Short Notes and Queries. 



59 



throughout the year. Several large flocks of swallows were observed on 

 the 4th October and for several preceding weeks, flying south-eastwards. 

 It has been very interesting to watch them collecting together in the 

 vicinity of the river Aire, preparatory to their migratory flight to a 

 wai mer climate, to return no more until next spring. Mr. John Grass- 

 ham tells me that he noticed small parties of swallows, perhaps three or 

 four in number, at Gledhow, on the 13th instant. Kingfishers and dippers 

 have again returned to their favourite haunts at Roundhay Park, where 

 formerly they bred along with other and still rarer birds. No doubt they 

 would still do so, were they not disturbed by the public. — Walter 

 E-AiNE, 5, Leeds Terrace. North-street, Leeds, Oct. 14th, 1878. 



Acherontia Atropos at Goole. — Mr. Bunker, of Goole, informs me that 

 an unusual number of the death's-head hawk moth (Acherontia Atropos) 

 has occurred in the district. Mr. B. possessed two specimens, and 

 reports five or six others. Such a quantity I believe merits notice. — 

 S. D. Bairstow, Woodland Mount, Huddersfield, 7th Oct., 1878. 



Cynophallus caninus m S. W. Yorkshire, — I see Cynophallus caninus 

 reported as new to West Yorkshire in your October issue. Having had 

 specimens brought me from two localities near York, namely, Butter- 

 crambe in 1877, Tilmire Se^Dt. 28th, 1878, it seems worth while to men- 

 tion the fact, in case it should be fresh also to this district. — J. Edmund 

 Clark, B.A., B. Sc. F.G.S.; 20, Bootham, York, Oct. 1st. 



Seligeria tristiclia in England. — In answer to Mr. Wesley's enquiry 

 about my having detected the above moss at Castleton, I beg to inform 

 him that I have every reason to believe that the* statement in Schimper's 

 Synopsis is a mistake, as I have no knowledge of having gathered it any- 

 where before I gathered it in Yorkshire in June last. I may also add 

 that I know of several other gross errors with reference to personal 

 authorities in Schimper's Synopsis, which in my opinion render an other- 

 wise valuable work very unreliable. I have made two special journeys to 

 Castleton this year, but I have only found ISeligeria pusilla and Ayiodus 

 Bonnianus. Myself and Mr. Ashton found the moss {8. tristiclia) on 

 shady dripping limestone rocks near Litton, Yorkshire, on the 15th of 

 June, 1878. On the same rock we also gathered Seligeria pusilla and S. 

 recurvata. — J. Whitehead. 



Js Seligeria tristiclia new to England or not 1 — As I recorded the 

 discovery of Mr. Whitehead's Littondale moss as " new" to England in 

 August, perhaps I may as well reply to the query on page 39 of last 

 month's number. The drift of the query is to show the inaccuracy of the 

 words " new to England." When I wrote them, however, I did so on 

 the best possible authority, viz., that of Mr. Whitehead himself ! I quoted 

 his own statement — a remarkable one if he had previously found it in 

 Derbyshire. In Mr. Whitehead's letter (written last July), asking me to 

 verify and notice his discovery, he himself says, " A moss not only new 



