NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



629 



stomach contents of a large number of specimens made it clear that 

 whilst the menu of the mole is a long one, earthworms and, in the moles 

 examined, leather- jackets are to be looked upon as the staple articles 

 of diet. Centipedes came next, and then wireworms. It is estimated 

 that the moles in question consumed twenty leather- jackets on the 

 average a day ; that is to say, in the course of six months a single 

 mole would account for 3,650 leather- jackets — no inconsiderable 

 number. — A. S. 



Mountain Ash Berries as Food {Jour. Bd. Agr. vol. xxi. No. 7, 

 pp. 637-638).— -The fruits of the Mountain Ash may be put to a variety 

 of uses, but the chief seems to be for the preparation of a jelly which 

 serves as a substitute for red-currant jelly for serving with game. It 

 has an astringent flavour, however sweetened, but it is said to be by 

 far the best jelly for use with venison. Two recipes are given. — A. S. 



Names, New, Registration of. By G. T. G. {Rev. Hort. Apr. 16, 

 1914, p. 169). — In France it is permitted to protect the copyright of 

 names of flowers by registration, even before the flowers are produced 

 and certificated. Raisers are therefore advised to note this in order 

 to avoid the risk of giving a name already registered by others and 

 thus having to adopt another. — C. T. D. 



Narcissus Flies, Further Notes on. By J. C. F. Fryer {Jour. 

 Bd. Agr. vol. xxi. No. 5, pp. 424-426). — These notes are supplementary 

 to the article which was pubHshed in the Jour. Bd. Agr. vol. xxi. 

 No. 2, and which has since been issued as Leaflet No. 286. It consists 

 mainly of observations on the habits of Merodon equestris and Eumerus 

 strigatus when egg-laying. It is shown that both like to lay their eggs 

 below the surface of the soil, and that in consequence the hole left over 

 the bulb as the foflage dies is a distinct danger to the plant. It is 

 suggested that the fiUing up of these holes by raking the surface would 

 be a good preventive measure. A final paragraph is devoted to the 

 question whether Eumerus will attack sound bulbs. " Many hundreds 

 of bulbs attacked by Eumerus were examined last year, and in many 

 cases there was no evidence of the presence of other disease," and as it 

 seems that there is Httle evidence to justify the assumption that 

 Eumerus strigatus is a harmless scavenger it is wiser to treat it as a 

 pest. — A. S. 



New Plants from Central America. By John Donnell Smith 

 {Bot. Gaz. Ivii. pp. 415-427 ; May 1914). — New species of Erysiinum, 

 Xylosma, Sloanea, Ilex, Connarus, Drepanocarpus, Lonchocarpus, 

 Leucaena, Pithecolohium, Rubus, Gilihertia, Faramea, Jacquemordia, 

 Cyphomandra, Brachistus, Columnea (two species), Aegiphila and 

 Scutellaria are here described. Also a new genus, Guamatela, of 

 Rosaceae. — G. F. S, E. 



