54 
NATURE NOTES 
ever that many other houses are also harbouring large numbers of these irritating 
little insects ; but as they evidently prefer the darkest part of the house they are 
probably seldom seen. 
Buckhurst Hill , John Horne. 
January 29, 1903. 
Earwigs. — Mr. Elliott points out that it is inaccurate to call earwigs beetles. 
Kirby and Spence put them “ next ” to the beetles ; but authorities seem to differ 
as to where they should come in. Some call them Dermaptera, others Euplexoptera 
(beautifully folded wings). I have seen these insects fold their wings late in the 
evening or at night, and amongst other places when on a flower-pot in my green- 
house. The name “ earwig ” is merely a corruption of “ ear- wing ; ” the general 
form of the wing, when fully extended, being very much that of the human ear. 
Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
The Cinnabar Moth. — Last summer whilst going along a road in 
Witherslack, Westmorland, I saw a very large flock of crows rise from off the 
fellside. I guessed that they were after the Cinnabar larvae, which I knew 
swarmed there every year. And this was the case. The ground was quite alive 
with the orange and black caterpillars, while quite a forest of bare ragwort 
plants (or “ Stinking Willie ” as the country folk call it), grew around. I had 
never seen so large a gathering of crows there before, and considering the number 
of caterpillars which the}- must destroy, it is wonderful that the insect is so 
abundant every year. 
R. C. Lowther. 
The Nut-tree Tussock. — Is it true that an insect is no longer able to fly 
if its antennae have been injured ? In 1901 I found a nut-tree tussock moth 
(Dasychira coryli) on a Cheltenham pavement. It had only one antenna, but was 
otherwise very fresh. I tried to make it fly but without success. 
48, George Square, Edinburgh. R. C. Lowther. 
February 8, 1903. 
Eoliths. — I am afraid your correspondent, “ F. G. S.,” has raised points to 
which it is impossible to reply definitely. I should, however, like to offer a feu- 
remarks on the latter part of his note which has special reference to the plateau- 
drift. The information he desires seems to fall into three heads, and I have 
therefore divided them as under : — ■ 
(1) Evidence as to the greater antiquity of the plateau beds, without reference 
to the implements. 
(2) The indications of a connection with a former physical geography. 
(3) The method by which the beds have attained their present positions. 
With regard to point No. 1, it is impossible to give the evidence for the greater 
antiquity of the beds without including the implements, also because the latter 
often form an integral part of the deposits, very much the same as the drift imple- 
ments are found in the low level gravels. Perhaps the strongest evidence for the 
antiquity of the plateau-drift is its altitude when considered in connection with the 
gravels in the valleys. It is significant that the former gravels are only found on 
the highest ground, namely, the summit of the North Downs, 760 feet, and at 
Well Hill, Kent, where there is an elevation of ground reaching the 600 feet level, 
O. D. On this summit I found Eoliths no longer ago than last Saturday, but 
descending to the lower levels the characteristic ochreous flints were entirely 
absent except for a few scattered specimens evidently belonging to the higher 
ground. Well Hill is some distance north of the Downs, and its summit there- 
fore must be a remnant of the high land originally extending from the Downs, 
before the excavation of the valleys now intervening. The ground from the 
summit of the Downs, 766 feet at Terry’s Lodge, makes a gradual descent to the 
Thames, and the plateau-drift occupies a narrow strip of high land following in 
contour the chalk escarpment. On its northern edge the plateau-drift is cut 
into by many small valleys, and in these valleys Mr. Harrison has found 
Palaeolithic implements to the exclusion of Eoliths, and on the high ground 
between the valleys Eoliths to the exclusion of Palaeoliths. The plateau-drift now 
