958 CORRESPONDENCE. 
Correspondence, 
os 
TIngurious Insrcts.—The whole of the gooseberry and currant bushes. 
in this neighbourhood are entirely denuded of leaves by the larve of a 
sawfly. They are here in countless thousands. The bushes are dreadiul 
objects, not a vestige of green left on them, but plenty of fruit. Other 
pests are abundant, but partial; but the gooseberry grubs are everywhere. 
—V. R. Perkins, Wotton-under-Hdge, Gloucestershire, August 8th, 1879. 
(From the “‘ Entomologist.”) 
Unsymmetricat Insects.—About five or six years ago, some friends 
of mine were butterfly catching on Boxley Warren, about 24 miles 
from Maidstone, when they netted a specimen of the Common Blue 
(Polyommatus alexis.) The two wings on the one side of the body were of 
the usual bright blue of the male, while strangely enough the other two 
wings were brown, edged with red spots, exactly like those of the female. 
This insect, though sadly battered and in a bad state of preservation, is 
still in the collection of a friend of mine, of this town. There are, I 
believe, other instances of similar ‘“‘ unsymmetrical” insects on record.— 
Frep F. Grenstep, Maidstone. 
Ber-rater, &c.—In my late communication to you respecting the Bee- 
eater shot near Derby, I said that there were two shot. Since I wrote 
the second one has been purchased by a gentleman near Mansfield, and 
sent to me to be re-stuffed. It is now atmy place, and I shall be willing 
to show it to anyone who may call. It may interest some of your 
ornithological readers to know that I have in my possession a young 
specimen of the Shag or Green Cormorant, (Carbo cristatus,) shot on the 
top of afactory in the middle of Nottingham, and also that two other 
specimens, both young, were caught alive in an adjoining strest, and that 
a fourth was shot about two miles from where the others were got.— 
L. Lez, Naturalist, 26, Drury Hill, Nottingham. 
Lepropora Hyarima.—This interesting and singular Entomostracan, 
whose capture in this country for the first time was recorded at page 225, 
has since been found in considerable abundance at Edgbaston Pool, 
near Birmingham, a fact which leads to the hope that it may be found 
in other localities. As Leptodora is making some little stir among the 
savans, and had the honour of being introduced to the British Association 
asa ‘distinguished stranger,” it is only fair to say that its first captor 
was Mr. John Levick, one of the curators of the Birmingham Natural 
History and Microscopical Society, to whose ingenious deyices for 
obtaining specimens, and keenness in detecting them, the members of the 
Society and others are indebted for this and many other interesting 
“finds.” WALTER GRAHAM. 
OrnitHoLocicaL Norzs.—We had several pairs of Wild Ducks 
breeding here this season. I was told of six nests in one double hedge. 
They were late, some of the nests having eggs in them the second week 
in May. The bulk of the Swifts departed on August 12th—two days 
later than last year. I saw a solitary one on the 22nd, but none since. 
I have heard several Nightjars this season ; usually they are rare. Snipe 
arrived very early. I saw five on August 8th. Towards the end of that 
month about a score were seen, and on September 6th I saw over a 
hundred get up from one reed-covered meadow. Three procured were 
probably immature birds, being darker coloured than winter-killed 
specimens. On the same day I saw a Green Sandpiper on the banks of 
our stream—the Sorebrook. The Snipe were quite as numerous a few 
days ago. In changing to winter plumage the chin of the Pied Wagtail 
seems to be affected first. One I shot on the 7th inst. had the back very 
ee 
———s 
