Short Notes and Queries. 



171 



adjoining lagoon, where, with the aid of a field glass, we were able to see 

 them very distinctly. This is an unusual place for these birds at this 

 time of the year, though they are said to breed on most of our Yorkshire 

 moors. I should be glad to hear of any authentic instance of this bird 

 breeding in Yorkshire. I visit the home of the curlew and golden plover 

 regularly during the spring and summer, but still I have never caught 

 sight of the little dunlin. We also saw at Strensall a very large flock of 

 pied wagtails, and a pair of fine herons. — Walter Raine, Leeds, 

 May 16th. 



Pied Flycatcher at Bingley. — Whilst sauntering through Bingley 

 Wood on the 14th inst., my brother and I had the gratification of seeing, 

 for the first time in this locality, that local and beautiful bird the pied fly- 

 catcher. Since the above date I have been several times for the purpose 

 of ascertaining whether it was breeding, or merely migratory, as I had 

 not seen the female bird until to-day. This morning, however, after 

 waiting some time, I observed the female with some building material in 

 her mouth, which she took at last to her nest, which was placed in a hole 

 of the trunk of a fine beech tree. Immediately alter the flycatcher had 

 been to its nest I saw a blue-tit enter, possibly in search of a breeding 

 place ; and my only fear now is that it will dispossess the rightful owners, 

 as its pugnacity is only equalled by its impudence — E. Butterfield, 

 WHsden, May 18th. 



Vanessa Antiopa in Wharfedale. — On the 11th inst. my brother 

 chased a V. Antiojoa for a considerable distance along the highway near 

 Barden Tower, in Wharfedale. A friend of his, who was with him, 

 first started it, and called out, "A Camberwell beauty." My brother 

 says he could not possibly mistake it for any other butterfly. — E. But- 

 terfield, May 18th. 



Acronyda alni. — I had yesterday the delight of seeing a lovely 

 Acronyda alni in my breeding cage. It is now on my setting board. — 

 Joseph Anderson, junr., Chichester, May 14th. 



Ejlling Insects with Ammonia. — A method of killing lepidoptera 

 and other insects more frequently used in the southern than our counties, 

 is by means of ammonia. I first saw it used by Mr. W. H. Tugwell, of 

 Greenwich, when collecting with him in Abbots' Wood, in Sussex, about 

 five years ago. Three or four ounces of carbonate of ammonia (which 

 may be bought for a few pence, and will last a whole season through), are 

 placed at the bottom of a wide mouthed jar (glass is best), big enough to 

 hold fifty or sixty ordinary chip boxes, and having a close-fitting cork or 

 stopper. Into this jar the chip boxes are emptied just as they are, 

 without even removing the lids at all, on coming in from a collecting 

 excursion, and then left alone until next morning. The insects inside 

 the boxes will then be found to be in perfect order, and in splendid 



