3800 Birds.— Insects. 



and extend his inquiries to other branches of science, but many would be attracted to 

 the study who now, for the reasons I have hinted at, shrink from a task surrounded by 

 almost insurmountable difficulties. — C. R. B. ; January 12, 1853. 



[I shall be most happy not only to receive the names of subscribers to such a So- 

 ciety, but to subscribe to it myself, and do all in my power to promote so laudable an 

 object: at the same time I must be excused from expressing any opinion in favour of 

 its practicability. — E. Newman.'] 



Note on a Variety of the Green Woodpecker. — An old male green woodpecker was 

 shot during the last week in December, 1852, at Hedenham, in this county, by a gen- 

 tleman, who very kindly presented it to me, which exhibits some remarkable varia- 

 tions from the usual colouring of this species, especially on the rump, the feathers of 

 which (including the upper tail-coverts) are, in this specimen, all margined and tipped 

 with a beautiful flame-coloured red, instead of with the usual edging of yellow. The 

 feathers at the lower part of the back of the neck are also similarly tipped with red ; 

 while those on the back are pointed with the beautiful golden-yellow edgings which 

 usually characterize the feathers of the rump ; and a similar yellow pointing is to be 

 observed on the ends of the feathers forming the three lower rows of the wing-coverts. 

 The other parts of the plumage do not differ from ordinary specimens. — /. H. Gur- 

 ney ; Easton, Norfolk, January 24, 1853. 



Diseases produced by Coccidce on the Olive, fyc. — M. Robineau Desvoidy lately 

 proceeded to the South of France, with the view of ascertaining the cause of a malady 

 which had long been prevalent on the above trees in that part of the country, and which 

 it was supposed had made its appearance in the central and northern departments. 

 This disease, called morfe'e by the Italians, and fumagine in the North of France, con- 

 sists in a thick black crust, which covers the trunks, branches, &c. of the trees, some- 

 times over a considerable extent of country. The trees become arrested in their growth, 

 languid, and barren. According to historical accounts, this disease has not appeared 

 more than a century. It is said to have first occurred near Rome, and to have spread 

 thence through the whole of Italy, and into France. Every year it makes fresh pro- 

 gress, and no means of arresting it have yet been found. The Italians are not agreed 

 as to to whether this disease be a special malady, or merely the result of the attacks of 

 Coccidae. The author supports the latter opinion, stating that the disease never oc- 

 curs except upon trees attacked by those insects. Of these, he says that the Coccus 

 adonidum, a native of Senegal, attacks especially the citron and lemon trees ; the Coc- 

 cus hesperidum, a native of America and Africa, prefers the orange, rose-bay, and 

 peach trees; the Coccus aonidum, a native of the Indian Archipelago, attacks the 

 Lauraceous trees ; the Coccus Oleae commits the greatest ravages upon the olive-trees, 

 but also attacks the oranges and a number of other trees ; this is the most destructive 

 of all. Rich, moist, well cultivated localities are most favourable to the development 

 of these insects, and it is in such localities that they commit the greatest ravages. — 

 From the ' Comptes Rendus,' August 2, 1852, p. 183. 



[The crust should be melted, and would probably produce wax : the crust depo- 

 sited by a Chinese Coccus in a similar manner on trees, produces wax of excellent 

 quality.—^. iV.] 



