FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 243 



I am able to record Calocampa solidagims, Hb., as a Dorset 

 insect, for it now transpires that four specimens were secured at 

 sugar at Winfrith Newburgh, by Mr. Charles Capper in August, 

 1 904. Mr. Curtis received one of these from the captor and has 

 most liberally added it to my collection. (E. R. B.) 



SHELLED SLUG (Testacella Maugei). Rev. S. E. V. Filleul 

 records this species as occasionally found in his garden at All 

 Saints' Rectory, Dorchester. (N. M. R.) 



BOTANICAL NOTES. 



Rev. E. F. Linton calls attention to the fact that other species 

 of scentless violets are often mistaken for Viola canina, the Dog 

 Violet, and recorded in its place. With his concurrence I would 

 suggest that the EARLIEST WILD SCENTLESS VIOLET seen in 

 flower be recorded, with a note of the species, if this be known 

 to the observer. It would, doubtless, belong to one of the three 

 following common species : 



(1) Viola silvestris (Wood Violet), usually the earliest, flowering 



in April or possibly March. 



(2) Viola Riviniana, flowering in April and on through May. 



(3) Viola canina (Dog Violet), flowering in May and June. 



(N. M. R.) 



FLOWERING TREES, &c. A wonderful year for blossom, that 

 of many trees and shrubs, such as apple, pear, plum (including 

 damson, greengage, &c.), cherry, laburnum, broom, and gorse, 

 being in remarkable profusion and very beautiful. (E. R. B.) 



SECOND BLOOM ON TREES AND SHRUBS. A cold, late, and 

 sunless spring was followed by an abnormally hot summer and 

 autumn, which caused various trees and shrubs to produce a 

 partial second bloom, and, in many cases, fresh foliage about 

 November. On November 9 I came across, in one spot at 

 Norden, a few blackthorn bushes with quite a nice show of 

 blossom on them, in spite of the cold frosty weather then 

 prevailing, and at the beginning of December various apple trees 

 in the neighbourhood, including some of my own, were showing 



