SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES 
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ditch, which had evidently only just left its nest. Seeing it lie so still I thought 
it must have received some injury, so proceeded to pick it up that I might 
examine it. It allowed me to do this without any attempt to get away ; but 
as soon as I had done so began to struggle and set up loud cries of alarm. 
Immediately a pair of adult Cuckoos appeared on the scene, and for a moment 
or two there was a tremendous hullabaloo as they circled around me, threaten- 
ing me in violent cuckoo language. Finding the young bird unhurt, I allowed 
it to escape, and it hastily fluttered into some neighbouring bushes. The old 
birds promptly disappeared through the trees overhead, and I saw them no 
more. I have since wondered if the birds that came to the rescue were the 
parents, or whether a young Cuckoo screaming for help will bring any adult 
Cuckoo which may be within hearing to its aid. I feel that I must really 
apologise for this note on such a much written-about subject as the Cuckoo, 
but not having heard of a like occurrence, thought it would be interesting to 
hear if any other reader of Nature Notes has met with a similar experience. 
J. T. Bird. 
78 . Bees and Blue Flowers. — You will remember Lord Avebury’s paper, 
published in the London Magazine in 1903, entitled “Can Insects Reason ? ” in 
which he describes his exhaustive and carefully conducted observations, and 
experiments proving that Bees in their honey-gathering operations show a decided 
preference for blue flowers. A member of the Natural History Society here, 
who is an observer, states “it is a natural inference from Lord Avebury’s 
experiments that Bees ought to select blue flowers for their visits. But when 
we go out into the garden or fields and watch them at work, we find that they 
do not” and quotes numerous observations he has made on different coloured 
flowers to prove his assertion. May I ask if you have a member or members 
who have studied this subject who can corroborate Lord Avebury’s experiments ? 
It is by interchange of opinion that we can arrive at definite conclusions, and I 
shall always be pleased to reciprocate when called on, if in my power to do so. 
Eastbourne. J. T. Rodda. 
79 . Half-frozen Worm. — In the early morning on March 5, before the 
sun had had time to soften the frozen mould on the flower-beds, one of the 
members of the Clapham High School Field Club, while breaking up the frozen 
surface of the mould in a garden, noticed what looked like a small stick or 
twig, standing straight out of the ground. On inspection this twig was found 
to be half a frozen worm. By working with her fingers round the worm she 
was able to release the prisoner. The portion of the worm in the ground was 
quite soft, and by warming in her hands and breathing on it the frozen part of 
the worm was at last restored to life, and a few minutes after our member had 
the satisfaction of seeing the worm wriggle away quite happily. (1) Is it not 
remarkable that the worm should so soon recover, the half of it being quite 
frozen ? (2) Can you account for the position of the worm, in a vertical position, 
half out of and half in the ground ? (3) Is this one of the many instances which 
show how difficult it is to kill a worm ? Gwendolen E. Hine. 
SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES. 
[Note. — All Announcements with regard to Future Meetings of 
the Central Society or Branches will he found together at the 
END OF THESE NOTICES.] 
New Members. — Central Society. — The following stand for election : E. J. 
Bedford, Esq. ; F. A. Canton, Esq. ; Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society ; Miss 
Angela C. Esch ; Percy E. Frost, Esq. ; D. M. Richards, Esq. ; Miss L. Russell ; 
Miss Florence Saunders ; O. C. Silverlock, Esq. ; Arthur B. Wallis, Esq. 
Blackburn Branch. — W. C. Hawthorn, Esq. ; W. Gedney, Esq. ; B. W. 
Marsden, Esq. ; C. W. Marsden, Esq. ; J. W. Marsden, Esq. ; W. A. McLean, 
Esq. ; A. Stratford, Esq. ; W. H. Western, Esq. 
Eating Branch. — John Lee, Esq.; W. Wray Skilbeck, Esq.; Mrs. Wray 
kilbeck. 
