10 



The Naturalist. 



Arrival of Spring Migrants.— Subjoined is a list of dates of the 

 arrival of our spring migrants, as observed principally bj'- myself in this 

 district during the present year :— Pied wagtail Feb. 24th, wheatear 

 April 6th, willow warbler 14th, ring-ousel 14th,* redstart 17th, sand 

 martin (several) 18th,* swallow 18th, tree pipit 19th, yellow wagtail 21st, 

 cuckoo 22nd, whitethroat 24th, yellowhammer 27th, blackcap 28th, 

 whinchat 28th, house martin May 1st, swift 4th,* spotted flycatcher 5th, 

 fieldfares (last seen) 8th, nightjar 12th, garden warbler 19th.* An 

 asterisk is placed against the species of which I am doubtful as to 

 whether the date may indicate the earliest arrival. It is evident 

 that a record of dates, based upon casual observations of the first 

 appearance of the migratory birds, can be of little or no value. 

 For instance, we very seldom see the swift in this locality before 

 the middle of June (its nearest breeding haunts being Bingley), but this 

 date affords a very fallacious indication of its arrival. The same remark 

 applies to the ring ouzel : their various breeding haunts should be 

 frequently, at least daily visited. It is also a common mistake to suppose 

 that they announce their presence by their song immediately on arriving. 

 If the weather be cold, and food insufiicient, many species continue for a 

 considerable time remarkably reticent — some even withdrawing alto- 

 gether, as the house martins in 1877. Of course this district being some- 

 what elevated, they do not, as might be reasonably expected, make their 

 appearance so early as in the low-lying districts. This is especially the 

 case with the exclusively insectivorous species. — E. P. P. Butterfield. 



Goneptenjx rJiamni at Armitage Bridge. — G. rhamni was in my 

 garden this morning. Had a long chase with my hat, but could not 

 capture it. I was close to it several times.— G. C. B. M., Armitage 

 Bridge, July 17th. — [This insect, although common enough in most 

 places, has only been recorded three or four times previously in this 

 district. — Eds. Nat.] 



Lithosia stramineola in North Lincoln. — I had to-day the pleasure of 

 finding two examples of the above, in copula on grass, under some fine oaks 

 at Willingham Park, near Market Rasen. The female has since deposited 

 eggs. This is the first record of the occurrence of this not-common 

 *' Footman " in Lincolnshire, I beheve, and as such is worth a passing 

 notice.— F. A. Lees, July 12th. 



Beetles. — Will any coleopterist inform me whether the following 

 beetles have ever been recorded or captured in the West-Biding or any 

 other part of Yorkshire -.—Copris lunaris, Lin., Hydrous piceus, Lin., 

 and Chrysomela fulgida, Lin. E. B. Wrigglesworth, Wakefield. — 

 [I used to take Hydrous piceus in a pond near here many years ago for my 

 aquarium. The pond has been cleared out since then.— C. P. H.] 



Carduus eriophorus. — In your report of the Brough meeting the above 

 is, mentioned as being recorded for East-Riding for the first time. If this 



