3472 Birds. — Mollusks. 



54. P. pentadactylus, L. Src The larva feeds on Convolvulus arvensis and C. 

 sepium. 



59. P. Siceliota, Z. Appears (in Sicily and Dalmatia) in May, June and July. 

 The larva feeds on Ononis pinguis. 



Alucita, L. 



6. A. polydactyla, H, Z., Sta. Appears in May and June. The larva feeds on 

 the flowers of Lonicera Periclymenum. The flowers attacked are rather more than 

 usually thickened in front, and do not open. The larva bores on the under side of 

 the flower-tube, eats up the inner part of the flower and fills the space with a quantity 

 of dirt. 





Part 8 of the current volume of the Society's c Transactions,' was announced as 

 just ready. — /. W. D. 



Occurrence of the American Teal at Scarborough. — I received a few weeks since 

 from Scarborough a specimen of the American teal, a male in good plumage, which 

 was killed near that place last November. I mention it because it is a bird of only 

 recent occurrence in this country, not being mentioned in Yarrell's birds. Can you 

 inform me in what respect the female differs from our common teal, and whether it 

 has been killed in this country. — John Evans ; Darley Abbey, near Derby, April, 

 1852. 



Notes on the Habits of Solen. — Having experienced great difficulty in procuring 

 specimens of solens from the rapidity with which they go down into the sand, I was at 

 a loss to conceive how the animal effected its descent ; this, I now find to be accom- 

 plished by the extension and sudden contraction of its foot. When the foot is ex- 

 tended, it is long, tapering and pointed ; when contracted, short, thick and club-shaped. 

 It will be seen then, that when the animal thrusts down its foot into the soft sand to 

 the extent of, say, two inches, and then contracts it into the club-shaped form, the 

 shell will be drawn down two inches lower also, by reason of the force which the sand 

 opposes to the foot when being so contracted. This process, rapidly repeated, soon 

 enables the solen to escape beyond the reach of its enemy. I may mention that by 

 the reverse of this process, with a slight modification, the animal forces itself to the 

 surface, which it may be seen to do when the receding tide has left the sand-banks 

 bare. — Charles Barron ; Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, April 2, 1852. 



