Correspondence. 
All communications relating to advertisements, contributions, or the supply 
of this magazine, should be addressed to the Editor, care of Mr. Uliyett, High 
Wycombe. Contributions must be sent in before the.15th of the month pre- 
ceding the date of publication. The Editor will be glad to receive notes con- 
cerning any of our local plants and animals, their times of appearing, their 
popular names and traditions, abnormal forms and colours, §'c:; these inust-be 
authenticated by the writer’s name and address, but not necessarily for 
publication. 
Wuite-rnowrreD Woop (Doe) 
Vioter (Viola sylvatica). —'Three 
specimens of this somewhat rare 
variety were gathered by Mr. Frank 
Wheeler on the 30th of April last, 
in Adder’s Lane, leading down from 
Totteridge to the London Road. 
The petals were much narrower 
than is usually the case, and, as 
well as the spur, were quite white: 
in shape they resembled those of V. 
Reichenbachiana (a narrow-petalled 
form with wnbranched veins, not 
hitherto observed in the district) 
rather than those of our common JV. 
Riviniana; but the total absence of 
coloured veins renders it impossible 
to state positively that our plant 
belongs to the former sub:species. 
The blossoms emitted a faint sweet 
scent, quite different to that of the 
sweet violet (V. odorata). 
JAMES BRITTEN. 
Prant New to tae District.— 
On May 18th, I found in a field of 
Trefoil near Oakridge, several fine 
specimens of the Field Mouse-ear 
Chickweed (Cerastium  arvense), 
which has not been previously ob- 
served in the district. Its situation 
Aya me from supposing it to 
e truly wild there; but, as it is by 
no means unlikely to occur on 
banks, I may mention that it may 
be distinguished from the Common 
Mouse-ear Chickweed (C triviale) 
by the size and whiteness of its blos- 
soms, somewhat resembling those 
of the Great Stitchwort (Stellaria 
Holostea). 
Ib. 
Lanp Errs.—Some boys a short 
time ago were finding these creatures 
in Wycombe Park, and were gravely 
cautioned by a man against getting 
bitten by them, as “‘there was no 
cure for it.’”’ A 
Instinct v. Reason.—The follow- 
ing anecdote of a Crow found in 
Ceylon (Corvus splendens), which 
resembles our Magpie in its habits, 
is given by Sir E. Tennent:—‘‘One 
of these ingenious marauders, after 
vainly attitudinising in front of a 
chained watch-dog, that was lazily 
gnawing a bone, and after fruitlessly 
endeavouring to divert.his attention 
by dancing before him, with head 
awry and eye askance, at length flew 
away for a moment, and returned 
bringing a companion which perched 
itself on a branch a few yards in the 
rear. The crow’s grimaces were now 
actively renewed, but with no better 
success, till its confederate, poising 
itself upon its wings, descended with 
the utmost velocity, striking the dog 
with all the force of its strong beak. 
The ruse was successful; the dog 
started with surprise and pain, but 
was not quick enough to seize his 
assailant, whilst the bone he had 
been gnawing was snatched away 
by the first crow the instant his 
head was turned. Two well-authen- 
ticated instances of the recurrence of 
this device came within my know- 
ledge at Colombo, and attest the 
sagacity and powers of communi- 
cation and combination possessed 
by these astute and courageous 
birds.”’ 
