Miscellaneous. 319 



significant, faculties such as I have attempted, however feebly, to 



describe ! 



I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 



Vincent Clembnti, B. A., Cantab. 

 Peterboro', C. W., 

 26th July, 1862. 

 NoT&. — The insect referred to by our correspondent was pro- 

 bably one of the fossorial wasps or Sand-wasps, some species of 

 which have precisely the habit described. Their object is to pro- 

 vide foot for their young ; their eggs being deposited with the 

 spiders or caterpillars which they bury, and the larvae subsisting 

 on the provision thus made for them. Were the specimen sent to 

 us, no doubt the species might be determined. Eds. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Occurrence of the Blue Grosbeak (Guiraca ccerulea^ Swainson) 

 at Mille Vaches, Lower St. Laiorence. 

 Canadian Ornithologists will be gratified to learn that the 

 beautiful Blue Grosbeak is now for the first time added to the 

 list of birds visiting Canada : — On the Vth of May both sexes of 

 the species were noticed by Mr. Beverley, sen., of Mille Vaches • 

 they were accompanied on the same tree by the little Indigo 

 bird. Mr. Beverley is continually residing in the vicinity of the 

 primitive forests, where he has good opportunities of observing 

 our feathery visitors, and the unusual occurrence of a bird having 

 such brilliant blue colour at once attracted his attention ; he 

 therefore lost no time in securing the male which is stuflfed and 

 in his possession. The habitat of the Blue Grosbeak is the 

 " more Southern States from the Atlantic to Pacific, south to 

 Mexico." Judging from the season, together with the fact of the 

 female having been noticed, there is good evidence that they 

 intended to build in this country. 



Occurrence of the Stone Chat [Saxicola cenanthe. Bechst.) at 



Beauport, near Quebec. 



A single specimen of this pretty bird was procured and stuffed 



by me ; it is now in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, 



Washington. It also forms an addition to Canadian Ornithology. 



