234 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Nomenclature of Coliae Edusa. — This species is described by Eabricius 

 in his "Genera Insectorum," bearing the date of 1776, of which I possess 

 a copy which formely belonged to Dr. Solander. In the Young Naturalist 

 list of British Lepidoptera, it is recorded thus:- "Edusa, Fab. 1787 ; 

 Croccus, Fourcroy. 1785."--C. W. Dale. 



The Iceland Gull at Hartlepool. — I shot a specimen of the Iceland 

 Gull, here on the 18th October. It is a yoUng bird, but in very fine plum- 

 age. I am not aware it has occurred here before. — J. Cambridge, Alliance 

 Street, Hartlepool. 



Preserving the Colours of Flowers. — Allow me through the medium 

 of the Young Naturalist to ask if any of its readers can inform me how best 

 to dry flowers so as to preserve the colours. I have tried drying them in 

 sand as well as the usual method between sheets of paper, but 1 fail to get 

 them to retain their natural colours. This is more particularly the case with 

 flowers having thick fleshy leaves. If there is any method by which this can 

 be done I would be glad to know. — J. T. Taylor, Hartlepool. 



Variety of the common Hare. — I do not know if it is at all a usual 

 thing for the common hare to vary in colour, but except white hares I never 

 saw a variety till this morning, when 1 observed one in a game dealer's shop 

 here. It was a light silver grey in colour, lighter considerably than a wild 

 rabbit, and not unlike some of the lighter coloured silver greys that are such 

 favourites with the " fancy " here. It had been shot in Castle Eden Dene.—- 

 John E. Robson, Hartlepool. 



The Peculiarities of Ogyia Gonostigma. — Eecent observations by 

 Messrs. Anderson and Robson upon the subject of apterous females amongst 

 Lepidoptera, bring to my recollection sundry singularities in the economy of 

 Orgyia gonostigma, and it may be accounted an eccentricity of Nature, that 

 of two closely allied species, one should be so scarce in this country, and the 

 other (0. antiqua) so extremely plentiful. With 0. gonostigma I made ac- 

 quaintance at its sole haunt near London, viz : Wimbledon Common, where 

 it is confined to a small valley or depression, dotted over with dwarf oaks, 

 hazels, and willows. So far as I am aware, there are not half-a-dozen other 

 localities in England that have been noted up to this time. Now it is per- 

 fectly clear that in the case of both these species, the only possible way for 

 them to be diffused is by the wanderings of the larvae, where the females spin, 

 there perforce they must tarry. The larvae of 0. antiqua is not at all partic- 

 ular about its food, (there have recently been some complaints as to its injur- 



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