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THE YOUNG NATUFALIST. 



us the result of their observations. Speak- 

 ing for myself, I can only say that although 

 the species is extremely common in this dis- 

 trict, I have never Observed any crepitative 

 discharges. The Rev. J. G. Wood, speaking 

 of this species, says (" Insects at Home," 

 page 44), "This is a very common beetle, 

 and is rather interesting to Entomologists, 

 because, like the BracMnus, it has the power 

 of defending itself by means mimic of artil- 

 lery, and can produce a number of the ex- 

 plosions in succession." Are we to under- 

 stand that Mr. Wood has really witnessed 

 the said discharges, or is it only one of 

 those errors which have been handed down 

 to us by bookmakers and closet naturalists, 

 and which are being gradually but surely 

 dispelled? — R. Wilding, Downing Street, 

 Liverpool. 



7- 



Nightingale. — The Nightingale does not 

 breed in, or regularly visit any part of Tees- 

 dale. In fact it has never occurred in the 

 county of Durham at all, and was not likely 

 to appear on the south bank of the river 

 without occasionally crossing so narrow a 

 stream. The nearest place where I have 

 heard of the Nightingale appearing, is Guis- 

 bro', in Yorkshire, a small town in the 

 heart of the Cleveland hills, and ten or 

 twelve miles from the mouth of the Tees, 

 where it has been heard once or twice. — 

 John E. Robson, Hartlepool. 



8. 



Ferns, — Spleenworts are best grown in 

 pots, under glass, in a mixture of broken 

 bricks, old mortar, and sandy loam, with an 

 inch of drainage, care being taken that the 

 fronds are not touched by the syringe. It 

 is a good plan to keep the crowns elevated 

 so as to avoid touching the fronds, and also 

 shade them from the sun in hot weather. 

 They require little water, and do not like 

 removing. When once established they 

 thrive well.— H. Andrews, Aldborough, 

 Borobridge. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 

 BIRDS. 



Weight of Jack Snipe, — A few days 

 before Xmas, I shot a Jack Snipe, which 

 turned the scale at three and a half ounces. 

 Is not this an unusual weight ? — F. Kerry, 

 Harwich. \ 



Red-breasted Merganser at Harwich, j 

 — An old male was shot on the River j 

 Orwell, 19th December. This bird is in the 

 most perfect plumage. — F. Kerry, Harwich. 



INSECTS. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



V. PoLYCHLORUS AT SuGAR. — Ou read- 

 ing the number of the "Young Natura- 

 list " for January, I observed the note | 

 re the capture of V. PolycTilorus at 

 sugar. In the strict sense of the term, per- 

 haps I was wrong, but as I took the insect 

 in question off a patch of sugar in my gar- 

 den, and it was so intoxicated as to allow me 

 to knock it down with my fingers into the 

 net, I think I was justified in saying I took 

 it at sugar. I may add that I have fre- 

 quently taken V polychloros and V. ata- 

 lanta on sugar patches, in a plantation near 

 Harwich.— C. A. Marriot, King William 

 Street, London. 



EXCHANGE. 



Duplicates. — Galathea, Pa^Ma, Adippe, 

 W. Albumy H. Sylvanus, Velleda, Gracilis, 

 StaticeSy Vesj)ertaria (males), Cambrica/s'ia, 

 Herhida, Biundularia, C. Mgriimi, CM, Batis, 

 Tristata, TeTnpliy also live females.— Geo. 

 Rose, Queen Street, Barnsley. 



Duplicates. — Blandina, Tritici, Valli- 

 yerer, Geryon, ^'c. Desiderata. — Very 

 many common species, especially from dis- 

 tant localities. — John E. Robson, 15, North- 

 gate, HartlepooK 



