MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 
1149 
dually slackened, and about the middle of September no polyps bearing sper- 
maries were observed. Bud-formation recommenced, lasting for a couple of 
days. The polyps were very thin and transparent. 
The spermaries generally arise as small mound-shaped sweOings on the upper 
half of the cohimn. They are however not restricted to this region, as occasion- 
ally several may be seen in the basal part of the column (Fig. 4). The 
nunrber of spermaries apparently varies, sometimes seven or eight being formed 
close to one another. They are found in different stages of development, and 
do not seem to be arranged in a definite manner. In the more developed .sper- 
maries the active movements of the spermatozoa can be observed under the low 
power of a microscope. As they mature a tine spray of sperms in the form of a 
faint white cloud is ejected from time to time from the papilliform process at 
their ape.x. 
Sometimes buds are also formed simultaneously with the spermaries but they 
are always found below the region on which spermaries arise (Fig. 5). One 
after another the spermaries discharge their contents, and the polyps become 
very thin. A few however recommence budding, but the buds remain unde- 
veloped. 
H. SKIXIVASAKAO, M.A. 
No. XXXIII.— FOLKLORE OF BIRDS AND BEASTS OF INDIA. 
I have read with much interest Mr. Fitzpatrick’s article in Vol. 28, No. 2, of the 
Journal on folklore of birds and beasts and would like to know if he has any 
stories connecting the actions of birds and beasts vdth a forecast of the monsoon. 
Sir Gilbert Walker, our chief rain-maker, may base his forecast on such things 
as barometrical iiressure in places in South America or Zanzibar, a low or 
high Nile, late sno\vfall in the Himalayas, etc., but we who live in agricultural 
districts know that the monsoon is really foretold by the blossoming of the nim 
trees and khed bushes, the direction of the wind at Holi and the lucky and 
unluclcy days on which lightning is seen. 
I remember last year there was lightning one day early in June and I was 
told there would be no rain for 72 days. There was none for about 45 days 
which was not a bad effort to fulfil the prophecy ! 
But the clinching test is the position of the eggs in the nest of a ‘ Did he do 
it ’ (Bed Wattled Lapwing). If the pointed ends all point to the centre of 
the nest a good monsoon is assured. This belief prevails in Cutch and Kathia- 
war and probably in other parts of India. Yesterday I found a ‘Did he do 
it’s ’ nest with three eggs in the happy position, so it is now up to the mon- 
soon to do its bit according to rule. 
E. O’BRIEN, Lt.-Colonel. 
Bhu.j Cutch, 
\lth May 1922. 
No. XXXIV.— A LONG NEGLECTED GROUP OF INSECTS. 
The purpose of this note is to draw the attention of the numeT'ous natural- 
ists who have the chance of collecting in desert and semi-desert parts of India, 
as well as in adjacent countiies (Pei'sia, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, etc.), to a 
groujj of insects which is always neglected by collectors. The group is Orlhoy- 
tera, i.e., gra.sshoppers, locusts, crickets, mantids and stick-insects ; all these 
insects are most numerous and various in dry ])l.ains, on stony hills, on sand 
dunes, and in dry gras.sy places with scattered shrubbery ; many species are 
