256 



NO TE — NEUROPTERA . 



Dragonfly new to Yorkshire at Askham Bog.— At the excursion 

 of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union to Askham Bog- on the 2nd of June, 

 the most interesting - neuropteron taken was Brachytron pratense, a dragon- 

 fly hitherto unrecorded for the county of York, and which was not uncommon. 

 The pretty Libellida quadrimaculata was taken by Mr. B. Morley. Agriou 

 pnella was plentiful, and Ischnura elegans was also reported. — George 

 T. Porritt, Crosland Hall, Huddersfield, 25th July, 1900. 



Hummingbird Hawkmoth near Milnthorpe, Westmorland.— 



To-day (24th July) the Hummingbird Moth \Macroglossa stellatarum) visited 

 my garden, as this species has done on two previous occasions, at long 

 intervals. On each occasion it seemed to have a preference for the scarlet 

 geranium and allied varieties. — George Stabler, Levens, Milnthorpe. 



De-abdominated Insects. — I send you a box of insects which I picked 

 up in Poolthorn Wood, Cadney, Lincolnshire (Div. 3), on Saturday, 21st 

 July. They have all been de-abdominated by bird or beast, but I cannot 

 yet say which.— Max Peacock, Bottesford, Lincolnshire, 23rd July 1900. 



The specimens sent by Mr. Peacock represent the following species of 

 Lepidoptera: — Xylophasia polyodon, Plusia iota, Liparis auriflita (three 

 specimens), Botys iwticalis, Onrapteryx sambucata (two specimens), Arctia 

 vienthastri Abraxas grossidariata , Ptei'ophorus pentadactyhis , Pehirga 

 comitata. I should say it is most likely the bodies have been eaten by Bats, 

 but birds may have been the culprits. But these insects are species 

 which would evidently be captured whilst on the wing-, which dispenses with 

 any notion that mice may have done it. They are, too, all early evening- 

 flying species, though late enough for most of the small birds to have g'one, 

 or be about going, to roost. Nightjars would, I think, swallow the moths 

 entire ; hence my inclination to accuse Bats. — Geo. T. Porritt, 25th July. 



In the recently-issued 4 Furness Lore, being the Transactions of the 

 Barrow Naturalists' Field Club for the 4th, 5th, and 6th years ending 24th 

 March 1882,' edited by Harper Gaythorpe, F. S.A.Scot., there is some 

 interesting reading. First, because in those days there was a Naturalists' 

 Field Club at Barrow ; secondly, we have papers of that period, and a little 

 later, broug-ht up to date ; thirdly and lastly, it is explained in the intro- 

 duction how, why, and by whom the club lost its character and became 

 'Literary and Scientific' — at least those are the words used — in 1880. Some 

 work was done in various branches, and good lectures, as the list on p. 51 

 shows, both in subjects and speakers, were given. The excursions were g-ood 

 and resulted in no loss. As usual in ' Literary and Scientific ' affairs the 

 archaeological papers are the best and well illustrated. But possibly the truly 

 literary part borne by Mr. Gaythorpe in his efforts to trace the missing 

 minute books from Barrow to various places, California included, are quite 

 as valuable as several papers here condensed, the one on ' Evolution ' 

 especially, if not those on 'Scott' and 'The Drama,' this latter being- 

 elementary. I believe Stopford Brooke's ' Prima ' was issued before 1880, 

 and, if so, the information could be obtained for a shilling and better put. 

 It is, to an old collector of dramatic books, depressing. Aliog-ether this 

 ' No. 2, Vol. 3,' is a credit to those concerned. It has benefite'd largely by 

 the editor's beautiful drawings, and although it may seem presumptuous to 

 congratulate Mr. Gaythorpe on his work, one can safely say that he has 

 made a good index and chosen a g-ood printer. 



As the volume is not an ordinary ' Club ' issue, it may fall into the hands 

 of some member of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and no doubt it will 

 be read with the care that the geological and the ' Park,' p. 37, papers 

 deserve. — S. L. P. 



NOTES— LEPIDOPTERA. 



BOOK NOTICE. 



Naturalist, 



