CORRESPONDENCE. 169 



Note on a variety of Gonopteryx Rhamni. — My friend Mr. Dugdale 

 recently captured near Oxford a hvbernated specimen of the Brim- 

 stone Butterfly, presenting most extraordinary, if not unique, colora- 

 tion, nearly half the upper wings being of a brilliant vermilion colour, 

 the lower wings being also bordered with the same. At first it looked 

 so artificial that a careful microscopical examination was made, and 

 some scales were also spectroscopically examined, but no tampering 

 with the insect had taken place. Professor Westwood read a paper on 

 it before the Ashmolean Society, but made no suggestion as to the 

 cause of the singular occurrence, of which no similar record appears 

 to exist, the variety Cleopatra bearing no resemblance to it either in 

 shape or colour of marking. — G. C. Druce, Oxford. 



Ornithological Notes from Cumberland. — While spending a few 

 days in the middle of May on the coast of Cumberland I got a nest 

 with seven eggs of the Sheldrake. It was down a rabbit hole on 

 some sand hills, about seven feet in, and contained seven eggs on a 

 nest of down. Rock Doves breed in similar places, and I found two 

 nests, the old birds flying out as I approached. I saw at a keeper's a 

 tame female Buzzard ; he had had it in his possession four years. Every 

 year it lays two eggs, and last year a hen's egg was placed under it. It 

 sat upon it, hatched it. and reared a young game cock. This year 

 when I saw it. it was again sitting on a hen's egg. Barn Owls, Sparrow, 

 Kestrel, and Merlin Hawks, Buzzards, and Long-eared Owls are 

 all to be found in this district. I found several Oyster-catcher's eggs, 

 laid in a hollow on the sand hills near the sea. Curlews may be seen 

 daily feeding on the sea-shore. Whinchats, Wheatears, and Stone- 

 chats are all common. Cuckoos are very numerous. — H. G. Tomlin- 

 son, The Woodlands, Burton-on-Trent. 



Botanical Notes from South Beds : — 



Date. I Aspect. Situation, &c. 



Vicia Sepium Apl. 



Scilla nutans ,, 



Ranunculus acris 



Cardarnine pratensis 



Cerastiuni arvense ' „ 



Saxifraga granulata.. 



Hieracium Pilosella.. 



Prunella vulgaris 



Crataegus Oxyacantha 



Geranium Robertianum. 



Herlge bank. 

 Wood, chalky soil. 

 Meadow. 



Edge of a field. 

 Moist meadow. 



Veronica Charuaedrys May 5 \V. Hedge bank. 



Polygala vulgaris „' 10 S.E. Dry bank, chalky soil. 



Wood, on gravelly soil. 



Hedge. 



Hedge bank. Several local 

 observers give this as 

 earliest date. 



Oak trees were fairly covered with foliage on May 18th, but ash 

 trees had only just commenced to expand their leaves. As a further 

 illustration of the backwardness of this season, it may be mentioned 

 that by the end of the third week in June the Chiltern Hills in South 

 Beds are usually gay with Orchids, especially Gymnadenia corwpsea, 

 O. ustulata, and 0. pyramidaUs. This year, however, on June 19th, 

 the first-mentioned were only just coming into blossom, and the two 

 others were not to be seen. — J. S., Luton. 



(Skamnqs. 



The Darwin Medal. — The adjudicators appointed to consider the 

 papers sent in for publication in the " Midland Naturalist " on the 



