54 NOTES — ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



only just alive, on the sea-wall or saltings by a lad named Nichols. It was 

 alive when brought to me, but died in the night, it seemed to be starved. . 

 Perhaps the late rough cold weather caused its death." Dr. Laver identifies 

 the bird as the Thick-Knee or Norfolk Plover [GLdicnemus scolopax). Mr. 

 Matthams adds that a Thick-knee was brought in several years ago to him, 

 but that no other person on the Island had ever seen a specimen. [Dr. Laver 

 has kindly ordered this bird to be stuffed for presentation to the Club's 

 Museum.- Ed.] 



IN SECT A . 



Gnorimus Nobilis in Epping Forest. — With reference to Mr. Cole's 

 remark at the meeting of Dec. 17th, 1898, that he once found a specimen of 

 Gnorivius nobilis in Lord's Bushes, which "had possibly been introduced" 

 among the roots of imported plants (Essex Naturalist, vol. x., p. 411) it 

 may be of interest to record that 1 captured a specimen of this beautiful beetle 

 at Loughton in 1880, in an open glade in the Forest about two miles north 

 east of that village. My specimen was captured in full flight on a bright 

 sunny day ; as the beetle is very active, and flies readily, it is scarcely likely 

 to be imported in the manner suggested ; and its occurence in two places 

 some distance apart, presumably at different dates, would point to the con- 

 clusion that it is indigenous to the Forest. In agility when on its legs, and in 

 speed when flying, there is as much difference between G. nobilis and its 

 congener, the common Rose-beetle [Cetonia aurata), as there is between a cart 

 horse and hunter. — J. O. Braithwaite, Clooneaven, Chingford, Essex. 



Slab-shaped Nest of Vespa Germanica. — I have acquired a rather 

 interesting specimen of a wasps' nest. It comes from the house called, I 

 think, the " Wellington Inn," near High Beach. It is a slab nearly square, 

 approximately isin. by i2in. and about four thick. It is in three layers of 

 comb, and among the cells are a few fragments of wasps, which may be suffi- 

 cient to determine the species. The shape of the nest was evidently con- 

 trolled by its situation — the side of the house, between two posts, I was told. 

 I shall be happy to present the nest to the Museum. — S. Arthur Sewell, 

 F.R.H.S , Buckhurst Hill, March 15th, 1899. [Mr. Edward Saunders, F.L.S , 

 has kindly given his opinion that the fragments of wasps we sent to him 

 belonged to the workers of Vespa germanica. The nest is now in the Museum 

 Mr. Sewell's courtesy. — Ed.] 



CRUSTACEA. 



Crab carrying an Oyster on its Shell. — Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier, F.L.S. , 

 records the following incident in the Field for December 17th, 1898 : — " I have 

 received from Mr. A. H. Went, of West Mersea, near Colchester, a very 

 interesting specimen of a crab bearing on its shell a two-year-old oyster. 

 These conjoined animals are not merely curious, but they are of interest as 

 affording some data as to the rate of growth of the two species. The oyster 

 must have been attached to the crab for two years, during which time the 

 latter could not have cast its shell, which was 2^in. wide at the broadest part, 

 the greatest width of the oyster being ijin. This specimen recalled to my 

 remembrance an anecdote recorded of a very well-known inspector of fisheries, 

 who, when talking to the fishermen on the beach, told them that they could 

 help very much in scientific observations if they chose to do so. ' When you 

 catch a small crab in your nets, you throw him over, and that's the end of 



