150 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



gUOTI X(; REFERE^XES . 



In answer to your correspondent, ' X.Y.Z.,' who asks how to make 

 a reference, I quote the following : — 



' Simia abeli, Clark, Asiat. Researches, XVI., 1826, 489.' 

 Avhich I have taken from a well-known book of reference on Mammalia. 



The name Simia does not occur ; the name abeli does not occur ; 

 the author is Abel, not Clark; the volume is XV., not XVI., ; the 

 date is 1825, not 1826 ; the page is correct. I need say no more. — 

 C. Da VIES Sherborn. 



SPARROWS AND CROCUSES. 



Why do Sparrows destroy yellow crocuses in the towns, and rarely 

 in the country? I don't know whether sparrows are more mischievous 

 in Harrogate than in other places, but here they wait until the flowers are 

 about to open, and then nibble a cut through the leaves transversely 

 half way down, thus spoiling the show completely. But wh}' the yellow 

 variety, and not the purple or white ? — Walter Bagshaw. 



There is apparently no satisfactory explanation as to why sparrows 

 destroy yellow crocuses and leave the white ones alone. It is probable 

 that they are influenced in the matter of selection by the brilliant colour 

 of the blossoms, and to the fact that this first patch of colour attracts 

 them more than it would do later when there are so many more blossoms 

 in evidence. The nipping off of the flowers is, no doubt, pure mischief ; 

 there is a theoi-y that they do this to obtain a little sweet matter secreted 

 in the stalks, but I do not think there is any reliable evidence of this. — 

 R.F. 



LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ENTOMOLOGY. 



At a recent meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological 

 Society the feature of the evening was the competition for the Society's 

 prizes specially offered for the encouragement of field work and observa- 

 tion. A prize of five guineas for the best series of 60 males of Hibernia 

 defoliaria was awarded to Mr. Chas. P. Rimmer for his set of the moth 

 from Delamere Forest, and Eastham Woods ; the second, two guineas, 

 was given to Mr. W. G. Clutten, of Burnley, for a collection made in 

 the neighbourhood of that town. There were some very beautiful forms 

 shewn, including melanic variations from Burnley. A prize of five 

 guineas was also awarded for the best six photographs of insects in their 

 natural resting positions, selected to shew the effect of protective re- 

 semblance, and went to Mr. Hugh Main, of London, for a very fine 

 exhibit. These photographs were much admired, particularly the 

 ' Byyophila perla at rest on sandstone wall,' this being an exceptionally 

 fine example of protective resemblance. Other exhibits were Insect 

 Preparations under the Microscope, by Mr. Chas. P. Rimmer, and long 

 series of early spring lepidoptera by Mr. S. Gordon Smith, the latter 

 included some nice varieties of Hibernia leucophearia , H. marginaria 

 and Nvssia hispidaria. The same member showed a fine specimen of 

 Acherontia alropos captured near Chester. — Wm. Mansbridge, Hon. Sec. 



Two Boys in Beaver Land, by Major A. R. Dugmore. Hodder 

 & Stoughton, 245 pp., 8/6 net. A narrative of Canadian wild life — well 

 written and with a thorough knowledge of the habits of mammals, birds 

 and fish of that colony. The chapters on beavers are particularly 

 complete and contain much that was new to us, while the wealth of 

 illustration makes the book doubly valuable. We don't like the black 

 lines round each page, which give the impression that one is reading an 

 obituary notice, or a prayer book. 



