Azotes. 167 



Arrival of Spring IVIlg^rants In Londonderry District. — 



As might be expected from the lateness of the spring the early visitors 

 were behind time. The Chiff-chaff came on 6th April. I did not hear 

 the Willow Warbler until 17th April. The Swallows arrived on the 14th, 

 and the Cuckoo and Corncrake were first heard on 24th April. The 

 Swift was seen by Mr. Milne on 29th April, an unusually early date for 

 this locality. I first heard the Sedge Warbler on 2nd May, and the 

 Whitethroat on 4th May. 



D. C. Campbei.!., Londonderry. 



MAMMALS. 



Irish Mammals — A correct! on, —The statement which I made on 

 page 86 of the current volume of the Irish Naturalist, that " Probably the 

 Squirrel moults twice in the year — roughly speaking, in Spring and 

 Autumn, and before each moult the old coat becomes thin and faded," 

 should read '■'■before the Spring jnoult." Owing to absence from England, I 

 was unable to look over the proof of the second part of my review of 

 Mr. Lydekker's book. 



G. E. H. BARRETT-HAMII.TON, 



Kilmannock, New Ross. 



PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



RoYAi. Z001.0G1CA1. Society. 



Recent donations comprise a monkey from Mrs. Burrowes ; an Otter 

 from W. H. Harvey, Esq. ; a Pike from F. Godden, Esq. ; Badgers from 

 J. H. Nicholson, Esq., and Capt. French ; a number of Newts from P. 

 Mahony, Esq. A St. Kilda Lamb has been born in the Gardens, and a 

 pair of Crown Pigeons, two pairs of Chukar Partridges, a pair of Alpine 

 Choughs, a pair of Leadbeater Cockatoos, and seven monke^-s have been 

 purchased. Two of the most interesting animals in the Gardens, the 

 Orang-utan and the Tapir, have unfortunately died. 



16,860 persons visited the Gardens during April. 



Dubinin Microscopicai, Club. 



April i8th.— The Club met at Dr. M'Weeney's, who showed cultures 

 of a fungus {Phoma Bet(P, Frank), which causes a disease in Mangel 

 Wurzel, characterized by blackening of the root-stock and speedy 

 decomposition. The cultures in moist chambers illustrated various 

 stages m its development. The great swelling of the spores previous to 

 germination was specially remarkable. 



Mr. Moore showed Gloeosporium orchidearuDi which had appeared on 

 the leaves of a species of Masdevallia received from Belgium. This is one 

 of the fungoid pests which cause so much damage to orchids. When 

 attacked the leaves turn black, and the tissue in the interior of the leaf 

 becomes disorganised, gradually breaking down, and changing into a 

 soft black decaying mass. The disease spreads rapidlj- through the 

 plant and is very difficult to check. 



Mr. McArdlE exhibited Lejeuitea Jlava, Swartz (the yellow green form) 

 which he collected in some quantity in Lord Howth's demesne last 

 month. This is an addition to the Howth and to the Co. Dublin lists of 

 Liverworts. 



Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society. 



April 2.— The President in the chair. Mr. James Wilson, M.E., 

 read a paper entitled " The Alps, with Rope and Axe." 



