34 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[February 



whales jumping completely out of the water. Two years ago I saw ninety 

 of these whales driving up on the shore in a bay close to Kirkwall, the 

 largest being 27 feet long, and the smallest seven feet. 



We arrived back at Stromness at midnight, having spent a most 

 enjoyable time, which I shall ever remember. And, in conclusion, I 

 would just like to mention that for three weeks the equinoctial gales were 

 in full force previous to the 8th of September, and the smack went out 

 twice from Stromness with cargo and fresh provisions, but on both 

 occasions was unable to land, owing to the heavy sea. The weather 

 moderating a little, a small steamer, with 300 tons of bricks, went 

 out from Stromness with the contractor on board, and on approaching 

 the Skerry, much to his surprise, he saw the cranes taken down 

 and the huts tied down with chains and ropes. A boat put off with 

 six men in, who coming on board, said that all the men demanded to be 

 taken of. The contractor, seeing how things stood, went ashore, and 

 said they must first unload the bricks, but the men stoutly refused, so, 

 and making everything secure, they left the work until the following spring. 



I trust that I have succeeded in giving you some general idea of this 

 island, around which the giant rollers come sweeping majestically, and 

 dash in snowy foam against the rocks with a deep thundering roar, and 

 that you have realized some of the risks incurred in building the light- 

 house, which will be, when completed, by far the most isolated in the 

 British Isles. 



GOSSIPING NOTES ON BRITISH COLEOPTERA. 



BY G. A. LEWCOCK. 



Since the publication of the last " Notes " under the above heading 

 (vol. II. page 214), a new " Catalogue of British Coleoptera" has been 

 issued by Messrs. L. Reeve and Co. (London), under the joint authorship 

 of Dr. D. Sharp and Canon Fowler. Before proceeding with the " Notes," 

 it will be as well to glance at the alterations in the new catalogue which 

 affect the genera already dealt with. 



The first on the list is the genus Cicindela. The only change of any 

 importance to be observed here is the recognition of C. maritima as a 

 distinct species instead of being considered as a variety only of 

 C. hybrida, and to which our attention was formerly directed. (" Young 

 Naturalist," vol. XL page 5.) 



The Carabidse would appear at first sight to be arranged somewhat in 

 the same order as in Canon Fowler's Catalogue of 1883. The grouping 

 of genera, however, is slightly different, as, for instance, Notiophilus 

 follows Calosoma ; Elaphrus comes after Pelophila and Blethisa ; Clivina 



