NATURAL HISTORY NOTES, QUERIES, &c. 19 
A Plant Bug. — During the past season I have been much concerned with 
the depredations of a plant bug, known to scientists under the name of Ly^iis 
lampestris. He is a bright, lively, pale-green-coloured little insect, remarkalrly 
agile, with a formidable-looking snout or probo.scis, and is much given to roving 
about the buds of certain of our favourite flowers. These buds being punctured 
by him — probably in the performance of his duty — become, as the flowers develop, 
disfigured and useless. As .so little seems to be known liy gardeners concern- 
ing his life history and habits, except the fact that he is distinctly destructive, 
especially to the buds of chrysanthemums, I am desirous of eliciting something 
further respecting his functions in life, or the economic part he plays in nature. 
Acton. C. B. G. 
Niglttingales. — Can you kindly tell me what sort of box nightingales like 
to build in, and in what position in a garden the box should be placed ? A 
nightingale used to sing every season near the bottom of our garden until a new 
road was made there a year or two ago, and I should like to try if a suitable box 
for building would induce it to return. A pair built and hatched their eggs in the 
ivy on a wall adjoining the house of the Kadcliffe Observatory, Oxford, which 
shows that they are not very shy birds. I believe in Germany their numbers 
were greatly increased by suitable boxes being put about in the parks and public 
gardens. 
Oxford. Edith Evans. 
Disappearance of Rooks’ Nests. — For several years the rooks have 
built their nests jn an elm tree which stands close to the house, and this year 
there were more nests than usual. All went well with the rooks, and their young 
were not shot at. But during the last few weeks the nests have all disappeared, 
and the gardener assures me that they were not blown down. I may add that 
in trees distant about thirty yards, where the rooks have built their nests, every- 
thing remains as usual. 
Whitchurch, Salop. Thomas Smith. 
Mountain Ash Berries (Nature Notes, 1892, p. 21S).— I should think 
that the mysterious disappearance of the berries might Ise attributed to the depreda- 
tions of a party of missel thrushes, which I have often .seen regaling themselves 
on berries in the autumn season. At the time referred to (August), the missel 
thrushes collect into small flocks, and are, no doubt, often mistaken for fieldfares 
and redwings, which, however, do not arrive in this country till October or 
November. 
Fyfidd, Atnngdon. W. II. W.akner. 
Mountain Ash Berries (p. 218). —Some years ago, when residing at 
Kenilworth, in my garden there was a mountain ash tree loaded with rich- 
coloured ripe bervies. The entire crop disappeared in one day. In this instance 
the robbers were starlings. 
J. C. Melliss. 
Field Mice. — -During the winter and before and after they lay up, I have 
only seen single mice, and the nest only looks as if it would hold one. Do they 
winter alone, and mate again in the spring ? 
Rhyl. F. L. Rawlins. 
Squirrel and Birds. — On the Sth December there was a great commotion 
amongst the birds in our garden, and on looking to see what was the matter, a 
squirrel was discovered running across the snow-cover.ed lawn. As soon as the 
squirrel reached a tree the birds made such a noise in the branches that it seemed 
afraid and ran on to another, when the same thing was repeated ; at last it left our 
garden in despair. The birds were mostly sparrows, a few blackbirds, thrushes, 
robins and two rooks. They flew quite close to the squiri'el when it was on open 
ground. Can any one tell me if birds dislike squirrels as a rule.? 
Rcigate. Mary S. Powell 
Book on Spiders. — Can you recommend me a good book on Spiders? 
M. S. P. 
W. E. P. — The occurrence is not very unusual. 
