CORRESPONDENCE. 279 



CfiiTcsponlicncc, ttc. 



New Beitish Pilobolus. — lu September last I had the pleasure of 

 finding a Pilobolus on cow dunt^ at Water Ortou, which at first I con- 

 founded with P. cnjstaUinus. I have since discovei-ed that it is not 

 that species, but F. Klenii, Van Tieghem, which has not hitlierto, I 

 believe, been recorded for Britain. A description, with ti;^ures, will 

 be published in a future number. — W. B. Gkovk, B.A. 



Beavers. — In connection with a statement in regard to the 

 continued existence of beavers in the course of the Middle Elbe, I can 

 state that they still exist in the following places : — (1.) Near Klieken, 

 in the circle of Coswig, Duchy of Anhalt, both on the property of 

 Baron Lattorf, and also on that of His Serene Highness the Duke of 

 Anhalt ; (2) at Walter Niemberg, at the junction of the brook 

 Nuthe with the river Elbe ; and (3) they are found also in some 

 numbers in the extensive forests on the banks of the Oder and 

 Vistula. As a boy, I myself have kept a tame beaver, and up to the 

 year 184^8 they wei-e by no means rare in the localities cited. The 

 first or second of these localities is the one referred to by the corres- 

 pondent on page 142. — G. T. C. Schwakz, Ph.D. 



Late Nesting of House Maktix. — On October 17th House Martins, 

 Chelidon nrhica (Linn.), were still feeding their young in a nest at 

 Bodicote. I noticed one or two birds Hying about over Oxford from tlie 

 20th to the iSrd, and on the morning of the 2.jtli a pair were hawking 

 over Bodicote village, chiefly on the south side of a house, remnants of 

 the snow storm of the previous day still covering the ground in places. 

 It is curious to note that although a few martins generally hang about 

 their breeding places for some days after the Swallows have departed, 

 yet when a very late straggler of the tribe does appear — as they have 

 occasionally been known to do, even up to Christmas — it is almost 

 always of the latter species. — Olivek V. Aplix, Banbury, Oxon, 

 November, 1882. 



DicRAXCM iioxTANUM IN Bedfordshiui:. — Wliou moss hunting in 

 Aspley Woods last August, a patch of Dicmmini scopariiim growing on 

 an oaif tree attracted my attention, and as it looked in fine condition 

 a gathering of it was made. About three weeks after a portion of this 

 and some other duplicates were sent to Mr. Boswell for his 

 criticism and identification. A reply was shortly after received to 

 the effect that the packet labelled Dicranain acopai-iuin was that plant 

 and another, probably iiioiitauinit, and if really so, it was a most 

 interesting find. An examination of the remainder of the packet 

 I'esulted in the detection of sufficient for identification, and for a 

 duplicate to be sent to Dr. F. A. Lees for the Botanical Record Club. 

 This, however, was scarcely sufficient to satisf}' my wishes, so an 

 early opportunity was taken to revisit Aspley Woods, fifteen 

 iniles distant. This was not very difficult, although out of the 

 railway track — thanks to facilities for "cycling" on three wheels. 

 Fortunately, the exact tree was easily remembered, as it grows in a 

 moist spot, close by " Merry Maid Pond," in which Bog-mosses and 

 Sedges fiourisli. A careful search soon revealed the presence of 

 JJicmiiiim mi)iit(innm on that, and also on two other oak trees close by. 



