LOCAL JOTTINGS. 149 



Primrose, (Primula vulgaris.) — At Gerne on the 10th. of March. 



Violet, (Viola odorata.) — At Frome on the 5th. of March. — Very early. 



Small Tortoise-shell Butterfly, (Vanessa urticaj.) — Common at Sandsfoot Castle, 

 Weymouth, on the 17th. of March. — Very early. 



Horse-Ghesnut, (Fagus sylvatica.) — In the South or Chesnut Walk. Buds 

 on the 28th. of March. 



Elm, (Ulmus campestris.) — In Wollaston Field. Flowers in April. 



Great White Butterfly, (Pontia chariclea.) — In Frome Meadows. Abundant 

 on the 9th. of April. 



The Snake, (Natrix torquata.) — I have met with several of these interesting 

 animals of late years, of all sizes, and watched their habits etc, and still I 

 cannot pronounce that the swallowing their young is a mere fable; although 

 I confess I know of no evidence except my own imperfect observations 

 recorded in page 233 of volume ii. of "The Naturalist." I had not 

 intended at first to have noticed the attack contained in page o5 of the 

 present volume, emanating from Mr. Westcott, as I conceived that the feeling 

 and spirit evinced thereby were not worthy of retort, and I gave him credit 

 for a morbid wish to ^^tease" a brother naturalist, as it seems he had done 

 "for an hour together" the unfortunate Snakes coming under his observation 

 with a view "to make them bite.'' 



I may not be in his acceptation of the word a true Naturalist, I only 

 pretend to be a true ^'Lover of Nature," and as such consider it my duty to 

 pen my jottings, however inconclusive they may be, with the desire of induc- 

 ing others to do likewise, and thus extend a study so delightful as that of 

 Natural History. — I regret I did lose sight of the place which Mr. Westcott 

 says I ought not, but I acted on the spur of the moment, as probably many 

 others would have done. I merely wished the inquiry to be followed up by 

 others with more opportunities than my limited time for amusement and 

 irecreation affords. 



I must here thank my doughty champion, Mr. Kidd for his kind remarks 

 [at page 153 of the fifth volume of "Our Journal" in a Keview of the present 

 fWork; and I assure him I intend taking his advice in the concluding para- 

 fgraph sans pear, although I am sorry to say, I cannot add that I have 

 i hitherto always been successful in doing so, sans reproche. 



Dorchester, April 10th., 1854. 



We are sorry our friend Mr. Garland should have felt annoyed at the remarks 

 1 alluded to; we are sure that the writer intended no offence when he penned 

 them.— B. R. M. 



