120 CORRESPONDENCE. 



15th of this month I saw a tolerahly large flock of Fieldfares outward 

 bound. This is not an unusually late date. At the time of writing, none 

 of the Hiritndinidce have put in an appearance, nor has the Cuckoo 

 or the Nightingale been heard, but doubtless they will all be noted 

 in a few more days. — Thomas Hacaulay, M.R.C.S.L., Kibworth, 

 April 16th, 1880. 



Ornithological Notes. — I have at present only four summer 

 migrants to record as having arrived here. Chiff-chaff, March 30th ; 

 Yellow Wagtail, on the 5th ; Willow Wren, on the 17th ; and Swallow, 

 on the 21st inst. Young Rooks were calling from the nests on the 8th 

 of this month, eight days earlier than last year. We have a few Wild 

 Ducks staying to breed this season, but not so many as last year. On the 

 3rd instant, I was surprised to see a pair of Teal rise from an osier bed 

 on the banks of one of our streams. I am sorry to have to record the 

 occurrence of another Peregrine Falcon, which was killed at Marston 

 St. Lawrence, on March 17th. A man had placed a stuffed Ring Dove 

 on the ground as a decoy, and whilst waiting for pigeons, saw the 

 Falcon strike the decoy, when he shot it. I had the pleasure of 

 examining the bird, and found it to be a female, in good condition. It 

 measured 3ft. 7^in. in alar expanse. Some young Song Thrushes were 

 hatched out here on the 12th instant. — 0. V. Aplin, Bodicote, Oxon, 

 April 22nd, 1880. 



Subterranean Fungi. — In reference to a note on this subject, by 

 R. G., page 93, I would suggest that careful search be made for the more 

 developed and perfect state of the plant alluded to as Rhizomorpha 

 medullaris, which is in fact only the mycelium of a fungus, and hence 

 Rhizomorpha has long since been discarded as a genus. The distance to 

 which the mycelium of some fungi will penetrate into wood and earth 

 is very striking, as is also the power it exerts in forcing a passage for 

 itself ; and any fact bearing on this subject, when the species giving rise 

 to it can be accurately determined, will be of much interest to mycologists. 

 The mycelium alone affords but a very imperfect clue to a species, but 

 if the fruit-bearing surface (the hymcnium) of the plant can be found, the 

 species may be determined. The plant R. G. alludes to as " possibly an 

 Alga," of an orange colour, is probably Ozonium auricomum, Link., figured 

 in Greville's " Scottish Cryptogamic Flora," plate 260, which is not 

 uncommon on dead wood exposed to dripping water. The timber observed 

 to be phosphorescent would most likely owe that quality, not to the 

 presence of the hymenium of a fungus, but the mycelium. I am not aware 

 that phosphorescence in wood has ever been traced to the presence of 

 the hymenium of a fungus. Any observations on these points alluded 

 to by your correspondent as occurring in the midland district, will be 

 deserving of record in your valuable columns. — W. Phillips. 



(itamgs. 



Midland Union Meeting. — The arrangements for the Northampton 

 Meeting, so far as settled, will be found on the second page of the cover 

 of this month's magazine. Some interesting particulars of the Botanical 

 Excursion will be found at page 97. Next month similar details of the 

 Geological Excursion will be given. As early as possible the Hon. Sees, 

 of the Union will send out the official programme for circulation among 

 the members of all the Societies in the Union. 



