Notes. 229 



Melilotus officinalis, Willd., on the railway at Bessbrook ; while Geranium 

 jaratense grows in some abundance by the old road from Armagh to 

 Killylea, where it was observed last year by myself, and the present year 

 by Rev. W, F. Johnson ; it is no doubt an escape from a cottage-garden. 

 The recent Field Club trip to Slieve Gullion added another station for 

 Melampyrum, 2^mtcnse, var. montanurn ; several members obtained good 

 specimens on the southern side of the mountain at 1,000-1,500 feet. — 

 R. LivOYD Praeger. 



AzoIIa carolineana In fruit.— It maybe interesting to some to 

 note that this curious little aquatic — albeit not a native of Ireland — is 

 now producing its fruit abundantly in a shallow pond in Mount Usher 

 garden, Co. Wicklow. I understand it has rarely been known to fruit in 

 the open air in Great Britain or Ireland, although it does so on the Con- 

 tinent of Europe. — Greenwood Pim. 



Colour-variation in Wild Flowers. — In reference to Mr. 

 Praeger's remarks on this subject in the /. N. for June, I may add a 

 species to his list — Silene acaiilis, of which I found patches with pure 

 white flowers among others of the normal colour on Binevenagh, Co. 

 Derr}-, a few years ago. — Mrs. Leebodv, Londonderry. 



Obione portulacoides, L. at Dundalk. — I mentioned in "Flora 

 of Armagh" on p. 157, the occurrence of this local plant at Dundalk, but 

 it may be well to make a separate note of it, as it is rare in Ireland, and 

 apparently not on record from this locality. It grows in great abundance 

 over the immense stretch of salt-marsh that fringes the sea south of 

 Dundalk harbour, along with Staiice bahiisiensis. I first observed it there 

 in January, 1889, — R. Li,oyd Praeger. 



ZOOLOGY. 



I N S E C TS. 



Sircx gigas and IVIacroglossa stcllatarum in Co. 

 Louth.— On July 9th I received from Rev. R. M. P. Freeman a female 

 ^irex, taken at his rectory (Collon, Co. Louth.) In the same consign- 

 ment was a specimen of Macroglossa stcllatarum also taken at Collon, where 

 it attracted Mr. Freeman's attention by its humming, while it hovered 

 over some flowers outside his house. Sirex gigas is apparently not 

 unknown to the country people at Cotton, who, according to Mr. 

 Freeman, accuse it of stinging their cattle !—H. Lyster Jameson, 

 Killencoole, Co. Louth. 



Coleoptera in Co. Dublin.— The following Coleoptera, taken by 

 me, and identified through the kind assistance of the Rev W. F. 

 Johnson, have apparently not been previously recorded from Ireland. 

 Anisotoma pa^rvtda, Sahl., one specimen, Santry, by sweeping ; Malthodes 

 mvsticus, Kies., occurred near Santry (in company with 31. margwaus, 

 Latr.); Dasytcs a^rosus, Kies., Santry, one specimen, sweeping; Cis aim, 

 Gyll found one specimen last January in a fungus on an elm in Phoenix 

 Park' (with great numbers of C. nitidus, Herbst.) ; Anaspis garneysi, 

 Fowler, rare, sweeping nettles, Royal Canal bank ; Apion uhcis Forst., 

 Friarstown Glen, near Tallaght, by beating furze ; Hypera meles, F., I was 

 fortunate enough to capture this rare species among the long grass on 

 the railway bank near Sutton, by sweeping; Magdalis carbonaria, L., one 

 specimen off birch, Santry; Hyleshms fraxiiii, Panz., Lucan demesne. 

 With the exception of Cis alni, Gyll., all the above were taken during the 

 months of April and May.— J. N. Hai^beRT, Dublin. 



