186 
THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
diagrams, and photographs, exhibited by means of the lantern, showing the 
nests both in situ and in section and illustrating the principal points in the 
external anatomy of the insects. The lantern slides were shown by Mr. Con- 
nold, senior. Among the nests shown, were two of V. sylvestris, which is 
described as making it nests in trees ; one of these was built among bracken, 
in Beauport park, and the other was dug out ot a bank in St. Helen’s wood. 
The paper was followed by a discussion in which several members took part. 
There was a very good attendance at the meeting, held on Thursday, May 3rd. 
Mr. H. Cheshire, F.C.S., in the chair. A paper was read by Miss Groom, on 
“ Our spring wild flowers,” illustrated bv both fresh and dried specimens, and 
by diagrams. A few remarks were made by the chairman and others, at the 
close of the paper, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the 
lecturer—L. A. Curtis Edwards. 
RECORDS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
MAMMALS. 
A canine monster. —A naturalist friend of mine, showed me a very curious 
monster, viz., a pup, with eight legs, two heads, and two tails. Tom' legs 
were giowing in the proper position, the other four were growing out of the 
animals back. The heads were joined, and back to back. The thing only lived 
a few hours after birth.— Robert F. McConnell, Thistlebank, Dumbarton, 
May prd, 1894. 
BIRDS. 
The Hawfinch in Epping Forest. —During last month (April), I made several 
visits to Epping Forest, and saw haw-iinches on many occasions. There is no 
doubt, but what the bird is on the increase here, and more common than is 
generally supposed. They are very shy, and keep at the top of the high trees 
a good deal, and must be quietly looked for to be observed. That distinguished 
naturalist of the old school, the late Henry Doubleday (who took such a great 
interest in the ornithology of Epping Forest), first drew attention to the fact 
of the bird being pretty common in this district. This was about fifty years 
ago. In severe winters, they are about in large flocks, their favourite food 
seems to be the seed ol the hornbeam, they also eat the kernels of haws, plum and 
cherry stones, etc., crushing the stones easily in their strong beaks. During 
summer time, havoc is played by them amongst the peas. The call note, is a 
long whistle, repeated lour times. They pair during the end of April, nesting 
in May, the nest (a rather careless structure), containing from four to six eggs. 
A. F. Gates, Stratford, Essex, May $th, 1894. 
Notes from Cambridge. —April 7 th, Saw first swallow ; 8 th, Heard and saw 
first cuckoo ; 25th, Heard first nightingale at 10 p.m.—E. Porter, M.p.n.s., 
Trinity College, Cambridge. 
March 15th, Chiffchaff first seen. April 3rd, Blackcap first seen; Yellow 
wagtail first seen ; April 16th, Redstart and garden warbler first seen ; April 
1 ytb, Sedge warbler first seen.—A. H. Waters, Cambridge. 
Spotless Chaffinch's eggs. —Within the last fortnight, I have seen three 
clutches of chaffinch’s eggs, all of which were blue, with the exception of a 
few minute spots on four or five of them. I thought this would perhaps be of 
interest to some of your readers, as I have never met with a blue variety of this 
e gg before. —Robert S. Smith, Junior, Hytbe House, Downham. 
Variety of Sparrow. —It may interest our readers to know that, on May 3rd, 
1894, while going over Tulse Hill, I saw a number of sparrows, one of which 
