102 



The Naturalist. 



between the rows of the gooseberry bushes, and (presumably) there, 

 under it, the larva; passed the winter unhurt, and all ready for spring 

 action, for now, on the 6th of July, the bushes in many cases are badly 

 stripped, and the caterpillar of the summer brood may be seen, with 

 its bluish green skin spotted with black, and in its characteristic 

 position, that is, fastened by its caudal proleg to the surface of the leaf, 

 and by the others to the gnawed edge on which it is feeding. When 

 once these grubs are in possession, remedies are troublesome to apply, 

 and, in districts where gooseberry growing is one of the gardening 

 trades, co-operation is necessary to destroy the " pest" totally. How 

 ever, there are a very large proportion of cases in which, by examining 

 the soil to see how deep the grub cases lie, and then clearing them 

 away and destroying them, much good would be done. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 



( Continued. J 

 By S. D. Bairstow, F.L.S. 



I MUST now continue my first walk on African soil, and spare diver- 

 gent pleasures. When an acquaintance returns from foreign parts, we 

 naturally ask, "What did you see'?" but on the face of it this is a 

 stupid question. What does he not see 1 Out of a world of novelties 

 I choose the most striking — those which, once seen, are ever remem- 

 bered — first impressions, pleasant reminiscences — Olim meminisse 

 juvabit. Tortoises abounded on the flats, and I counted over fifty 

 dead carcases, bleached and decaying. Millipedes (Julm?) were in 

 countless thousands — -living, dead, and dying ; indeed the Myriapoda 

 represent a grand study, though hitherto apparently neglected, for I 

 cannot find a published work on South African species. Turning over 

 a stone on the slope of Cradock's Kloof, I was delighted to come 

 across a small family of scorpions. At first the fighting fiends, or 

 inveterate poisoners,* were torpid and motionless, but a gentle tap on 

 the anal weapon of seK-defence provoked some annoyance. They 

 fenced and guarded in a wonderful manner, and bold as brass ; they 

 were also sneakish as puff-adders, never losing sight of a chance to 

 make a bolt, and elude further vigilance and warfare. I speedily 

 discovered that in order to bottle my formidable antagonists I musi 

 extemporise a rude instrument of capture, a la forceps. Experience 

 has since taught me there are few " police bracelets " to beat ancient 



* Tke poison is emitted through a small orifice situated over spur of tail, and ' 

 coniiected to the maia supply. 



