusa,) were 

 taken on the wing at Brown Down, AugTist, 1851 j their flight is low, steady, 

 and tolerably rapid. 



Three specimens of Drypta emarginata, a rare and lovely green Beetle, were 

 found in a bean field near Stokes Bayj and uSSgialia glohosa and Pedinus 

 femoralis were captui'ed in sandy places in Hayling Island. 



Knapp's Green, Alverstolce, Hants, September loth., 1852. 



