NATURE NOTES. 
96 
now established themselves in the trees by Christ Church, a few hundred yards 
away, where to-day I counted eight new nests. In the early spring several rooks 
were to be seen every day surveying the trees in Gainsbury Gardens, not far away, 
and commenced to build several nests, but suddenly in one of their capricious moods 
they forsook the place for the trees at Christ Church, and only one solitary nest 
remains. The total number of nests now occupied in Hampstead is twenty-three, 
being six to eight more than last year. James E. Whiting. 
Toad infested with. Larvae. — During the summer of 1891, whilst walking 
down a Surrey lane near Redhill, I came across a toad which, on my approach, 
assumed a very curious attitude, placing its head between its front legs and under 
its body, precisely as though it was about to turn a somersault. On taking it up 
and examining it, I observed that its nose was sore and bleeding, and I concluded 
some cat or dog had been attacking it. Placing the poor creature in my handbag, 
I brought it home, gave it a bath, and turned it into the back garden, expecting to 
find it better in the morning. On carefully examining it again I found it to be 
much worse, and that its nostrils were filled and partly eaten away by the larva? of 
some dipterous insect. Getting a pair of fine forceps, I extracted no less than 
eleven large larvae from the poor creature’s head. These eleven larvae had doubt- 
less caused the poor animal much pain and injury, for it never seemed to enjoy 
vigorous health afterwards, eventually dying last month. I would like to know if 
toads are subject to the att.icks of dipterous insects, and what is the particular 
species which thus attacks them. Robert Corner. 
[Mr. W. F. Kirby has kindly supplied us with the followdng note: — “Many 
accounts have been pulrlished of frogs and toads having been found with their 
heads infested with dipterous larvce on the Continent, chiefly in France and 
Belgium. The fly is called Liicilia l/tifoiiivoi-a, but is believed to be identical 
with L. sylvonan, a species found in most parts of Europe, including England. 
It is, however, very probable that more than one species attacks frogs and toads 
in this manner, and I think it is still undecided w'hether they attack healthy or 
only diseased or injured individuals. The Entomologists' Monthly Magazine for 
January, 1892, contains a paper on the subject of dipterous larva? attacking toads 
in Wales. In this case the insect appears to have been a species of Calliphora 
(blowfly), and not a I.ncilia (flesh-fly).” — E d. rV.W.] 
Early Hawthorn Buds. — I enclose some well-developed buds of hawthorn 
blossom, gathered from the west side of a hedge. Is not this most unusual for 
March ? Gooseberries are in bloom ; larches are green and ornamented with 
scarlet cones well formed. E. M. Bell Irving. 
Mayfield, Sussex. 
Curious Behaviour of a Great Tit.— On Sunday morning, March 19th, 
a great tit was observed pecking and tapping at a passage window, and from that 
time up to the present date (April loth) he has come daily at dawn, and continued 
liis operation of flying up and down and pecking at the glass. The bird seems to 
have a preference for this passage window, before which there is continual passing 
to and fro, but he often visits others, and until late afternoon is never long absent 
from the house. Once the tit came into a dressing-room and rested in a boot, 
and has twice besides entered the house for a few minutes, but he show'ed no 
inclination to slay, and he seems to prefer closed to open windows. The bird 
takes no notice of scraps of fat, &c. , hung out for him, and unless he comes after 
insects invisible to the human eye, we are quite at a loss to discover his object. 
It has been suggested that as the bird seems solitary, he is attracted by his own 
reflection in the wdndow. Can any other reasons be suggested for the bird’s con- 
duct ? A. F'. B. 
Rogatc Idcarage, Petersfield. 
Cockchafers (p. 57). — A species of cockchafer, locally termed “ May-bugs,” 
swarmed last summer about the high ground at Hextable, in North Kent, appearing 
in the evening after sun down round the bushes and trees, and falling down the 
chimneys of the house where I resided. A. CocKS. 
Rust hail, 7 'unOridge Wells. 
