Natural Histmy in the English Counties. 171 



like to be informed further respecting those which are stated to occur in 

 gravel at the height of 300 ft. The characters of the stratum in which they 

 were embedded, its extent and thickness, and other geological data, are re- 

 quisite to form a correct opinion of this deposit. — R. C. T. 



Since the above note was written, we have procured some further in 

 formation. The existence of shells, particularly Turbo terebra, among the 

 gravel employed in mending the road betwixt Whittle and Leyland, has long 

 been known. One gravel pit, situated about three fourths of a mile from 

 the canal at Whittle, is 20 or 30 ft. deep, several acres in extent, and upon 

 higher ground than the canal, which is there 307 ft. above the level of the 

 sea. Among this gravel several of the shells were obtained ; and in two 

 other gravel pits, about half a mile distant, similar shells were abundantly 

 collected. They were deposited most plentifully in a layer at the bottom, 

 or about 25 ft. from the surface. A considerable number have been obtained 

 in sinking wells at Preston ; others were procured from the marl, in cutting 

 the new road to Blackburn at Brockhales Brow. The depth of this cutting 

 is about 35 ft., of which 30 are marl and 3 or 4 of clay. A quantity of shells 

 was easily procured from the lowest lift in the marl, and more may readily 

 . be collected at the same spot, before the marl is covered with vegetation. 

 At Goosnargh is an ex:tensive marling, where the shells are only indicated 

 by fragments, because the marl is there only excavated to the depth of 12 ft. 

 At Blackpool, where a perpendicular face of the same marl is exposed by 

 the encroachments of the sea, several different species of shells, similar to 

 those near Preston, may be ojjtained at depths of from 10 to 40 ft. These 

 were embedded in, and filled with, marl, in a manner that nothing but a con- 

 temporaneous origin could have effected. They do not appear to be accom- 

 panied by any other organic remains, except such as are found in the moun- 

 tain limestone pebbles. Their appearance is much more like that of recent 

 beach shells than the Suffolk Cragy our most modern deposit, as we have 

 been accustomed to consider, in this country. — R. C. T, 



Cumberland. 



Leistus montdnus (Mountain Leistus). — The only recordedlocality of this 

 rare beetle is Skiddaw, and even there it is sparingly found. The most 

 productive situation is the sudden ascent to the highest point or level of 

 the mountain, after crossing the long and grassy level in the horse-path 

 ascent. The insects are found under not very large fragments of the rock 

 lying on bare sand and soddened soil, but rarely under those resting on 

 vegetation or other stones. Last July, in a diameter of thirty or forty 

 yards at this place, I took twelve specimens, one or two quite in the horse- 

 path. On the summit of the mountain, where this beetle is generally 

 sought for, I only captured three, although engaged there a longer time. 

 The capture of these fifteen specimens was the work of three days. Two 

 other entomologists took five between them at the summit of the moun- 

 tain. Stephens, the only author who mentions this species, records the 

 capture of thirteen by himself and others. — H. C. W. Edinburghy October, 

 1829. 



Birds in the Neighbourhood of Whitehaven. — Sir, In looking over my com- 

 munication (Vol. II. p. 275.), I find I have omitted the iliergus serrator, the 

 Redbreasted Merganser, very rare ; Colymbus minutus, the Little Grebe ; 

 and ^'nas Glaucion, the Morillon Duck, rare. In continuation, we have of 

 the 



r-r/f////. Sc61opax Totanus, Spotted Red- Charkdrius pluvialls. Golden 



^^^"^- shank. Rate. Plover. 



.4'rdea major, Heron, ^gocephala,CommonGod- Hffimatopus ostralegus, Pied 



stellaris, Bittern. Rare. wit. Very rare. Oyster-catcher. 



Scolopax arquata, Curlew. Tringa Van^llus, Lapwing. Fulica chloropus. Moorhen, j 



rusticola, Woodcock. Squatarbla, Grey Plover. atra, Coot. 



Gallinago, Snipe. Very rare. Rallus Cr^x, Corncrake. 



Gallinula, Jack Snipe. Charkdrius Morin^llus, Dotte- aquaticus, Water Rail. 



Calidris, Redshank. rel. Rare. 



