Notes — Ornithology and Lcpidoptera. 



287 



Lesser Whitethroat, the occurrence of the Nightingale evidenced 



by the discovery of a nest, the status of the Woodlark in the 



county (for we have seen eggs taken in Cheshire which we 



thought were of this species), the presence of the Velvet Scoter 



amongst flocks of the Common Scoter off the shores of Wirral 



(suggested as probable by the authors), and more evidence of 



the occurrence of the Bearded Titmouse. 



We hope that Cheshire bird lovers, guided and encouraged 



by such an excellent text book, will become more keen and more 



competent observers in the future, and will not fail to chronicle 



their observations. The pages of ' The Naturalist ' are open to 



them. W. H. Dobie. 

 *» 



NO TE— ORNITHOLOGY. 



Voice of Cuckoo. — Have our readers noticed that the Cuckoos 

 (Cuculus canorus) have kept in full song up till now, 7th July. As a rule 

 long- before this they begin to stutter and have great difficulty in uttering 

 their cry. In 1898, on the 6th July, they were giving- us six cues to one 

 coo. The lateness of the season seems to have affected their song, 

 although I did not notice that they arrived later than commonly. I have 

 only seen one egg this season as yet. This was in a Yellow Wagtail 

 (Motacilla rayi)'s nest in a field at Yaddlethorpe, a noted place for them in 

 my young- days. — Max Peacock, The Manor, Bottesford, Lincolnshire, 7th 

 July 1900. 



NOTES- LEPIDOPTERA. 



Colias hyale and C. edusa near Spilsby.— I caught a fine specimen 

 of Colias hyale this morning near here, and saw about eight specimens of 

 C. edusa. — J. C. Lane-Claypon, Aswardby Hall, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, 20th 

 Aug-ust 1900. 



Colias edusa near Lincoln. — At 11.45 a - m - on Friday, 17th August, 

 at Waddington, on the high road from Lincoln to Grantham, I saw an 

 apparently freshly-emerg-ed male example of Colias edusa. — A. E. Hall, 

 Norbury, Sheffield, 21st August 1900. 



Hummingbird Hawkmoth at Ripon. — This lovely moth {Macroglossa 

 stellatarum) was seen in my g-arden on Tuesday evening, 24th July, curiously 

 enough the same date as your Milnthorpe correspondent mentions he had 

 Seen it. It is quite three or four years since I have noticed one of the 

 Species here. I have watched in vain for it since, but have not seen it. — 

 HORACE St. Pai l, The Willows, Ripon, 3rd August 1900. 



Hummingbird Hawkmoth in Westmorland. — Last month's note on 

 Macroglossa stellatarum was interesting, for this is the first year in my 

 (somewhat short) experience of the county in which it has been seen. It 

 must he fairly plentiful. Since 11th July it has been in the garden prett) 

 often ; I have seen it in Grasmere, and friends have had it in Ambleside. 

 When first it came, almost all the flowers, except roses, seemed to vield it 

 Qectar pinks and pansies and the last blooms of aubretia. Bui on 21st 

 July, when the grand early-flowering white phlox w hose heads of (lowers 

 measure nine inches high of dense bloom — was open, the moth was entirely 

 absorbed with it, pausing to pass its long tongue down the long flower- 

 tubes over and over till, apparently satisfied, it tlew far away. MARY I.. 

 Arm 111, Rydal, 3rd August u)oo. 



ui<h> September 1 . 



