828 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES.— September, 1884. 
The barometer was rather low (29 , 591 inches) at the commence¬ 
ment of the month, and fell on the 4th and 7th, after which it rose 
quickly till the 12th, when it fell, and again rose to the 18th. A rapid 
fall succeeded, and a partial recovery was followed by unimportant 
fluctuations. The mean of barometric pressure was rather higher than 
the means for the month of September in previous years. The mean 
temperature was about 2J degrees above the average, the highest maxima 
recorded being 84T° at Loughborough, 82-0° at Henley-in-Arden, 78*2° 
at Hodsock, 77*2° at Strelley, and 76’5° at Coston Rectory—all occurring 
on the 17tli. In the rays of the sun, ISO’S 0 was registered at Lough¬ 
borough on the 13th, 126’0° at Hodsock on the 17th, and 123’2° at 
Strelley on the 9th. The night temperatures were comparatively 
high ; minimum readings of 30’0° at Coston Rectory, 32'0° at Henley- 
in-Arden, and 32-3° at Hodsock, were registered on the 30th. At 
Loughborough, at 8 a.m. on the 10tli, the minimum for the previous 
twenty-four hours was as high as 60'0°, and on fifteen nights the 
minimum was above 500°. Rain-fall was much below the average, 
and forms a strong contrast to that of September, 1883. The total 
values during the past month were:—Henley-in-Arden, 1’35 inches; 
Loughborough, 1T9 inches; Strelley, 1T3 inches; Coston Rectory, 
0 - 98 inches; Hodsock, 0’83 inches. At none of these stations did the 
fall in twenty-four hours reach 0-40 of an inch. Dews were abundant, 
so that the root crops did not suffer through lack of moisture. Thunder¬ 
storms were “ conspicuous for their absence,” considering the high 
temperature and the (apparently) favourable conditions. Sunshine 
was above the average. The wind direction was variable, its force 
generally moderate, with, occasionally, fresh breezes. 
Wm. Berridge, F.R.Met.Soc. 
12, Victoria Street, Loughborough. 
Notes from Woking.— Perhaps the following facts in connection 
with the economy of an insect which (from its resemblance to an 
Ichneumon Fly) is often overlooked, may be of interest to the readers 
of the “ Midland Naturalist,” and induce them to watch more closely 
the habits of these wonderful creatures, whose life histories are but 
little known. On June 27tli I started out for a ramble across one of 
the commons here. The brilliancy and heat of the sun was something 
to be felt and remembered. Very few insects were about, but at 12.30, 
on arriving at one of the numerous bare patches on the common, I 
observed a Sand Wasp (Mucus cavipestris) dart across my path and 
“pitch” on to the sand in front of me. It immediately commenced 
to walk rapidly about, keeping its antennas in constant motion, tapping 
the ground as if in search of something. I concluded that in crossing 
and recrossing the spot I had inadvertently covered up the entrance to 
its burrow. So I quietly sat down and watched its movements. After 
