360 



RURAL GLEANINGS. 



to those which suck the human blood, except that they were of a dark 

 black colour. 



Of insects, which are new to me, I have collected several in this 

 neighbourhood, but their names and the observations I have made upon 

 them I shall reserve for a future paper. But I must however speak 

 of one species of butterfly, the Hipparchia Mcegera, which you informed 

 me upon the wrapper of one of the numbers of this Magazine is one 

 of the commonest in Britain, if not in Europe. Now those who con- 

 fine their observations to any particular spot, soon learn that many 

 things which are pretty well diffused all over the country, are scarce 

 in the district of their researches. Let us look to London for an 

 instance proving the truth of this observation. The ornithologist there 

 finds the goldfinch a vara avis ; the botanist notices that the hemlock 

 is there comparatively scarce, and I, who have paid attention to the 

 entomology of London for the last five years, know that although the 

 Hipparchia Mcegera may be common in most places, like the goldfinch 

 and the hemlock, yet it is like them scarce in its vicinity. Now the 

 goldfinch may be scarce on account of its being a desideratum among 

 bird-catchers, and the scarcity of the hemlock may be attributed to the 

 hemlock-gatherers ; but how to explain the scarcity of this butterfly I 

 know not. I have found it but once, and that was in Battersea fields, 

 and I have this year searched Epping Forest and the neighbouring 

 fields, but cannot meet with a single individual of this species, 

 although others of the genus are extremely plentiful. 



Last Sunday I found a black slug down a lane, voraciously eating a 

 piece of orange peel, a food which I was previously not aware they 

 would eat, although I have observed them eating fallen apples, plums, 

 and pears. 



To-day I found, hanging upon a low furze bush on the forest, the 

 empty skin of a snake, which had been changed by the animal for a 

 new one, as snakes, if I am not mistaken, are in the habit of doing. 

 Could mankind change their skins in a similar manner, how many 

 discontented folks who value skin deep beauty more than mental culti- 

 vation, and who are more anxious to excel their neighbours in outward 

 show than to compete with them in intellectual attainments, would 

 instantly avail themselves of the opportunity if it presented itself ! 



Muscular Strength of the Oyster in resisting its Ene- 

 mies. — The oyster, as is well known, is provided with a very powerful 

 muscle, by the aid of which it can immediately close its shells with 



