1904.] m 



tipuloides, F., and one Neottiophilum privuslum, Mg., taken at. various times, and 

 one Ctenophora flaveolata, F., obtained from Mr. F. QuUiver, who asked me to name a 

 ievi insects for him. Considering that I only devote a few hours in the morning to 

 collecting, this is perhaps a fair list for a bad season, aiul noticeable for the number 

 of single specimens taken in most instances. — Fbedk. C. Adams, 50, Ashley 

 Gardens, S.W. : March, 1904. 



Capture of Perihalus vernalit, Wolff, at Huntiiigfield. — I have much pleasure 

 in recording the capture of this scarce insect from this locality. My specimen was 

 taken on August 12th, 1902. It has now been recorded from such diverse localities 

 that possibly its rarity arises from its being overlooked ; I think it very likely that 

 I have overlooked it on former occasions, as its facies is that of a very ordinary 

 greenish-brown bug ! — A. J. Chitty, Huntingfield, Faversham, Kent : March, 1904. 



Orthetrum ccerulexcems in Cumberland. — When walking through Borrowdale 

 on June 30th last on my way to Scaw Fell, I picked up a few insects of various 

 Orders by desultory collecting along the road side, among which was a fine male 

 specimen of O. candefscena. Recognising in this dragon-fly something new to the 

 meagre Cumberland list of Odonata, I kept a sharp look out for more, but unsuc- 

 cessfully, the day being a cloudy one and unfavourable to these insects. According 

 to Lucas this species does not range further than Cheshire. The present record, 

 therefore, extends its distribution upwards of 100 miles in a northerly direction. — 

 F. H. Day, 27, Currock Terrace, Carlisle : March l(^th, 1904. 



Wicken Fen : another disastroux fire. — It is the old, old story : alighted match 

 carelessly thrown down, and an uncontrollable fire started at once. On Saturday, 

 April 9th, about 3 p.m., a fire was started in this manner at the north-west corner 

 of the large block of the Fen lying towards the south-east, and almost the whole of 

 that block, as well as a few acres to the north of it, amounting to about 100 acres, 

 was burnt in less than three hours. A very powerful north-west gale was blowing 

 at the time, which quickly caused a furious fire. The damage done to the sedge 

 crop alone will amount to some hundreds of pounds, while the damage done to 

 Natural History cannot be calculated. Owing to the rapidity of the fire it is pro- 

 bable that not much harm has been done to the roots of jilants and the ground 

 herbage, but the shrubs and all pupjE or larvae or even eggs in or on tiie upright 

 sedge must have been destroyed, and they may never be replaced, while the herbage 

 will take some years to recover. Only last June about 15 acres of the Fen situated 

 in a different part were destroyed from the same cause. 



Is it possible that a fire was the original cause of the extermination of P. dispar ? 



Visitors to the Fen ought to know that the charge of sixpence commonly made 

 goes to the owner of less tlian one-sixth of the Fen ; the other five-.'<ixths being at 

 present free, provided leave be applied for and reasonable care taken that no damage 

 be done. It will serve to equalize matters that the owner who makes a charge is 

 the biggest sufferer from the present fire.— G. IT. Vkrrall, Sussex Lodge, New- 

 market : April, 1904. 



