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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Sphinx convolvuli. — The handsome convol- 

 vulus hawk-moth was rather common in England 

 during last September. It is one of the largest 

 of the hawk-moths, and when in good condition is 

 marked with brown on a grey ground colour. 

 Many of the specimens taken are probably 

 immigrants from the Continent, possibly from 

 south-western France and Spain. 



Immense Flight of Ants. — Writing to "The 

 Times," Mr. John Braye, of Old Hole, Brightling, 

 Sussex, says, that about three o'clock on the 

 afternoon of September 4th he witnessed the 

 appearance of smoke arising from a clump of 

 Scotch fir trees about a quarter of a mile distant. 

 On examination it proved to be millions of red 

 winged ants, apparently fighting, which lasted 

 until sunset. The ground was thickly covered 

 with dead and struggling ants. The locality is on 

 dry sandy soil, and there has hardly been any rain 

 in the district since August, 1897. 



BRACHYPODIUM PINNATOM IN IRELAND. An 



addition to the flora of Ireland has been found by 

 Mr. R. A. Phillips, of Cork, on some sandhills at 

 Tramore, county Waterford, in false brome-grass 

 [Brachypodium pinnatum, Beaur.) In recording his 

 discovery in the October " Irish Naturalist," 

 Mr. Phillips mentioned that near its station there 

 are no houses or cultivation likely to have furnished 

 its origin. Years ago this plant was said to be 

 found in county Cork, but botanists have long ago 

 agreed that some other species was mistaken for it ; 

 therefore, the finding of the specimens reinstates a 

 doubtful plant in the Irish list. 



Late Arrival of Winter Birds. — Owing to 

 the open weather numerous species of birds have 

 not yet put in an appearance, or are later than 

 usual. Scaup, teal, pochard and gadwell ducks 

 should have arrived with many other shore birds 

 that frequent their former haunts among the rocks 

 and mud-flats near here. Golden plover are scarce, 

 only ten being noticed since last March, although 

 they are plentiful inland. Ringed plovers and 

 dunlins, godwits, curlews and oystercatchers only 

 in small packs not above thirty birds in number. 

 Redshanks and greenshanks are very scarce. Gulls, 

 especially the kittiwake, are conspicuous by their 

 absence. This bird has ceased frequenting the 

 coast round here in any numbers for the past three 

 years, the cause being that they are shot for their 

 wings for the decoration of women's hats. The 

 great black-backed gull is also becoming scarce, 

 neither are the lesser black-backs too plentiful. — 

 Walter A. Nicholson, Portobello, N.B. ; October 4th. 



Botany of Medieval Monks. — The old monks 

 appear to have been more observant than some 

 people at the present day, as is shown by the 

 following quaint lines regarding the peculiar struc- 

 ture of the calyx of the dog-rose (Rosa caninaj, 

 and allied species. No botanist to whom I have 

 mentioned this seems to have noticed it, strange to 

 say. I should be glad if any of your readers can 

 assign any plausible reason for the peculiarity. 



There must be a reason, as nature does nothing, I 

 think, without a reason, and a good one. Two 

 of the sepals have four long acute lobes, two on 

 each side, while two are without lobes, and the 

 other has only lobes on one side. Now, why is 

 this peculiar arrangement, which never varies, as 

 far as my observation goes ? What purpose can it 

 serve? The lines are: " Quinque sumus fratres 

 Sub eodem tempore nati. Sunt duo barbati, duo 

 Sunt sine barba creati : Unus barbatus, sed barba 

 dimidiatus." Or, "We are five brothers, born at 

 the same time. Two have beards ; Two were 

 created without beards ; One has a beard, but 

 only on one side." — A. E. Burr, Bath. 



Entomology near Birmingham. — The following 

 notes upon the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera met 

 with during 1898 within a radius of twelve miles 

 of this city may, perhaps, prove interesting to your 

 entomological readers. Among Lepidoptera Tliccla 

 rubi was plentiful in Sutton Park about the flowers 

 of holly and mountain ash, but is local, only 

 occurring on the outskirts of one wood ; Lycaena 

 argiolus swarms in the same park, which is the 

 headquarters for the species in the Midlands ; Sesia 

 tipuliformis, a few ; Chelonia plantaglnis has been 

 much scarcer during the last two years ; Satumia 

 carpini larvae and imagines were fairly common, 

 but always local ; Pterosoma palpina was bred from 

 pupae found last winter. A perfect example of the 

 rarity Acronycta alni was bred from a pupa dis- 

 covered in a cocoon of rotten wood at Hall Green. 

 Larvae and imagines of Mammestra pcrsicariae were 

 both exceedingly common ; Cucullia umbratica was 

 here met with for the first time ; Heliaca tenebrata 

 was plentiful in spring in flowery fields near Shirley. 

 Of Amphidasys betularia var. doubledayaria, a male 

 was bred from a pupa dug last winter. Nemoria 

 lactearia was extremely common, but very few have 

 any trace of green about them, even upon specimens 

 freshly emerged ; Ematurga atomaria is very common 

 in Sutton Park ; Cidaria fulvata is plentiful in lanes, 

 especially near Hall Green ; C. populata occurred 

 in Sutton Park ; Tanagra at rata was scarce and 

 very local. Among Coleoptera Cicindela campestris 

 was scarcer this season than is usual ; Bemhedium 

 4-macnlatum, plentiful, especially under loose poplar 

 bark ; Demetrius atricapillus, a few ; Badister bipustu- 

 latus was scarce, but generally distributed ; Ptero- 

 stichus madidiis, P. niger, and P. striola were all 

 common; Anchominus prasiuus occurred in great 

 abundance ; Dromiits q-maculatus, D. 4-notatus and 

 D. meridionalis, all plentiful under bark; Gyrinus 

 natator was plentiful in most pieces of water ; 

 Philonthus trossulus was found in vegetable refuse; 

 Tachinus rufipes is generally distributed and fairly 

 common under moss and in dry rotten wood ; 

 Epuraea aestiva is plentiful on bilberry bushes at 

 Sutton ; Cerctts peduncularis was common about 

 various flowers in the garden here at Moseley ; 

 Hister unicolor was found chiefly in vegetable refuse, 

 but not common ; Melegethes aeneus, enormous num- 

 bers in almost every kind of flower ; Rhizophagus 

 ■bipustulatus is common in the wood of a rustic arch 

 in the garden ; Coccinella 22-punctata, one near 

 Elmdon ; Sinodendron cylindricus, larvae and beetles 

 in wood of a decayed oak near here ; Clytus arietis, 

 a few near Umberslade; Calladium violaceum occurred 

 at Sutton, and Strangalia ariuata near Solihull and 

 Umberslade. An example of Lciopus nebulosus was 

 taken sunning itself on palings in Sutton Park. 

 Dryocoetes viilosus is very destructive to oaks at 

 Sutton. Erhirrhinus vorax was common. — A. D. 

 I nuns, Lintliurst, Oxford Road, Moseley, IVorcesteishiie. 



