874 THE YOUNG 



short, smooth, and dark brown stipes. The 

 fronds are pinnate, the pinnte are oblong, and 

 the margins serrated or crenated. The veins 

 are distinct. Sori are parallel, oblong, and 

 covered by a peisistent indusia. Fronds 

 appear about Ma}'. Found on rocky coasts. 



Asplenium L&nceolatum (Lance- 

 olate Spleenwort). — This fern grows from 6 

 to 12 inches high. The fronds are bipinnate 

 and lanceolate ; the rachis and stipes is 

 covered sparingly with scales. The pinnae 

 are orate-lanceolate in form ; the pinnules 

 generally oborate, and serrated margin. 

 Venation is distinct ; the venules are forked, 

 producing veinlets. Sori at first are oblong, 

 but become afterwards roundish. Fronds 

 appear about May. Found near the south- 

 ern and western coasts. It is local and not 

 common. There is only one variety, and it 

 is very rare. 



Asplenium Adiantum (Maidenhair 

 Spleenwort). — This evergreen fern grows in 

 tufts from 4 to 12 inches high, is triangular 

 and elongated. The fronds are bipinnate, 

 the pinna j pinnate, and the pinnules pinnate, 

 and the margins sharply serrate. Sori are 

 elongate, but become confluent, and are very 

 numerous. Fronds appear at the end of April 

 or beginning of May. Found on hedge-banks, 

 rocks, and walls. It is local, but common. 

 There is one variety, but it is very rare. 

 (To be continued.) 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES 

 FOR BEGINNERS. 



By C. S. Gregson. 

 SEPTEMBER. 

 " Now or N wer." 

 The season is so advanced that, unless you 

 have secured Sphinx convolv.Ui hovering above 

 and flyingaround " petunia " or "pelargonium" 

 flowers, you must do so now. Take your 

 stand, net in hand, in a nursery or other 

 garden, and wait until dusk, and be sure you 

 do not get flurried, keep calm, and strike face 



NATURALIST. 



on to your insect, in fact you ought not to 

 strike (properly so called), but to pick the 

 Sphinx out from among the flowers with your 

 net — deftly, or woe to the flowers. Bear in 

 mind you will want the flowers to-morrow 

 night, so don't sweep them into your net with 

 Convolvuli . Once the game is netted, down 

 on your knees with the net on the ground, and 

 with a three-needle pencil, such as described 

 in one of our earlier notes (which see) pin it 

 fast, and at once puncture it with oxilic acid 

 in solution, this done, look at the flowers and 

 secure another. We must remember ' 'sharp' s' ' 

 the word at this work. Now, too, another 

 grand species is to be had, Achevonticl Atropos 

 (The Death head) larva is feeding on potatoe 

 tops in fields, and may be found by walking 

 down the reams, noticing the Haulms on both 

 sides of you for about two reams, if they 

 appear stripped then search for Frass pellets 

 on the ground ; these once found follow, your 

 game is not far off. Light is now more attractive 

 to moths than at any other time, see notes for 

 August, and take long strolls each dark 

 murky or wet night. Around the gas lamps 

 in small towns, every lamp must be examined, 

 in large towns go out side. Many plans 

 have been proposed, and several suggestions 

 made, how to get the moths off the lamps, 

 my plan has always been to mount the lamp, 

 or to use a little machine I have made by 

 which I can pick them off no matter where 

 they are sitting outside the lamp : it moves on 

 a ball and socket joint, and closes by a spring, 

 but it often happens the moths are inside the 

 lamps, (having gone up the gas-pipe in the 

 centre,) so that after all in practice the proper 

 thing is to mount the lamp. The principal species 

 taken will be Thons, tilcana, one of the most 

 beautiful is also the most abundant species at 

 light. The specimens at light are pretty sure 

 to be males. Search carefully along hedge 

 bottoms for females, they will be found at rest, 

 and when so found rarely fail to give a 

 profusion of eggs. Beating for larva must still 

 be continued, sallows, elders, and birches will 

 be most productive, but as I have not time to 



