NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
>99 
foliage, as usual, was not so developed among the bloom as on the young shoots 
growing out of the trunk of the trees. A late frost in May turned all the upper 
foliage rusty, and brought the barely-formed seeds to the ground in showers long 
before the usual time. The heads of the trees have never recovered, but are com- 
paratively scantily clothed, while the shoots below are in thick and large foliage 
and make the trees look as if they were growing out of some other kind of tree. 
The other trees close by which did not flower, are as usual. I noticed that most 
of the elm blossom in the neighbourhood was nipped, and did not arrive at the 
usual beautiful crimson hue. 
North Moreton, Wallingford. .M. S. Y. 
Cows and. Fish. — A friend who lives by the Thames tells me that he ha.s 
been much amused this summer by watching fish jumping out of the water in 
order to pick the flies off the legs and bellies of the cows, as they stood cooling 
themselves in the water. The plunging round of the creatures’ heads and 
swishing of their tails did not alarm the fish in the least, f do not know whether 
this is an uncommon occurrence, but the same friend says he has twice seen a 
kingfisher hover over the water, and the second time dive obliquely and catch its 
fish. He said it looked like a large moth hovering, with tail depressed. He has 
often been on the river but has never seen this before. 
North Moreton, Wallingford. M. S. Y. 
Stonechat (p. 177). --“The pretty little fellow with the ru.sset breast, white 
choker, and black cap,” seen by your Bath correspondent at Lyme Regis, was 
without doubt the stonechat, a very familiar object on nearly every furze-covered 
common. 
Fyfield, Abingdon. \V. H. Warner. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
C. R. — Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum). 
A. .—Crataegus Azarolus apparently, but the specimens are not very satis- 
factory. 
C. M. — It is the common Ruby-tailed Wasp (Chrysis ignita), parasitic in the 
nests of solitary Hymenoptera. Please read Rule 4. 
C. R. — A. Thymus Serpylltim, small form. B. Thesium linophyllum. 
W. C. B . — Linum catharticum. 
S. P. H. —That is the name the plant is known by in London gardens. 
A. B. — Please read Rule i. 
A. L. D. — Please read Rule 4. 
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