1 10 
NATURE NOTES. 
“ Bathurst burr ” from Australia and several trefoils fortunately 
ripen too late to damage the interests of flock-masters. 
In the garden this year the caterpillars and slugs are more 
numerous than I have ever seen them before. During some 
seasons the former do great harm to the grass seed crops. At 
times even they are numerous enough to stop the railway trains, 
the wheels refusing to bite on the slippery rails. It is wonder- 
ful, however, how soon a norwester with sun dries them up. 
Slugs, too, are withered up by the heat. These creatures seem 
to have a certain amount of sense. For a few evenings I had 
been killing them. by candle light in the flower beds, and after 
one or two nights the light was a signal for general retreat. 
The survivors had apparently learnt a lesson. Although neigh- 
bours on three sides are bothered with snails none have yet 
arrived here. In some parts after great heat I have seen them 
lying like dropped fruit quite dead. None of the British butter- 
flies have appeared yet in the colony. The codlin moth, how- 
ever, is destructive to the orchards, and there is a bee moth 
very much like the English species. Fruit cases carry all sorts 
of vermin. Last winter a poisonous viper arrived at Napier 
safe and sound in a banana box. Our native butterflies on the 
run are rare, and except the Painted Lady and one other they 
are insignificant in size. A small blue variety is plentiful on the 
drying mud of lagoons. 
During the few fine days we have had, numbers of other 
insects may be seen enjoying themselves in the warmth. Big 
pale green locusts are numerous, flying in a clumsy or zigzag 
manner, and at the close of their short journey rather tumbling 
than alighting. Now that flights of starlings have appeared on 
the run, it is probable that locusts, grasshoppers, &c., will 
diminish. The angling in some of the southern rivers has, I 
believe, been quite spoiled by the starlings. They devour the 
locusts’ eggs deposited on the plains and thereby destroy the 
next season’s food for the fish. Darwin has noted the connexion 
of the red clover, the humble-bee, the field mouse, and the owl. 
In the case of the starlings and trout it would seem at first 
impossible that the number and condition of the fish should 
depend upon the quantity of the birds. 
The large dragon-flies now plentiful are ver}^ bold and 
inquisitive, coming up for a thorough inspection with a dart and 
crackle of their gauzy wings. Besides honey-bees they devour 
the green beetles that swarm at this season ; they are cannibals 
too on occasion. Besides the green we have brown beetles ; the 
latter at this season are very destructive to the tender shoots of 
willows, tutu, and orchards generally. The month has been a 
bad one for bee-keepers. Manuka, flax and clover are perhaps 
the sources from which the greatest quantity of honey is col- 
lected. Thistles also provide an immense amount of pollen and 
honey. Throughout the year, too, there are trees blossoming in 
the bush. The nectar of the flax produces a thick hone}^ very 
