54 
NATURE NOTES 
“ Coleoptera of the British Islands,” it is said to occur chiefly in the southern 
counties and at Ely, the only more northern locality known to him being 
“Tynemouth Castle.” It is, however, very common in parts of Suffolk, and in 
1903 I found it in great quantities at Hunstanton, in Norfolk, where it came out 
in swarms at dusk, and caused much laughter, and some comical alarm, by getting 
its long tarsi entangled in the ladies’ hair ! The larva feeds on the roots of 
grass, and does much damage. Light attracts them, and they rarely enter a 
dark room. 
16, Belsize Grove, Hampstead, Ernest A. Elliott. 
February 8, 1906. 
NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
71. Unknown Bird. — While walking along the Great North Road, about 
a mile from Barnet, last week I was struck by hearing the notes of an unknown 
bird. The “ song ” took the form of six or seven notes, uttered in a descending 
scale, almost giving the idea of a laugh. They were repeated several times, but 
I could not catch sight of the bird. I should imagine from the sound that it must 
have been a fairly large one. I shall be glad if any of your readers can tell what 
the bird was. 
February 10. Hertfordshire. 
SELBORNIAN A. 
The Cheddar Disaster. — Some time ago we protested 
against the ruination of a grand piece of scenery like the 
Cheddar gorge, by a large and unsightly stone quarry. Many 
public bodies expressed their sympathy with our protest ; but 
nothing was done. On Sunday, February 4, after a period of 
somewhat heavy rainfall, the quarrying has had its result in the 
fall of a mass of the cliffs on that side of the gorge, variously 
estimated at from 70,000 to 500,000 tons. Perhaps something 
will now be done. 
Hindhead. — Our readers will remember that, at the instance 
of the Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society, 730 acres 
of this most beautiful Surrey moorland were purchased last 
October for the very moderate price of ^3,625, or less than £5 
per acre. Only a little over ^3,000 of this amount has as yet 
been subscribed, and in order to complete the purchase by 
December 31 it was necessary to borrow /T,ooo for three 
months. In addition to the purchase money it is desirable to 
raise £too or ^200 as a nucleus of a maintenance fund ; so 
that some ^900 is urgently necessary before the end of this 
month. As already announced, the land is to be vested in the 
National Trust. Those who are not already familiar with the 
unrivalled charms of this lovely spot should, if possible, go to 
see it. The view, which by the courtesy of the Committee we 
are able to reproduce here, can give but a faint idea of the 
landscape ; and we feel sure that all who do know Hindhead 
will be anxious to contribute something towards securing it as 
a national possession. Donations may be sent to Mr. Lawrence 
W. Chubb, Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society, 25, 
Victoria Street, Westminster. 
