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swam partly across the lake, when the female uttered a warning note. 
Instantly the young one disappeared beneath the water, and although the 
Lecturer remained on the spot for 20 minutes, the young bird did not 
again appear. Thus the female at once obeyed the one call of her mate 
and the young obeyed at once his mother’s warning note. 
“Mr, Thompson related how when passing the night in company with 
his son in the Welsh Mountains they lighted a fire somewhat after mid- 
night, and the reflection of the fire in the sky brought large numbers of 
curlews from varicus parts of the moors. They had come, apparently, to 
investigate, and after spending some time in the neighbourhood of the 
fire, and satisfying themselves that there was no danger, they dispersed 
and returned to their nesting grounds.” 
“Another point was the often recorded occurrence, at frequent 
intervals during the last 25 years, of the ‘ Bush’ or ‘ Lesser’ Magpie in 
Cheshire. The Lecturer considered this bird distinct from the Common 
Magpie, being considerably less in size and darker in colour,t generally 
building its nest in a whitethorn bush, frequently only a few feet from 
the ground. Many years ago, while resident in Hampshire, Mr. Thompson 
procured a nest of four young ‘Bush’ Magpies from a whitethorn bush, 
and a nest of four young ones of the Common or ‘ Tree’ Magpie from a 
tall oak tree. These were reared side by side, and he thought that any- 
one seeing them would pronounce them to be birds of different species.”’ 
“Seeing a pair of Meadow Pipits running about upon the deep snow 
on the Welsh Mountains in mid-winter, the Lecturer was deeply concerned 
to know how they procured the food necessary for subsistence, so he 
spent some time in watching them. By and by he saw one of them tugging, 
away at something in a tuft of heather. The bird worked away till it had 
extracted the chrysalis of the Emperor Moth from its silken cocoon, 
which would make him a good meal.” 
* The details here given were supplied by Mr. Joseph Thompson for publica- 
tion in this Report.—Fd. 
+ This distinction is not generally admitted, but there is a foot-note in Yarrell’s 
British Birds (4th Edition) stating that “it is commonly believed in 
parts of England, as M. de Selys Longchamps says it also is in 
Belgium, that the Pies which build in hedges are smaller than those 
which breed in trees.’’—Zd. 
The Meeting for ‘‘ Notes and Records of the Past Year” was held on 27th 
February, when the following interesting Records were given :— 
Mr. J. Arkle contributed the following records of Lepidoptera :— 
Acidalia incanaria. Chester. 1918. 
Hemaris scabiose. North Wales. i896. 
Piusia moneta. Chester. 1918, 
_ Mr. 8S. G. Cummings submitted the following notes of observations for 
1918 :— ; 
Mar. 6th—Merlin Hawk near old Cheese Wharf, Dee Cop. 
_ Mar. 9th—Pink-footed Geese, large numbers on the sands at Parkgate—700 
. to 800. 
Apr. 30th—Ray’s Wagtail in the Dean’s field, Chester. 
June 20th—Lesser White-throat in garden, 9 King Street. 
Sept. 28th—Pair Grey Wagtails and Tree Sparrows, Dee Cop, Chester. 
_ Apr. 9th & 10th—Brown Linnets, Flock feeding on Little Roodee. 
Apr. 10th—Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Pair on the Weir, Chester. 
_ May 25th & June 24th—Painted Lady Butterfly (P. cardui), Dee Cop. 
"4 duly 27th—Comma Butterfly (Vanessa C-album) in garden, King Street. 
