MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 265 



a charm only equalled by that which pervades the "History of British Butterflies," by the same 

 author; and I must here express my earnest hope that the Kcv. gentleman may be induced to 

 extend his labours to the illustration of the next family, the British Sphinxes. From his 

 masterly hand a splendid volume upon this family would proceed, which could not fail of being 

 hailed as a most desirable accompaniment to his "British Butterflies:" not only are the perfect 

 insects of this fiimily surpassingly beautiful, but the caterpillars also of most of them possess 

 great beauty. A coloured engraving of the perfcot insect, with the caterpillar on the plant, or 

 a portion of the plant upon which it usually feeds, also coloured, would form a very pleasing 

 picture; while the addition of the chrysalis, although it might not add to the beauty of the 

 picture, would at least add to its us(;fulness, and would therefore be a valuable addition. I 

 trust many will unite in entreating the Rev. gentleman to take this suggestion into consideration. 

 — Stephen Stone, Brighthampton, July 26th., 1853. 



Note on a Wild Bee, (Bombus ten-estris?)— In the early part of January, 1853, when visiting 

 an old friend of mine, upwai-ds of eighty years old, and even now as careful an observer of 

 nature in his own limited grounds and sphere as he ever was, I received from him the par- 

 ticulars I am now about to relate: — At the bottom of his gsirden was a weather-board fence or 

 paling, thickly overgrown with the common broad-leaved Ivy. Under the shelter of this green 

 screen a pair of Robins formed an early nest in the spring of 1852. They were carefully protected 

 from the house-cat, which in fact was rather friendly than not to the parent birds ; for though 

 she watched them long and often, she never made an effort to molest them. In lime the brood 

 was off, and every object of the Redbreasts was attained. The nest remained, and was unnoticed 

 by the old gentleman for many weeks, until one day, in walking round his garden, musing, 

 his thoughts reverted to the Robin's nest, and he looked at the deserted home, but indeed it 

 was not deserted, but inhabited and carefully roofed over, for he saw a Bee of a Avild species 

 emerge from a small aperture near the top, and another, and another Bee. They returned and 

 seemed busy in gathering sweets, and storing them safely away. They revelled on the balsams, 

 and amused the old gentleman much; daily he gave them a look, and they continued their 

 labours. He did not think this colony of "Wild Bees exceeded a dozen; for his garden being a 

 small confined space, ho watched and counted them daily, and they never passed that number. 

 They appeared to have taken straws, or the bark of the bean-stalk, when nearing perfection ; 

 it might have been the cortex of some other tree or plant, or some entirely different material ; 

 but whatsoever the matter employed, it was used carefullj% and made a strong roof, cemented 

 over with some ceracious matter, not supposed to be pure wax. The little workers were observed 

 till even the middle of November at work, and seeking their home; but the wet of the heavy 

 and continued rains at that time would have injured them, for the Ivy did not offer a water- 

 proof protection ; so the old gentleman placed a tin awning over them, and this was quite 

 successful. He was anxiously awaiting spring when he gave me this information, that he might 

 once more observe the further operations of this colony of Wild Bees. "When I hear, I will record 

 all further remarks on them. It is no unusual matter to discover the nests of Wild Bees in 

 trees and banks; and White relates that near Lewes they formed nests in the summit of a 

 chalky promontory. But with those I have described, the curiosity is, the discarded nest being 

 selected, and the mechanical skill exhibited in a roof being added. This is a very powerful 

 argument to uphold the assertion that a something more than instinct, close bordering on wisdom, 

 characterizes the works of many of the lower orders of life, and leaves man in admiration at 

 their possession of such talents inherently, which to him are not natural, but only acquired, and 

 that often by great patience and industry. — G. R. Twinn, Bawburgh Hill, near Norwich, May 

 9th., 1853. 



White Variety of Lamium amplexicaule. — During our rambles in the neighbourhood of 

 Aberystwith in search of rare flowers for our Herbal, we one day found a specimen of Lamium 

 amplexicaule, (Henbit Nettle,) perfectly white. You are aware that the usual colour of this 

 flower is "crimson," but on this there were no spots or trace of red. The plant agreed in 

 every particular with the description given by Withering of L. amplexicaule, and grew in the 

 same manner as the red, of which there are many roots here. Its situation was on a broken 

 hill amongst furze. There was another flower in bud, which looked equally white. Can any 

 of your readers inform us if it is often found in this variety, or if it is another species.'' — 

 C. AND J. D'Arcy, 51, Terrace, Aberystwith, August 13th., 1853. 



