14 
NOTES OF OBSERVATIONS 
been expected. These Grubs were noticed in moving 1 Sedums in the 
garden, and as many as possible were killed with the spades; the beds 
were left for a day or two, and then forked over lightly again. This 
disturbance caused the Grubs to move on to the walks (which are 
made of asplialte) at the same time the lawns were being rolled, and 
in the morning the Grubs were on the walks by hundreds. All trouble 
in destroying them was saved by starlings and tame ducks from a 
small pond in the grounds, and the lawns were thus saved. In the 
kitchen garden the Grubs did much harm both to the Strawberry 
plants and to the Cabbages. Mr. Wliitton mentions that he tried 
carbolic acid and ammoniacal liquor from the gasworks, and hopes to 
succeed in future by applying them at night when the Grubs are on 
the surface, and it might be expected to kill them as it did those on a 
hard walk. Mr. Wliitton also notes relatively to the field crops that 
a sowing of good guano on the first appearance of the Grub, if done in 
showery weather, is considered a good remedy. 
Mr. D. Scott mentions that at Darnaway Castle, Morayshire, a 
considerable number of Grubs were noticed in a crop, partly Potatoes 
partly Oats, following on old lea, but that no perceptible injury was 
caused, and he adds, “I think the rooks must have done good work 
in the way of destroying them; they were for a time continually in 
the field, and had apparently turned and returned every clod.” Mr. 
Bobert Coupar notices the Tipula oleracea as very numerous at Craig- 
liall, Perthshire, and that the Fly was to be seen in enormous 
quantities by the roadsides at night. He mentions the Tipula 
maculosa as not so common. Mr. M‘Donald, writing from Balfour 
Castle, Orkney, says, “ Never have we experienced in Orkney a drier, 
warmer, or sunnier season than this of 1880, but never has the Grub 
of the Tipula oleracea been more destructive.” He suggests that the 
early warmth acted on unliatclied eggs, and, together with an early 
and luxuriant vegetable growth following on the previous ungenial 
seasons, promoted a rapid development of larvae, resulting “ in such 
myriads of Daddy Longlegs as I never before saw.” In the Isle of 
Man these Grubs were also troublesome. On the 5tli of May Mr. 
Edwin Bircliall forwarded specimens, with a note that these larvae, 
locally known as “ Cutworms,” were ravaging the Oat fields. Salt 
was not found destructive to them, and Mr. Bircliall notes that the 
chief manure used in the island is seaweed. He also draws attention 
to the great amount of benefit we have from the lapwings clearing off 
this pest, and the desirableness of these birds being protected from 
the wholesale destruction of which he gives notes. Mr. Mosley 
of Huddersfield, draws attention to the large number of Crane Flies, 
which from personal observation of rooks in some badly infested Grass 
fields he found were rapidly cleared by these birds. 
