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191 



Bird-louse Changing Hosts. — In August last 

 I captured a specimen of the parasitic fly, Orni- 

 thomyia a/oicularia, as it was leaving a recently- 

 shot blackbird. On examination I found hanging 

 on to it, like a bulldog, a bird-louse which is figured 

 in Denny's monograph of the Anoplura as Nvrmns 

 merulensis, one of the species of lice stated by him 

 to be peculiar to that bird. Both species were 

 present on the bird in question, the Nirmi being on 

 the quills of the wing-feathers. This is the second 

 instance of a Nirmus merulensis attaching itself to 

 an Ornithomyia which has come to my notice. In 

 each case the Nirmus was hanging on to the 

 posterior portion of the abdomen. Mr. Enock, 

 who has seen the two insects mounted in position 

 for the microscope, believes, I am informed, that 

 the bird-louse takes hold of the Ornithomyia with 

 the view of being transported to a fresh bird-host. 

 In that case it might find itself conveyed to a 

 thrush or starling : for, as far as I can see, the 

 Ornithomyiae parasitic on the three kinds of birds 

 are identical. His view is probably correct; the 

 more so that the chitinous integument of an 

 Ornithomyia is exceedingly tough, and it is doubt- 

 ful if the biting organs of the Nirmus would be 

 able to penetrate them. It is also well known that 

 Chelifers (pseudo-scorpions) attach themselves to 

 the legs of flies, presumably for transport. One of 

 them was lately found hanging on to the leg of a 

 hive-bee. Nirmus merulensis is about three times 

 the size of an ordinary Chelifer. — H. J. 0. Walker 

 (Lt.-Col.), Lee Ford, Bndleigh Salterton. 



Abnormal Clover Flowers. — Pupils of mine, 

 Miss Esplin and Miss Meyer, have drawn my atten- 

 tion to the following variations in flowers of the 

 white clover. These variations may be of common 

 occurrence, but I have not seen them alluded to 

 anywhere. The plants were found growing on the 

 chalk, about a mile to the east of Brighton. On 

 certain heads some of the flowers had the ordinary 

 short pedicels, while others had much larger ones, 

 in some cases measuring as much as 18 mm. On 

 some heads all the pedicels were abnormally long. 

 Foliaceous calyx was found to be of common occur- 

 rence ; sometimes the calyx was larger than the 

 corolla, and this, combined with the lengthened 

 pedicels, gave the plant somewhat the appearance 

 of certain kinds of rush. The carpel was replaced 

 by leaf in the centre of a number of the flowers 

 where unmodified leaves were observed. These 

 were seldom sessile, sometimes having petioles 

 8 nun. long. In some flowers the leaf was un- 

 divided, in others there were two, three, four, five, 

 or even six leaflets. The flowers exhibited other 

 peculiarities, but these do not show up so clearly 

 in the dried specimens I have before me. — Florence 

 Rich, Roedean School, near Brighton. 



Catocala FRAXIN] in Kent. — A specimen of 

 C. fraxini (the Clifden Nonpareil) was taken by 

 Mr. G. Grey and his brother at treacle at Eltham, 

 Kent, on September 3rd last.— .1. J. Poore, 17 Griffin. 

 Road, Plumstead. 



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TRflN5/KTION5 



The British Mygological Society. — The 



annual week's fungus foray of this society was 

 held at the Boat of Garten from September 17th to 

 the 22nd, 1900, and by a happy coincidence the 

 Cryptogamic Society oi Scotland had also arranged 

 their annual foray in the same locality. The 

 members of the two societies assembled at the 

 Hotel, Boat of Garten, on Monday, September 17th. 

 where they found awaiting their inspection many 

 interesting specimens collected by Dr. C. 1! 

 Plowright. The hon. secretary also exhibited- 

 a specimen of Strobilomyces strobilaceus Berk., 

 gathered that day by him in the policies of 

 Murthly Castle, and which he understood was of 

 uncommon occurrence in Scotland. On Tuesday, 

 September 18th, the early train was taken to 

 Aviemore, from whence the members proceeded, 

 under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Keith, Presi- 

 dent of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland, to the 

 Dell of Rothiemurchus Forest. Here the meml lers 

 collected specimens of the excellent edible Hydnum 

 imbricatum Linn., the pretty rosy, irm ilia ria robusta 

 A. & S., several species of the genus Tricholomata, 

 T. eauestre Linn, being characterised by its 

 yellow gills and stem, T. portentosum Fr. and T. 

 virgatum Fr. by their sombre colour. Cortinarius 

 (Inoloma) traganus Fr. was abundant amongst tin- 

 heather, and its unpleasant smell was only tun 

 evident. The rich-coloured Cortinarius (//<■ 

 tophaceus Fr.. C. (Dermocybe) orellanits Fr.. were 

 secured amongst many others of this intere>tiiiL r 

 genus. Paxillus atrotomentosus Fr.. the sweet- 

 scented Hi/grojjhorus agathosmus Fr , the yellow- 

 milked Lactarivs scrobiculat us Fr.. Hy&wiwn fragili 

 Fr., H. scrobicnlatu m Fr., and II compactum Pers. 

 were added to the list. The walk was then con- 

 tinued to the hospitable shelter of the Rev. — 

 McDougal, the members gathering on the way 

 specimens of the destructive parasite Trameles 

 pint Fr. On Wednesday, September 19th, the 

 Rev. Dr. Keith conducted the members into the 

 adjacent Forest of Abernethy and round to Loch 

 Garten, which is beautifully wooded and stands 1 ml 

 in pleasing contrast to the neighbouring mountains. 

 Dr. C. B. Plowright secured the pretty Entoloma 

 erophilum Fr., new to the British Fungus Flora, and 

 some very yellow examples of Stereum sorcerbeii B. 

 and Br. Professor H. Marshall Ward found a large 

 quantity' of the weird -looking parasite Cordyevps 

 ophioglossoides Fr. growing on Elaplwm.yces variega- 

 tus Vitt. Sistotrema confivens Pers. was fairly 

 common amongst the pine needles, and Strophanti 

 scobinacea Fr.. Flamnmla sca/mba Fr.. and Hydnum 

 ferniyi neum Fr. were collected. In the evening 

 Professor H. Marshall Ward, president of the 

 society, delivered a very instructive ami sugges- 

 tive address, entitled "The Nutrition o( Fungi." 

 On Thursday the Rev. Dr. Keith led the mi 

 to Columbridge and Loch-an-eilan. Many inter- 

 esting specimens were gathered on the way. 

 including the pretty blue Entoloma bloxami Berk., 

 the golden sqnarrose Vholiohi Hamma/ns Fr., the 



