232 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. [D ECEMBEE 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



House Martin. — I saw several specimens of the House Martin 

 (Chelidon Urbica) flying over the River Mole here to-day, Nov. 21st, 

 the latest date on which I have ever noticed them here. In 1886 I 

 saw them in plenty over the Mill pond here on the 20th Nov., but on 

 the 22nd they were all gone. — Thos. H. Briggs, Leather Head, 

 Surrey. Nov. 21st, 1890. 



Podiceps minor at Derby. — I was pleased to see the above- 

 named bird on the River Derwent, within a minute's walk of the 

 Market Place. It seemed quite at home, and was busily engaged 

 diving for small fish, although scores of persons were constantly pass- 

 ing. I think this rather unusual to find them so near the town, 

 although 'they are not uncommon on some of the streams and rivers of 

 Derbyshire. — G. Pullen, Derby. 



Artificial Bodies for Lepidoptera which are apt to Grease. 

 Mr. A. E. Hall's suggestions under this heading (ante 212) appear to 

 be open to objection, and, in fact, quite unnecessary. If the neat 

 appearance of a row of specimens in a cabinet is the only object to be 

 aimed at, no doubt artificial bodies would answer the purpose ; but if 

 the specimens are to be of any scientific value, it is necessary that 

 they should be complete. The external appearance of the wings of 

 Lepidoptera form so easy a guide to their identification that we are 

 prone to regard them as the only portions that it is necessary to pre- 

 serve ; but a classification based purely upon such material as is thus 

 afforded would be liable to be misleading, to say the least of it, and it 

 is most desirable that for such purposes every member should be com- 

 plete. Of late much attention has been paid to the examination and 

 comparative structure of the anal appendages ; but how would this be 

 possible with artificial bodies ? Moreover, if the natural bodies may 

 be divested of their superfluous fatty matter with as much ease as 

 they could be replaced by artificial, surely it is preferable to retain 

 them, and the present appearance of specimens of such particularly 

 greasy species as Gortyna ochracea (flavago) ; Nonagvia amndinis 

 (typhce) ; Hepialus humuli, etc., that have been in my cabinet since 

 1876 and 7, lead me to suppose that the treatment applied to them 

 was entirely successful. The method employed was as follows : Upon 



