NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
ii5 
Original Research. — Any Members who have, during the 
past year, been engaged upon any original research, or who have 
published the results of their past work, are requested to forward 
particulars of the same as soon as possible to the Honorary 
Secretary that he may draw up the return desired by the South- 
Eastern Union. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
350 . Stoats Carrying Eggs. — The following account has just been 
given to me by one of our village lads. “On the borders of a wood near here I 
saw two stoats. One was lying on its back with an egg between its four paws, 
and the other stoat was dragging it along by its tail.” Rats have been seen to 
Convey eggs in a similar manner. 
Ropley, Hants, May, 1906. M. S. Hagen. 
351 . Moorhens Perching. I sometimes see moorhens in the trees 25 
feet from the ground, and they so frequently resort to trees covered with ivy, that 
it has occurred to me they may do so for the purpose of eating the berries ; but 
of this I am by no means sure. 
May, 1906. Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
352 Dying Bird’s Devotion. — A Danzig correspondent writes: “While 
swimming on a lake with her brood of five a diver-bird was shot, and although 
mortally wounded collected her young ones and dived for their safety. When 
her dead body floated to the surface the five little birds were still clinging with 
their beaks to her wings, but all had been suffocated by remaining too long under 
the water.” — Daily Mail, May 11, 1906. 
353 . Owl as Foster-parent. — In the woods near Belford, Northumber- 
land, there has just been found a nest of twelve pheasants’ eggs being hatched 
by an owl. Although the owl has been occasionally scared from her unusual 
nest, she has always returned to her occupation. 
May 17, 1906. 
354 . Fertilisation of the Primrose. — The following observations 
were in all cases made on sunny days, when insects were flying about. 
April 5. — Primroses not visited by any insect. No insect inside tubes. 
April 7. -Three small bumble-bees, one being black, the others brown, busy 
among primroses. 
April 9. — Primroses in pots in a window visited by small bumble-bee. 
April 11. — Primroses visited by three or four small bumble-bees; no beetles 
inside. These bees divided their attention between violets and primroses. 
April 13. — Several hive-bees flying among primroses, but going to other 
flowers only. Ettphalerum primula in one out of ten primroses picked. 
April 15. — Euphaleruni primula well out, monopolising the tubes of the 
primroses, nine out of ten being tenanted by this little beetle. Several hive-bees, 
and one large bumble-bee on the bed, going to other flowers, and taking no 
notice of the primroses. 
April 16. — One small bumble-bee on primroses. A small miner-bee was 
struggling to enter a primrose. This bee keeps to the flower for some time, 
and does not move rapidly from one to another. 
April 17. — Euphalerum primula in almost every tube. 
April 21. — One small black bumble-bee probing the flowers. Euphalerum 
primula very common. 
April 23. — Saw no bees visit primroses in a hedgerow half a mile long that 
abounded with this flower. 
April 30. — No insect in or on primroses. 
May 1. — One small black bumble-bee and one large bumble-bee visiting 
primroses. No beetles in tubes. 
