1905. 



Notes, 



93 



and Hampshire ; Mr. Lewis, extension of Westmoreland area, westwards 

 and northwards ; Mr. Moss, Cheshire and Derbyshire ; Dr. W. G. Smith, 

 Yorkshire, Clevelatids, Wensle3 dale and Swaledale ; in addition some work 

 is bein^ done in North and South Wales, and in Aberdeenshire. It will be 

 seen that considerable progress has been and is being made in this eiFort 

 to obtain a systematic acquaintance with British vegetation, and to re- 

 duce it to a form in which comparison can be made between regions 

 widely apart. Gaps are still numerous, however, even in the mountain 

 and moorland country, while considerable areas of ecological interest are 

 untouched, and will probably remain so unless undertaken by fresh 

 workers. 



Ecological Study of Vegetation, — The above-mentioned surveys of wide 

 areas carried out on a comparatively small scale and affording only a 

 primary analysis of the vegetation, ought to be supplemented by work 

 of a more detailed character. This is also being undertaken. Mr. T. W, 

 Woodhead recently communicated some of his results to the Linnean 

 Society (December 15th, 1904). Mr. Woodhead has devoted himself 

 principally to the survey and study of woodland areas in South-west 

 Yorkshire. The mapping is done on the Ordnance Survey maps of six 

 inches and twenty-five inches to the mile, and all kinds of data bearing 

 on the vegetation have been collected. The biological laboratory at the 

 Technical College, Huddersfield, is available and suitably equipped for 

 ecological research, and is wdthin easy reach of the woodlands. In the 

 woods themselves convenient huts have been placed at the disposal of 

 workers for the purpose of research, and every facility has been granted 

 by the owners and by a neighbouring resident to those desirous of mak- 

 ing experiments and observations on the spot. Mr. Woodhead is thus 

 doing pioneer work in this department so far as this country is concerned. 

 Mr. Tansley has also begun mapping work on a similar scale in Kent. 

 The Committee is desirous of promoting this more detailed survey and 

 study side by side with the mapping of large and more uniform areas, 

 and will be glad to give further information. 



Communications may be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee, 

 Dr. W. G. Smith, The University, Leeds. 



ZOOLOGY. 

 Death's Head Moth near Wexford. 



Mr. G. Redmond, Wexford, presented me with a beautiful specimen 

 of Acherontia atropos, taken at Maudlenstown, near Wexford, last October. 

 It was dead when I received it, but I was most successful in relaxing it on 

 wet sand, and it is now in my collection. 



J. H. Johnston^ 



Wexford 



