164. 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



all around me. They ran along the branches 

 looking under the leaves, hanging upside 

 down, peering into the crevices of the bark, 

 darting down into the undergrowth, and 

 then flapping their wings to drive out any 

 insects that might be hiding under the 

 leaves, and if a gnat flies out it darts after it 

 in the same manner as a fly-catcher. They 

 were by far the tamest of the flock, and 

 most agile, they did not seem to be any 

 more tired when they ended than when they 

 began the search of a tree. The Nuthatches 

 were not so tame, although several times 

 when I was standing under a tree several 

 would come and tap the bark a few yards 

 above me. They run up the trunks of the 

 trees just like a mouse, searching for insects 

 until they have found a place that looks 

 likely, then balancing themselves with their 

 tail, which they press firmly against the 

 trunk, they commence operations by giving 

 a series of pecks on the bark in rapid suc- 

 cession. The sound produced is just like a 

 pencil being tapped on a drawing board. 

 They seldom walked downwards, and when 

 all the insects were exhausted out of that 

 place they would fly to another. Their 

 flight is rather quick, giving a few sharp 

 flaps with their wings they almost dart 

 along. I expect their food consisted of 

 coleopterous larvae. The Tits were not so 

 tame as the Wrens, they also showed great 

 agility in creeping along the branches for 

 their food. Saw numbers of Common 

 Wrens {T. parvulus), about the Park. I 

 heard one cock wren making a peculiar 

 drilling noise, " calling its mate." I thought 

 it was some distance off", but I observed the 

 object only about a couple of yards from 

 me, he darted down into a bush and did not 

 stir until I had nearly trodden on him. — 

 W. H. Bath. 



Birmingham Notes. Galanthus nivalis. — 

 The snowdrop has been in flower since the 

 beginning of February in Hampstead Park. 

 This plant is rather uncommon round heie. 



Zonites nitidus, — Found three under stones 

 near Selly Oak on 4th February. They were 

 quite lively. 



Sphcerium comeum. — Found a few in the 

 mud at bottom of a pond near Selly Oak on 

 12th February. Last summer the same pond 

 was swarming with them, but I always found 

 them amongst the water weed as described 

 by Mr. Robson on page 63. 



Limnea limosa — Also found a large quan- 

 tity of young peregra amongst the weed in 

 same pond. From their size I should think 

 they were hatched about last spriug. 1 hey 

 were very lively. 



Birds Singing. — Heard about half-a-dozen 

 robins {Erythaea rubecula), two or three 

 blackbirds {Turdus merula), and one thrush 

 (T. musicxis) singing at 5?elly Oak same 

 morning. 



Phigalia pilosaria. — Caui;ht two on lamps 

 at Edgbaston on 17th February; one was a 

 very dark variety. I have noticed that round 

 here Pilosaria varies a great deal more than 

 they did last year. How is this ? 



Samhueus nigra. — Saw a lot of Elder trees 

 in leaf near the Pebble Mill on 19th February, 

 Some leaves were full grown. This is early. 



Si ELLS ON Watercress. — A friend on the 

 20th February gave me three Physa fontinalis^ 

 three Limnea limosa (peregra)^ three Planorbia 

 contortus, and two P. vortex that he had found 

 on a small quantity of watercress yesterday. 

 He informed me he once found a dozen 

 Valvata cristata on a few sprigs of water- 

 cress. — G. F. Wheeldon, Birmingham. 



"BRADFORD NATURALISTS 

 SOCIETY." 



On the 7th March, I had the pleasure 



of reading a paper before the members of 



the above Society, and was highly pleased 



with the visit. This Society meets in the 



Grammar School of that town, which is as 



it should be. Every naturalist's society is, 



or should be, an educational institution 



and for them to meet in a school-room is a 



happy alliance, beneficial to both. The 



