CORRESPONDENCE. 
3 6 
In the fortnight I spent there last summer I saw quantities of 
C. ednsa, which I hear were very common everywhere ; and there 
were also in abundance C. hyale . I caught only one of the white 
variety of the female Edusa, but that was a very good specimen. 
The “ dunes ” or sandhills were swarming with a butterfly like 
the grayling ( Semele ), only larger, Cardona I think was its name. 
The only moths which were at all plentiful were Stellatarum and Z.jiii- 
hendulcz. The large green grasshopper (Phasgonura viridissinaJ 
seemed to be fairly plentiful. I think that is about all I caught near 
Ostend. At Wiesbaden I caught a good many of some kind of 
Erebia —I should be very pleased if anyone could tell me in the 
next number of this Journal, what it would most likely be. It is 
very common on the wooded hills about Wiesbaden. There 
were also a quantity of a kind of blue, almost exactly like our 
large blue. I caught P. machaon on some marshy ground, but 
unfortunately one of its tails was a little damaged. I am nearly 
certain I saw Antiopa in a garden, but it got up and flew T over the 
house so quickly that I could not be sure.— c.h.s. 
NOTES FROM ROYSTON. 
In my last notes I mentioned the absence of wasps, but now I 
quite change my tune, and say I never saw so many, but I give 
them credit for being less troublesome in the house than usual. 
The most effectual way to destroy wasps’ nests, is to mix one 
ounce of Cyanide of Potassium in a quart of water, and pour 
about a quarter of a pint into the mouth of the nest, leave 
the mouth open, so that the wasps that are out, may return, only 
to die, if this is done in the morning, the nest may be broken up 
in the afternoon without any fear of being stung, the nests must 
be broken up, or the grubs emerge from the comb, and re-estab- * 
lish the colony. August 8th, Seagulls passing south-west, they 
are the first I have seen leaving their northern breeding grounds. 
The tree sparrows appear to be getting more common in this 
locality, within the last few days I have had some beautiful 
clutches of their eggs, brought in from a place where I had not 
before known them to breed. The Hawfinch, which has always 
been a rare bird here, and I have no record of its having ever 
bred within some miles of this place, has recently been paying us 
some visits. August 9th, Six quite freshly laid eggs of the Land¬ 
rail, were brought in this morning. I never knew this bird to 
nest so late before. August 12th, Although the weather is moist, 
and exceedingly hot, .78° in the shade, and just the weather for 
butterflies, yet they are most conspicuous by their absence, I 
fail to understand the reason. The sparrows are still breeding, 
but the broods now are very small, and do not average two and a 
half young birds ; they began nesting earlier than usual, but all 
through the season the broods have been small. We have had 
many more of the Spotted Flycatchers than usual, but the Black? 
