ORisriTHOLOGiCAL ISToTES. — The severe frost which we have witnessed 

 during the past three weeks has brought many rare birds here to our 

 sheltered districts. Several flocks of ducks, chiefly wigeons, have been 

 seen at Roundhay Park, also two or three water-rails. A great many 

 bramblings, fieldfares, and redwings were also observed. I saw a redwing 

 on the 13th of this month in one of our public streets (North-street). I 

 almost trod upon the bird, for so eagerly was it eating a piece of bread 

 that it did not fly away until I was within a yard of it. Birds at this 

 season become very bold. Robins and sparrows will come into the houses 

 if the doors or windows be left open. — Walter Raines, Leeds, December 

 26th, 1878. 



BeeedijSTG op Hawfinch. — It is not without pleasure I have to record 

 the breeding of the hawfinch in this district during the year 1878. I was 

 at Mr. P. Dalton's, Bingley, on the 10th inst, when he showed me an 

 immature hawfinch which had been caught at Myrtle Grove, Bingley. 

 The old birds were observed flying about in the neighbourhood all spring, 

 but the nest, as far as I could ascertain, was never found. I may also add 

 that had not the Protection Acts been in force, in all probability the birds 

 would have been shot. This is the only instance I have known of this 

 species breeding in this district. — E. P. P. Butterfield, Wilsden, 

 January 14th. 



A New British Species of the Gen¥S Achorutes. — On the 13th Oct. 

 last I found two specimens of Achorutes similatus, Nicolet, amongst dead 

 leaves in the garden, in company with A, purpurescens, Lubbock. I have 

 since searched for it, but have not been able to find any species of 

 Achorutes in the same place, doubtless owing to the severe winter. Sir 

 John Lubbock, in his " Monograph of the Collembola and Thysanura," 

 gives A . similatus as being found in Switzerland and France. Nicolet's 

 description (Mem. Soc. Helv. 1842) is as follows : — Entierement d'un 

 gris plombe, non metallique, plus pale en dessous, avec quelques lignes 

 longitudinales jaunes tres-peu apparentes sur le dos. Deux petites taches 

 du meme couleur sur le cou. Yeux d'un noir terne. Queue pale. 

 Longuer 1-2 millim. sur les eaux stagnantes en ete, et dans les terres 

 humides, vers la fin de I'automne et en hiver ; vit en societe, tres 

 commune." My specimens agree with this description in every particular 

 excepting the faint yellow lines on the back ; these I did not see, but 

 think there can be no doubt as to the identity. The antennae are short 

 and thick, and do not taper to the apex as in A. dubius. A. similatus 

 differs from A. armatus and A. purpuresceus by the absence of abdominal 

 booklets, and also by its uniform dull leaden-grey colour. A. Texensis of 

 Packard, and A . rdvicola of Fitch, are similar in colour, but both possess 

 abdominal booklets. — Geo. Brook, ter., Huddersfield, Jan., 1879. 



