MISCELLANEOUS NOTICFS. 287 



Note on the Ncmophik.— Last year I had two patches of the Ncmophila—insignis and maculata 

 — growing near each other upon the same border. From seed cast by the hitter, there are 

 several phmts now in flower, whoso petals are of the most beautiful rose-colour, and on the 

 tip of ea(!h, corresponding to the dark spot on the petal of the maculata, are marks of a darker 

 hue than the other part of the flower, but not so deep as on the maculata. The leaver are 

 similar to those of the insignis. I have presumed to think they are hybrids— \he production of 

 both species. Probably some of the readers of "The Naturalist" have had a similar phenomenon 

 brought under their observation. — J. P., Rochdale, July 4tli., 1854. 



Secondr budding of Decidnoiis Trees.— T\\\s circumstance is particularly observable on the Lime 

 trees in and about the metropolis, which at the present time have the light green appearance 

 they had in early spring. In fact, the London Limes appear annually to lose their leaves 

 about the end of June, and the trees are quite bare for a few days till this second crop appears. 

 This early fsiUing of the leaf does not so often take place in the country, and it is most probably 

 owing to the impure atmosphere that those planted in the parks and squares of London do so. 

 It is not only Limes that produce this second crop. Elms, Oaks, and various others, when their 

 first leaves have been blighted or nipped by the frost, frequently bud afresh late in the summer, 

 but these leaves never reach the size of the first. — K. Mc'L., London, July ISth., 1854. 



The Haivthorn, (Cratnegus oxyacantha.)— I gathered Hawthorn in full bloom yesterday, April 

 12th., from a hedge near here; the other bushes around showed no signs of budding. 1 could 

 not ascertain the favourable circumstance that had led to itspremature development.— George 

 M. Barnard, Little Banfield, Braintree, April 13th., 1854. 



The specimen in fine flower was sent with the above. — B. R. M. 



Possible source of fallacy in the formation of a local Faima. — A curious instance of one of 

 the sources of fallacy in the formation of a local fauna, has presented itself in this neighbourhood, 

 two fine specimens of Fennatula rubra or phosi^horca having been brought to my friend Arthur 

 Adams, Esq., Surgeon, R. N., and said to have been found on the shore, near Ilaslar 

 barracks. They were contained in a common pickle bottle, and found to be strongly impreg- 

 nated with spirit of wine, leading to the belief that they had been thrown overboard from 

 some ship which had arrived from abioad, say the East Indies or Mediterranean, where they 

 are chiefly found. In this way possibly not a few spurious species may have been introduced 

 into the British Fauna. The specimens above referred to, are now in the Museum of this 

 establishment." J. Rose, M. D., Royal Hospital, Ilaslar, May 9th., 1854. 



Note on Honey-dew. — Allow me to off'er, through the medium of your journal, a few remarks 

 and observations of my own upon a subject closely connected with entomological study, and 

 about which much diversity of opinion prevails; I allude to the cause of the production of that 

 singular substance termed honey-deiv. I believe the most generally received opinion among 

 entomologists is, that it is produced by the Aphis humuli and its allied species. I entertained 

 this opinion till further and close investigation confirmed mo in the .opposite belief; namel}', 

 that the substance is of vegetable origin. During the latter end of the spring of this year, I 

 have had great opportunties of examining this phenomenon; for it appeared In such abun- 

 dance, that in gardens and orchards the leaves of the currant, plum, and other trees distilled 

 from their tips a copious supply of honey-dew. The whole surface of the leaf was covered 

 with it, and a large drop of this substance hung pendant from the end of evei-y leaf. It is 

 true that the Aphides appeared in considerable numbers also, but had they been a hundred 

 fold more numerous, I feel sure they could not have possibly been the cause of the supply; 

 besides, the honey-dew was as abundant on leaves where not an Aphis was to be seen, as on 

 those which were covered with them. To make myself sure, however, that the substance was 

 excreted from the plant, and not produced from the insects feeding above, I wiped and dried 

 a particular leaf, and placing a piece of writing-paper between this and the over-hanging ones, 

 waited for the result. In the course of a few hours, the leaf so wiped and dried, had become 

 partially covered with honey-dew, though not to the extent it was before; probably from its 

 sources of excretion being greatly exhausted. It may not be out of place to remark that the 

 paper placed between the leaf and those above it had not the smallest particle of hone3--dew 

 visible upon it, which it would seem most likely to have had, if the honey-dew had been 

 the ejecta of the Aphides feeding above. From the formation of the feeding apparatus of 



