268 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



NOTE— BOTANY, 



Thalictrum alpinum L. at Settle. — As Mr. Lees, in trying to throw doubt 

 on my record for Thalictriini alpuiiiui, has fallen into some very amusing mis- 

 takes, I claim a little of your space while I correct them. In the first place, 

 I have no ' impression ' in regard to T. alpinuvi. I only possess a very clear, 

 distinct, and somewhat extended knowledge of it. / have seen it on the hills at 

 the hack of Settle. As one who is, according to Mr. Lees, ' a comparative 

 stranger,' I need no apology for being unable to indicate to him the exact square 

 yard of ground on which he may find it ; enough for him to learn that the hills in 

 the Settle district ai-e not too dry for this plant. Mr. Lees labours under a 

 delusion when he imagines that T. alpimiin is a bog plant ; it is not so, but is 

 found on wet or on dry ground. I have seen it in the crevices of the driest rocks 

 on Ben Lawers, Ben Lui, Ben Ledi, and many other of our hills, as well as on the 

 wet ledges. In the Shetland Islands I have seen it on very dry ground, as well 

 as on still more dry gravel ; indeed, I do not know any alpine plant which thrives 

 under a greater range of conditions. Mr. Lees reminds me of the Irishman who, 

 being accused of a crime, stated that he could bring fifty men to prove that they 

 did not see him do it, and so he drags forward six names to prove that they did 

 not see the plant in question. And now one word in regard to Nephrodiuni 

 (tvfmlnfn, a plant Mr. Lees seems as familiar with as with T. alpimim. Will Mr. 

 Lees kindly inform your readers where Edward Newman states that he (Edward 

 Newman) saw this plant (A'', tetmihun) in Settle Woods. In conclusion, I have 

 seen T. alpiniDu on the hills near Settle, and I have no doubt that it will be 

 found on Ingleborough and some of the other hills by those who know where to 

 look for it. If, however, your botanists follow the advice of Mr. Lees and look 

 for it in a bog, they will remain as familiar with it as he is at present. — A. Craig 

 Christie, Edinburgh, August 12th, 1888. 



NO TES—LEPID OPTERA . 



Deilephila galii at Bradford. — Mr. J. Holmes, a collector of lepidoptera 

 here, brought me this morning a specimen of this rare hawk-moth for identification, 

 which had been taken from a wall in Manningham Park on July 22nd last. 

 Considering that the captor had carried it in his hat — which although it has often 

 done good service as a botanical vasculum, is not so convenient a receptacle for 

 insects — it is in very fair condition, being only slightly ' rubbed ' on the thorax. 

 Previously, only two specimens had been recorded for the Bradford district — 

 one having been captured at Cleckheaton, the other in 1878 at Wibsey. — 

 J. W. Carter, Bradford, August 5th, 1888. 



Deilephila galii at Harrogate.— On the 26th of July last I took a specimen 

 (male, I think) of Deilephila galii, hovering over a plant oi DelphinitLvi fojvnosiwi 

 in a garden in Harrogate, about 9.15 p.m. The occurrence of this species is so 

 rare in England that its capture in Yorkshire is worth recording. — Ben. Blaydes 

 Thompson, ii. Franklin Parade, Harrogate, 13th August, 1888. 



Deilephila g'alii at Alford, Lincolnshire. — A fine specimen of Deilephila 

 galii was brought to-day to me to be named. It was taken here by Mr. T. P. 

 Richardson on the evening of the 2nd instant, in his garden at a clump of ' Sweet 

 William.' — Robert Garfit, Alford, i6th August, 1888. 



Deilephila galii at Hartlepool. — I had brought to me on the 24th July a 

 specimen of Deilephila galii, which had been taken amongst some pit timber by 

 a labourer upon the quay side. The specimen had evidently been in beautiful con- 

 dition when first seen, but the man who discovered it unfortunately thought it was 

 dead, and took hold of it by one of the wings, rubbing it somewhat ; the other 

 side is, however, quite undamaged. Mr. J. E. Robson also had a specimen 

 brought to him about a week previously ; this had been taken in a hotel yard. — 

 J. Gardner, 8, Friar Terrace, Hartlepool, August 19th, 1888. 



Naturalist, 



