viii INTRODUCTION. 



Thurn. Marlborough. Rx^ortx. of Marlborough College Na tural 



Jlistory Society, 1864-84. Marlborough : "t. Perkins. 



"" The following is a list of the more active members of the Marlborough 

 College Natural History Society, to whom we are indebted for the obser- 

 vations embodied in the Reports. Masters : Rev. T. A. Preston, H. M, 

 Moule, Esq., F. E. Thompson, Esq., W. E. MuUins, Esq.; Rev. J. 

 Sowerby, Rev. G. W. DeLisle, Rev. C. E. Thorp, G. F. Rodwell, Esq. 

 Original and past and present members : Messrs. A. C. Almack, W. W. 

 Dayman, J. W. Mills, G. K. Mills, R. F. Isaacson, H. H. Evans, J. Pole, 

 R. R. P. Hilton, T. R. Damergue, W. R. Carles, F. J. H. Jenkinson, G. 

 H. Dawson, E. F. im Thurn, J. B. Fuller, H. Manders, W. D. Fenning, 

 J. F. Duthie, A. C. Champneys, E. Meyrick, W. M. H. Milner, T. N. 

 Hart-Smith, A. E. Garrod, T. G. Balfour, O. Elton, W. H. Chappel, E; 

 N. Gardiner, F. S. Alston, H. C. Spry, W. F. H. Blandford, A. E. 

 Aldworth, E. K. Chambers, E. B. Badcock, R. W. Rickards, H. L. 

 Callendar, P. H. Maddock, E. T. K. Maurice, A. K. Cardew, G. H. 

 Procter, L. W. Brown, W. L. Wainwright, &c. 



The Scheme of Observation of the Phenological Committee 

 OF THE Royal Meteorological Society. 



The plants, insects, and birds, selected by the Committee for observa- 

 tion are embodied in the pages of the Diary, and are distinguished from 

 all other entries by being printed in small capitals, all the other entries 

 being in italics or ordinary type. The following objects included in the 

 scheme have not, however, been systematically observed at Marlborough, 

 and must be inserted in their proper place by each observer : — Mentha 

 aquatica (Water Mint) ; Fagus sylvatica (Beech). Insects (first appear- 

 ances, abundance or scarcity) : Melolontha vulgaris (Cock Chafer, or 

 May Bug) ; Rhizotrogus solstitialis (Fern Chafer, or July Chafer) ; 

 Timarcha Icevigata (Bloody-nose Beetle) ; Lampyris noctiluca (Glow- 

 worm) ; Apis mellifica (Honey Bee, or Common Hive Bee) ; Vespa 

 vulgaris (Wasp) ; Bibio Marci (St. Mark's Fly). 



The following table showing the average dates of blossoming of plants 

 at fifty stations in different parts of the British Isles, compiled from the 

 Reports of the Phenological Committee drawn up by the Rev. T. A. 

 Preston, M.A., F.R.Met.Socy., and published in the Quarterly Journal 

 of the Royal Meteorological Society, 1B84-5, shows some of the results of 

 the Committee's operations for the past ten years. The average of the 

 twenty years' observations at Marlborough are given also in order to 

 show the relation of the climate of Marlborough to the rest of the country 

 as distinguished by this set of observations. 



