318 



THi: NATURALIST. 



is in the Zoological Gardens. A 

 person inhabiting a disused sema- 

 phore, on a heath in Surrey, says 

 that they do great mischief in his 

 garden by digging their sleeping 

 holes in the seed beds. These holes 

 are dug straight for a few inches, 

 and then there is a passage at right 

 angles to the perpendicular one, in 

 which the reptile lies . The man calls 

 the Natterjacks, " Goldenbacks." I 

 find them on heaths in the parishes 

 of Cobham and Wisley, Surrey. 

 They are also found (as I have been 

 told) in Norfolk, near Norwich, and 

 in Suffolk, near Southwold. I shall 

 be very glad to send specimens to 

 any naturalist who will write and 

 ask me. I also should like to know 

 of any other locality where they are 

 to be found. — W. K. Tate, 4, Grove 

 Place, Denmark Hill, London. 



Scottish Summits. — No. II. 

 (Ben Lomond.) 

 July 6th, 1864. Ben Lomond, 

 like Ben Venue, consists of the mica 

 schist formation, with the veins of 

 quartz more strongly developed. 

 Its height is 3,199 feet. My ascent 

 was from Inversnaid, not far from 

 Hob Boy's cave. The sides of the 

 cascnde near the inn are covered 

 with the Filmy Fern, [Hymenojphyl- 

 lum Wilsoni), which was fruiting 

 abundantly where it was exposed to 

 the spray. Higher up the moun- 

 tain torrent, the graceful Oak-fern 



(Polypodium Vryopteris) and the 

 Beech-fern (P. Phegopteris) were 

 growing side by side, imbedded in 

 Sphagnum. Still higher the fra- 

 grant Shield-f em (Lastrosa Oreopteris) 

 told of its presence. I now diverged 

 from the stream, and skirted Loch 

 Lomond in the direction of the 

 mountain. Here the Royal Osmund 

 (Osmunda regalis) grew most luxuri- 

 antly, covering a considerable tract, 

 and throwing up its fruiting spikes 

 in great abundance. The oak copse 

 where the fern grew, seemed to be 

 the resort of the Gad-fly [Tabanus 

 bovinus) so much dreaded by the 

 black cattle in the summer, and 

 whose loud humming may be often 

 heard when the sun is the hottest. 

 I noticed on the ascent several 

 plants of the Spignel {Meum Atha- 

 manticum) with its finely divided 

 leaves. This montane plant is 

 known in old herb-gardens under 

 the name of bald-money. As I came 

 within sight of the summit, I heard 

 the wild cry of the Curlew {Nume- 

 nius arquata) that kept ever varying 

 its singularly shrill notes the nearer 

 I approached. And now I began to 

 climb the shoulder of Ben Lomond. 

 Every now and then an Alpine hare 

 {Lepus variabilis) would rush away 

 from its seat among the bent-grass. 

 The change of coat takes place in 

 this species in September, when the 

 whole fur becomes quite white, 

 with the exception of the ears, which 



