44 T'/i^ Irish Naturalist. \Lirch i.yi^. 



NOTES. 



BOTANY. 



Irish Plants. 



In the Journal of Botany for December, 1918, the editor (Mr. James 

 Britten) contributes a note on " J uncus effusus spiralis," Dabeocia polijolia 

 var. alba, and Ulex hibernicus (U. strictus Mackay) drawing attention 

 to some notes on these plants in Ireland which might easily be overlooked. 



ZOOLOGY. 

 Abnormal Caterpillar of Choerocampa. 



In the note {I.N. for December, 1918, p. 172) on an abnormal caterpillar 



of Choerocampa there is an error for which I am unable to account. In 



assuming the Sphynx attitude, one pair of ocelli being hidden by the 



contraction of the segments, there remained visible, in the s|>ecimen 



described, not six, but only four of the eye-like markings, which gave to 



the creature an extremely uncanny appearance. 



W. E. Hart. 

 Kilderry, Co. Donegal. 



The Jay in Westmeath. 



Having just read in the Irish Naturalist for December (vol. xxvii., p 

 174) an interesting note on the Jay in Co. Longtord, I feel sure that the 

 following observations may be of interest. With regard to this species 

 in Westmeath, as far as I can ascertain, there seems to have been a steady 

 increase during the last four years. I refer not only to the augmentation 

 of numbers, but also to extension of range. When first quartered at Mullin- 

 gar barracks (November, 191 7), I found this bird established in various 

 localities, but nowhere extensively. By the autumn of 191 8 a marked 

 increase had taken pJace, this being especially noticeable by the shores of 

 Loughs Ennell and Owel (where copses of hardwood trees are in evidence). 

 On the 19th April, 1918, I observed a pair of Jays close to Edgeworths- 

 town (Co. Longford), and two days later a single bird beside the railway 

 between Street station and Inny Junction (this near the border of and 

 in Co. Westmeath), Again, on the 5th May, 191 8. I had the fortune to 

 find a single specimen near Cloonshannagh (Co. Longford). The above 

 examples, together with Mr. Wilson's evidence, tend to show that not 

 only has Gan-ulus glandarius penetrated into Co. Longford, but also, in all 

 likelihood, it is resident there. 



G. S. Beveridge. 

 Mullingar Barracks. 



