ii6 The Irish Naturalist. [April, 1897. 



BOTANY. 



PHANEROGAMS. 



Broom (SarothaiYinus scoparius) flowering: In Winters 



At the end of December and beginning of January I saw two shrubs of 

 Broom in flower, at Ballj^hyland, Co. Wexford. The flowers, to be sure, 

 were few, but they were fresh. The Broom occasionally — though not, I 

 think, often — bears a few sprays of autumnal blossom in October. I 

 noticed this in 1882, and again in 1886. But I have never before observed 

 it flowering at the close of the year. 



C. B. Moffat. 



ZOOLOGY. 



AMPHIBIANS. 



The Frog In Ireland. 



I am glad to see Mr. Barrington's note on the vocal powers of the 

 Frog, which Dr. Scharfi"so slightingly estimates. I would add, that one 

 need not always wait for " sunny mornings of March" to have ample 

 proof of the Frog's ability to make himself heard, for this year it was on 

 the nth of January that my ears were first greeted by the "music of the 

 marsh," proclaiming that Rana tcmporaria considered it spring-time. 

 Last year, the corresponding date in the same locality (in Co. Wexford) 

 was January 17th. On warm evenings the frogs around Dublin some- 

 times make the air resonant quite late into the dusk. On March 17th, 

 1892, I have a note of their loud and incessant croaking in ditches along 

 the Royal Canal at 9 p.m. (This may have been a special Patrick's Day 

 Demonstration in mockery of the arch-exterminator, whom Dr. Guithers, 

 F.T.C.D., has reduced to his proper level : for I have not heard anything 

 quite equalling it since.) Had Saint Donatus been present he would 

 certainly have seen reason to revise his poetry. 



C.B. Moffat. 



In response to my friend Mr. Barrington's invitation to hear the frogs 

 croak, I went out to Fassaroe on the 7th March. They had, however, 

 already become silent, after their very short courtship which lasted for 

 about a week. Although I had not the pleasure of hearing them, I have 

 no hesitation in accepting Mr. Barrington's statement that Irish frogs croak 

 rather louder than I believed, especially when there are a large number 

 together. But even then the noise, from the description given to me, 

 cannot be compared with that made by the Edible Frog, which moreover 

 croaks almost throughout the whole spring and summer. 



R. F. SCHARFF. 



