NOTES AND QUERIES. 437 



INSEOTA. 



The Poor Mayfly. — Few creatures, I imagine, have more enemies 

 than the insect named. I know little of its comparatively long aquatic 

 life, but if an inference may be drawn from what is well known of the 

 ravages committed by larvse of dragonflies, the great water-beetle and 

 its kin, and other smaller but no less insinuating fry upon inmates 

 of the water generally, the earlier stages of Ephemera vulgata are 

 exposed to not a few perils during its two or threefold metamorphoses. 

 Years ago the insects were very abundant on the Avon and its tributary 

 brooks, but for a considerable time they seemed to be entirely want- 

 ing, until comparatively recently tbeir reappearance — but not in their 

 former abundance — has been hailed with satisfaction by the angling 

 community. One bright day at the end of May or beginning of June 

 I sat in a quiet nook by the river, and watched with very great interest 

 some of the insects as they winged their brief aerial existence over the 

 stream from which they had emerged, and I could not but notice what 

 a perilous life was theirs. In the hollow branch of a tree on one side 

 of the stream a Sparrow had built its nest, and in a thorn-bush on the 

 opposite bank a Chaffinch had its home — with probably a family to be 

 provided for in each case — and both birds were alert in watching the 

 opportunity to catch and carry to their respective retreats the dancing, 

 fat-bodied Mayflies as they appeared, and in this work one or the other 

 was generally successful ; but on more than one occasion the most 

 strenuous efforts of both finches were unavailing, as a Swift dashed 

 between them and carried off the prize ; or, should the poor fly have 

 the misfortune to fall upon the water, it was soon discovered, and 

 swallowed up by some hungry watchful fish. Thus one of the many 

 tragedies in nature is presented to us, and we are inclined to ask why 

 the Mayfly is so sought after and persecuted. — G. B. Corbin (Ring- 

 wood, Hants). 



Notes on the Mole-Cricket (Gryllotalpa vulgaris). — I have only 

 just seen the notes on this insect (ante, p. 357). Illustrations of this 

 striking insect in old books on natural history, and Gilbert White's 

 account of the singular noises it produces, are well known to all 

 entomologists ; but its range in Great Britain seems to be very in- 

 definitely understood, and further information as to its occurrence 

 in the different counties would be of great interest. An article on 

 this insect, by Mr. J. E. Harting, appeared in the 'Field' news- 

 paper on April 15th, 1905, when numbers of Mole-Crickets were 

 causing damage to pasture and clover lands on Lord Ellesmere's estate. 

 Mr. Harting, beyond saying that the insect is found chiefly in peaty 



