l8g3 .] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 189 



The Early Season. — Leucophasia sinapis and Euclidia glyphica were 

 both on the wing on 2nd May. I went down to Burning Cliff on 26th 

 May and saw both Satyrus j antra and Hesperia action flying, and several 

 of the summer tortrices. Argynnis pafrhia and Theela quevcus were both 

 out on 1 6th June. — C. W. Dale, Glanvilles Wootton. 



The Early Season. — Everything is wonderfully early this season. 

 Davus was oat first week in June, accompanied by Russula. Sericea 

 appeared first on July 2nd, while Imbutata was then well on the wing, 

 as also were Tuvfqsalis, Wavringtonellus, Margaritellus, Auroraria, Schult- 

 ziana, Pinicolana, &c, &c. Larvae, too, are much in advance of former 

 years. I found Ziczac and Tiliaria full grown on July 2nd, Then I 

 also saw half grown V inula and 5. populi, and one of Menyant \idis. — 

 Jos. Collins, Warrington. 



The Sallow Flowering a second time. — On the 5th 3f this 

 month (August) I saw two species of sallow, and both sexes, in bloom 

 near Enfield. — F. Milton, Stamford Hill, N. 



Macroglossa stellatarum in Somerset. — A sister-in-law of 

 mine recently sent me three specimens of M. stellatarum which she 

 took in their garden at White Ball, Wellington, Somerset. — F. 

 Milton, Stamford Hill, N. 



The present Summer Conchologically is far from satisfactory, 

 in this district at least, and I expect others have not been much 

 better. Land mollusks of all kinds I have found most difficult to procure, 

 the occasional showers we have has failed to bring them out, probably 

 through the moisture not having reached their underground retreats. 

 I have been trying to make up some sets of slugs, but have not 

 succeeded, as these creatures are far from abundant — no complaints 

 on this point from gardeners, who appear to do very well without them. 

 The usual haunts of the snails too are almost deserted. With aquatic 

 species, ponds and small streams are unproductive, even if they are 

 not quite dried up. The case is different with the rivers, here the dry- 

 weather is an advantage to the collector, enabling him to reach the 

 cosy retreats in the bed, where mollusks do love to congregate. 



Every conchologist must have remarked how much the localities 

 in his district vary from year to year as to the species found in them, 

 and more especially as to the relative abundance of these, yet I do not 

 recollect having seen any notes on this subject. I have made two 

 visits lately to a part of the Trent which I explored in 1883, at a time 

 when the water was low, as at present ; on the former occasion I 

 procured Anodon cygneus 20, A. anatina 130, Unis pictorum 100, U. 

 tumidus 70 ; at the present time U. tumidus is the most abundant 

 species of all, and A. cygneus far in excess of typical anatina. At the 

 mouth of a stream running into the Trent, last year I procured 



