NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES 
229 
311 . Honey-Dew. — Mr. Ilastic’s asscrlions on Honey-Dew in No. 304 are 
nearly as sweeping and reckless as those he entertained us with in Naturk 
Notes on Meteorites a year or so ago. lie says “ I am wrong if I mean to say 
honey-dew comes from a fir tree, a laurel, or a cabbage.” If he will read any 
work on the subject he will find that honey-dew is the excretion of aphis ; and 
that fir trees are much infested by that insect. No doubt he has never seen it 
there. There is no better way of discovering wasps a long time before the fruit 
season than by watching certain firs, the fir aphis having special attractions for 
them. Bees, wasps, and other insects, may often be seen feasting on the honey- 
dew from aphis on the tender leaves of the laurel. This too seems to have 
escaped his notice. As Mr. Ilastie tells me that honey-dew does not come from 
the cabbage, I am led to suppose that vegetable gardening is not in his line. 
When, however, he declares that honey-dew is “certainly not found on the 
beech,” I give him up as hopeless, apd wonder what he does with his eyes. 
November, 1905. Kdmuni) Thos. Daubeny. 
312 . Mr. J. E. Ilarting kindly calls attention to the following note on this 
subject in his edition of White’s “ Selborne” (1875), p. 3to. Mr. Curtis has shown 
(Traits. Linn. Soc., vol. vi.) “that this substance is the excrement of aphides. 
In order to convince a friend who was sceptical as to this fact, Mr. Rennie placed 
a sheet of writing paper under a branch where some aphides were feeding, and 
over the leaves below them which he jueviously clear.ed from honey-dew. The 
result, as he anticipated, was that the paper was soon covered with honey-dew, 
while the leaves below it were free.” 
NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
65 . Rabbits.— Numbers of rabbits are caught when the corn is cut. On 
these occasions the harvesters shout at the rabbits as they bolt before the reaping 
machine in order to bewilder them among the newly-cut corn. When pursued 
the poor animals often shriek out from pure terror ; and, I am told, by so doing 
compass their own death. They say here that shrieking always causes rupture of 
the rabbits’ stomach ; or, as they put it, “ bursts the paunch.” If this be true, 
the very fact of being pursued by a stoat must be fatal to a rabbit, whether caught 
or not, as it always cries out. Has this been noticed by others in the rabbit or 
any other animal ? 
Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
66. Frog Attacks Fish. — While stocking a pond with coarse fish a frog 
sharply attacked a rather languid roach, which, however, swam off. Since then 
several roach and large sticklebacks have died, some with red marks on the belly, 
as if bitten. Can any' of your readers throw light on the matter ? The frogs are 
numerous. There are no jack or perch. J. A. STRONG. 
I.anghome, Shepton Mallet. 
SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES. 
[Note. — All Announcements with regard to Future Meetings of 
THE Central Society or Branches will be found together at the 
END OF THESE NOTICES.] 
Objects of the Society. — To promote the study of Natural History. To 
preserve from needless destruction such wild animals and plants as are harmless, 
beautiful, or rare. To discourage the wearing and use for ornament of: (i) The 
skins and furs of such animals as are in danger of being exterminated ; (2) the 
skins and plumage of such birds as are not domesticated. To protect places 
and objects of natural beauty or antiquarian interest from ill-treatment or 
destruction. To afford facilities for combined effort in promoting any of the 
above or kindred objects. 
New Members. — Central Society . — William E. Avery, Esq., Broxbourne ; 
Stanley C. Bailey, Esq., Ewell ; John Francis Bird, Esq., Tintern ; C. H. Cox, 
Esq., Tottenham; Mrs. Cruikshank, Barnet; C. E. Fagan, Esq., British 
