272 The Irish Naturalist. [Oct., 



BrachiOPODA- — (Terehrahda, sp.) 



Ch^TOPODA. — [^Serpala pectinata.^ {_Sabella vesiculosa.^ ffennione, sp. 

 Ne reis^ sp.] [^Polynoe propinqua,^ 



Crustacea.— (//3/as coarctatus.) (Portwms depurator.) (Ebalia Pennantii.) 

 (^Pandalus anmdicornis.) (Eurynome aspera.) (^Bcdanits, sp.) 



PVCNOGONIDEA. — (Ammothea /cevis.) 



BCHINODERMATA (^Echinocy amus pusilhis — dead.) {Ophiacantha, sp.) 



{OpMoglypha albida.) {Echinus sphcera.) (Sputangus pu7'pureus.) 



Moiyl^USCA. — {Venus casina.) {Astarte. sulcata.) {Aporrhais pes-pelicani.) 

 (Dentalium, sp. — dead.) 



TuNiCATA. — \_Ascidia, sp.] [^Ciona intestinalis.'] [Aplidium elegans.'] 

 [Lepidium, sp.] [Perophora Listeri.'] Clavellina lepadiformis. 



This list is of course very far from being complete. 



Some species I have been unable to identify with certainty, and in such 

 cases I have given Mr. Hanna's names, or no specific name at all, or 

 indicated my doubt by a note of interrogation. 



No special comment is called for in the case of any of the above 

 species: all are well known as occurring in British waters, and most, 

 if not all, of them have been previously .recorded from the same 



district. 



C. Herbeirt Hurst, Dublin. 



INSECTS. 

 wasps catching Flies on Cattle. — On August 28th, about i p.m., 

 I noticed a number of wasps buzzing about m}- cows, which were lying 

 down quietly chewing the cud, and whisking their tails now and then in 

 a lazy fashion to remove the flies. It was a field between two woods, 

 and the cows were lying far away from any bank or hole likely to con- 

 tain a wasp's nest. I could not therefore imagine what the wasps were 

 doing — four to eight about each cow — and as the cows did not mind 

 them in the least, it was evident that the wasps were not stinging them. 

 Closer inspection revealed a most interesting sight. The wasps were 

 all busy catching flies— darting quickly hither and thither along the 

 cows' flanks — and pouncing with the rapidity of hawks after birds on 

 the flies as they tried to settle or rest on some favorite part of the cow. 

 One white cow drew more wasps than any of the others, because the 

 moment a fly alighted it was seen at once against the skin. I do not 

 think, however, that wasps can see very well — because one little black 

 speck which looked like a fly (but was not) was pounced on by a 

 disappointed wasp more than once. When a wasp catches a fly it 

 immediately bites off both wings (this is the work of an instant) — some- 

 times a leg or two, and I believe occasionally the head. I saw some of 

 the wasps when laden with one fly catch another — without letting go 

 the first, and then fly away with both. They were coming and going 

 as long as I watched — there was a constant stream of wasps carrying 

 away flies — I suppose to feed the larvse in their nests, and returning 

 again to the cows to catch more. In about 20 minutes I estimate 

 between 300 and 400 flies were caught, on two cows lying close to where 



I stood, . 



•RiCHD. M. BarringTon, Bray. 



