432 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



for the bank to eat it. I also noticed the other day a Starling hawking for 

 insects in much the same manner as the Martins flying around it; so that 

 Starlings not only imitate other birds' notes, but also their habits. — 

 F. Hayward Parrott (Walton House, Aylesbury). 



[It is by no means unusual to see Starlings hawking for flies, in fine 

 weather ; but we do not remember to have seen them take anything off the 

 water. — Ed.] 



A projected Volume on the Birds of Essex. — Will you allow me 

 to state that 1 have for more than fifteen years past been collecting materials 

 for a work on ' The Birds of Essex,' similar to other County Avifaunas 

 already published. The information collected will be sufficiently complete 

 to warrant publication in the coming year. I have already enough matter 

 to ensure for the county of Essex a high position, ornithologically speaking; 

 but am anxious to render my information still more complete, by appealing 

 to all who take an interest in the subject, to supply me with intelligence of 

 the occurrence within the county of any rare, or otherwise interesting birds, 

 not hitherto recorded. I may add that I especially desire information as 

 to the occurrence in the county of this following : — White's Thrush, Blue- 

 throat, Marsh Warbler, Black-bellied Dipper, Richard's Pipit, Lesser Grey 

 Shrike, Pine Grosbeak, Ortolan Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Squacco Heron, 

 Night Heron, Ruddy Sheldrake, White-eyed Duck, Black Grouse, Crane, 

 Collared Pratincole, Cream-coloured Courser, and Greater Shearwater. 

 I shall also be especially glad of further information regarding the occurrence 

 in Essex of the Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Black Redstart, White Wagtail, 

 Cirl Bunting, Golden Eagle, Goshawk, Gyr Falcon, and Glossy Ibis. — 

 Miller Christy (Chignal St. James, Chelmsford). 



SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



Entomological Society of London. 



October 3, 1888.— Dr. D. Sharp, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 



Mr. F. P. Pascoe exhibited a number of new species of Longicornia 

 from Sumatra, Madagascar, and South Africa. 



Dr. P. B. Mason exhibited, for Mr. Harris, a specimen of Chcerocampa 

 Nerii, recently captured at Burton-on-Trent. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a specimen of Vanessa Antiopa, which he caught 

 in the Isle of Wight in August last. Mr. Stevens asked whether Mr.Poulton 

 or any one else present could inform him why, in British specimens 

 of this species, the border of the wings was almost invariably a pale straw- 

 colour. 



