266 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



BY THE WAY. 



" What is the ox-warble fly?" The question raised quite a 

 flutter of excitement in the Mother of Parliaments this afternoon 

 [July 10th, 1913]. Mr. Cbas. Bathurst, who is a great authority 

 on all matters agricultural, in the course of a question to the 

 Vice-President of the Irish Board of Agriculture, suggested that 

 this quaintly-named creature caused great devastation to hives. 

 That propensity did not arouse the languid interest of the Irish, 

 although it appeared to have the support of the Chief Secretary 

 for Ireland, who answered the question. Mr. Bathurst was not 

 only anxious about what the ox-warble fly does, but he was 

 gravely concerned because the English and Irish Boards of 

 Agriculture gave entirely different accounts of its life history. 

 The House pricked up its ears at this suggestion of division 

 in Ministerial circles, and awaited with some interest Mr. Birrell's 

 answer to the supplementary question. Mr. Birrell was equal 

 to the occasion. " This sort of thing often happens in bio- 

 graphy, " said the right hon. gentleman, resuming his seat amid 

 much laughter, and a determination on the part of many 

 members to "read up " at an early opportunity all about " the 

 ox-warble fly. " . . . . 



Many Londoners will be cheered to-day by the grateful 

 intelligence that Boxhill, one of the beauty spots of outer 

 London, has been saved from the jerry-builder. The announce- 

 ment was made this afternoon by Sir Robt. Hunter at a meeting 

 of the National Trust. It would appear that a public benefactor 

 in the person of a gentleman who modestly desires to remain 

 anonymous has made an offer to purchase a part of the mag- 

 nificent estate upon which Boxhill stands and to present it to 

 the Trust for the use of the public. For generations now 

 Boxhill has been one of the most appreciated pleasure haunts of 

 Londoners. It lies within a short distance of Dorking, and 

 the public have for generations been allowed to roam over its 

 heights and enjoy its delightful vistas of Surrey, Hampshire, 

 and Sussex. — (Daily Paper.) 



C. M. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Note on Parasites of Hygrochroa syringaria. — In the August 

 number of the ' Entomologist ' (vol. xlvi. p. 245) I notice that a letter 

 written by Dr. E. R. Buckle to Mr. Claude Morley has been appended 

 to my description of a new species of Meteorus (Braconidae), M. 

 niger. As this letter appears in one or two respects to be at variance 

 with the description, perhaps I may be allowed a few words of 

 explanation. Dr. Buckle mentions that the larvae of Hygrochroa 



