HARVARD UNIVERSITY. 


LIBRARY 


OF THE 


MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY 


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THE IRISH NATURALIST 


A Monthly Dournal 


OF 


GENERAL IRISH NATURAL’ HISTORY 


ORGAN OF THE 


Royal Zoological Society of Ireland; Dublin Microscopical Club ; 
Belfast Naturalists Field Club; Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club ; 
Cork Naturalists’ Field Club 


EDITED BY 


GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc., M.R.IA. 


AND 


R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.LA. 


AOL RAM. 


DUBLIN: EASON & SON, LIMITED, 
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BELFAST: 17 DONEGALL STREET, 
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1921. 
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CONTRIBUTORS 


LO: THE] PRESENT: VOLUME. 


BcNAPARTE: Wyse, L. H. London. 
Barinc, Hon. CreciL, Lambay. 
BruNKER, J. P., Dublin. 

CAMPBELL, D. C., Londonderry. 

CoLE, Pror. G. A. J., F.R.s., Dublin. 
CRAWFORD, Wmo.,, Belfast. 

Detap, M. J., Valentia Island. 
DONISTHORPE, HORACE, F.Zz.S., London. 
Foster, NEVIN H., F.L.s., Hillsborough. 
GREER. THOMAS, Stewartstown. 
GURNEY, ROBERT, Norfolk. 

HARRISON, ATHOLE, Dublin. 

H#NKY, Pror. A., F.L.s., Dublin. 
Hincn, J. be W., Dublin. > 
HINDE, Ws. H., eieactoaes. 
Jounson, REV. w. esas. oe Poyntepass. 
KERR, HELEN M. Rett: Carrickminies: 
Kew, H. WALLIS, London. . rn vate 
LANGHAM, SIk ‘CHARLES, Bart., Tempo Manor, Enniskillen 
LEE, WILLIAM A., Rock Ferry, Cheshire. 

May, G. C., B.L., Littlehampton. 

MorratT, C. B., B.A., Dublin. 

PacK-BERESFORD, D, R., Fenagh, Co, Carlow. 

Puisss, G. B., Dublin 

PHILLIPS, R. A., Cork. 

PRAEGER, R. LLOyp, Dublin. é 
RUTTLEDGE, RoBERT F.., Bloomfield, Co. Mayo 
RUTTLEDGE, W., Bloomfleld, Co., Mayo. 

ScHARFF, R. F., PH.D., Bray. 

ScuLLy, R. W., Dundrum, Dublin. 

SHEALS, ALF., Belfast. 

STELFox, A. W., Dublin. 

TuHomson, J. S., Dublin. 

TorRENS, D. S., Dublin. 

WALKER, F. H., Dublin. 

WI.t1ams, W. J., Dublin. 

WoRKMAN, W. H., Belfast. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 
Fig. J.—Fourth stage Larva of Hypoderma ovis, lateral view 53. 
Fig II.—Variation in the spiny armature es ae Va 54 
Fig. III.—Comparison of spines on latero-ventral areas .. <3 ae 


Fig. 1V.—Comparison of spines on corresponding areas of another ~ 
‘specimen. i. se Ks 3 56 


INDEX. 


Acaena Sanguisorbae an Alien Colonist, 
98, 99. 

Acherontia atropos on Lambay, 135. 

Ants: Stenamma Westwoodi, 125; 
Donisthorpea mixta and PD. umbrata, 
147- 

Argynnis aglaia: Aberration of, 15; 
Distribution, 44 ; in Co. Tyrone, 63. 

Armadillidium vulgare, 61. 

Augustine, the earliest Irish Zoologist, 
128. 


Baring, Cecil: Acherontia atropos on 
Lambay, 135. 

Bats, Co. Fermanagh, 26; 
Behaviour of Bat, 109, IIo. 

Bees, Humble, of Lambay, 108. 

Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club, 14, 22, 
38, 50, 60, 68, 83, 99, 112, 133, 143. 

Birds : Irish Birds, 40, 64, 82, 109; 
Nests and their Fate, 25; Ornitho- 
logical Notes from Mayo and Galway, 
46; Relation of Song to Nesting, 
oes. 75013 136 >. Soaring,- 27; 
Birds’ Songs at Hillsborough, Co. 
Down, 20. 
Bittern in County Antrim, 52. 
Bonaparte-Wyse, L. H.: Obituary of 
Rev. Canon W. W. Flemyng, 148. 
Botanical Exchange Club of the 
British Isles, report for 1919, :23. 
Brachypodium pinnatum in Co. Dub- 
lin, 99. 

Braconidae in 1920, 104. 

Brunker, J. P.: Cnicus pratensis in 
Co. Dublin, 79; Migration Season 
of Corncrake, 16; Relation of Song 


Curious 


to Nesting of Birds, Bir dE 3, F360; 
Wren, 26. 
Butterflies: Red Admiral, abundance 


of, 146 ; Wood White, in Co, Dublin, 
97- 


Campbell, D. C.: 
‘Birds, 75. 

Cardamine amara, in Tyrone, 64. 

Cardiff Naturalists’ Society’s ‘‘ Faun- 
istic Survey of Glamorgan,” 
(reviewed), 70 

Carex axillaris in Co. Dublin, 145. 

Carex contigua Hoppe, 31. 

Carex muricata L., 31. 

Carex Pairaei Schultz, 31. 

Chelidonium majus in Co. Wexford, 72. 

Chelifer scorpioides Herm., 62. . 

Climatic Optimum, Pest-Glacial, in 
Ireland, 85. 


Time of Singing of 


Cnicus pratensis in Co. Dublir, 79. 
Cole, Grenville A. J.: The Adare 
Meteorite, 78; Meteorite of Crum- 
lin, Co. Antrim, 1902, 73. 
Corncrake, Migration of, 16 
Crane’s-bill, 23. 
Crawford, Wm. : 
nis aglaia, I5. 


Aberration of Argy- 


Deer, Antlers of, 68. 

Delap, M. J.: Drift on Kerry Coast, 
40. 

Donisthorpe, Horace: Gymnetror 


squamicolle Reitter, a Beetle new to 
the Britannic List, 135. 

Donisthorpea mixta and D, umbrata 
147. 

Drift on Kerry Coast, 40. 

Dublin Microscopical Club, 13, 37, 6 
84, 135, 143. 

Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club,-22, 39, 
50, 84, 100, 132, 144. 

Dublin University, 


7> 


Zoology in, 84 


Entomostraca, 17. 
Equisetum litorale Kuhlw., 145. 
Eskers, 137. 


Falcon, Iceland, in Co. Kerry, 63. 
“ Faunistic Survey of Glamorgan. In- 
structions to Collectors ”’ (reviewed), 
a0: . 
Pipiny ng, Rev. Canon W. W. (Obituary 
notice), 148. 


Flood, Margaret Greer (Obituary 
noice), 65. . 
Foster, Nevin H:: Armadillidium 


vulgare, 61; Birds’ Songs at Hills- 
borough, Co. Down, 20; Return of 
Golden-crested Wren and Long- 
tailed Titmouse, 15. 

Fritillary, Behaviour of, 97. 


Greer, Thomas: Argynnis aglaia in 
Co. Tyrone, 63; New station for 
Cardamine amara in Tyrone, 64; 


Sesia formicaeformis, a correction, 
a 


=—oe 


Gurney, Robert : Notes on some Irish 
Entomostraca, 17. 

Gurney, R and S. G.: ‘‘ A Book about 
Plants and Trees .... ’’ (reviewed), 
JO. 

Gymnetron squamicolle Reitter, 135. 


Harmer, Sir S. F.: “‘ Report on the 
Cetacea stranded on the British 
coasts during I9Ig and, 1920” 
(noticed), 71. 


Vi Index. 


Harrison, Athole: Irish Birds 64, 109. 
Henry, A.: Margaret Greer Flood, 65. 
Hepatics of Sligo and Leitrim, St. 
Herb-Robert, 23. 

Hinch, J. de W.:  Eskers of Ireland, 
137;  Post-Glacial Climatic Opti- 
mum in Ireland, 85. 

Hinde, Wm. H.: Records of Irish 
Birds, 82. 

Hymenoptera Aculeata : Irish, 33, 51 ; 
Two New to Ireland, 146. 

Hypoderma bovis, 53. 


Ichneumonidae, Irish, in 1920, 104. 


Johnson, W. F.: Abundance of Red 
Admiral Butterflies, 1460; Distri- 
bution of argynnis aglaia, 44 ; Irish 
Hymenoptera Aculeata, 33, 51; 
Irish Ichneamonidae and Braconidae 
in 1920, 104; Notes on Lepidoptera 
in 1920, 11; Physaha on Co, Derry 
Coast, 75- 


Kerr, Helen M. Rait: Lesser White- 
throat in Co. Dublin, 82. 

Kew, H. Wallis: Chelifer scorpiodes 
Herm., a False-Scorpion new to the 
Irish Fauna, 62. 


Langham, Sir Charles: Bats in Co. 
Fermanagh, 26; Notes on Lepidop- 
tera, 24. ; 

gras William A. : Mosses and Hepatics 
of Sligo and Leitrim, 81. 

Lepidoptera: at Dollymount, Co. 
Dublin, 62; Notes on, in 1920, IT, 

Lett, Henry Wilham: 

notice), 41. 


(Obituary 


Macewen, Sir William: “‘ The Growth 
and Shedding of the Antler of the 
Deer ”’ (reviewed), 68. 

May, G. C.-: Serin in Queen’s County, 
64. 

Meteorite : 
Crumlin, Co. Antrim, 

Moffat, C. B.: Acaena Sanguisorbae 
an Alien Colonist, 98 ;. Breeding of 
Squirrels, 111; Curious Behaviour 
of Bat, 110; Lesser Whitethroat in 
Co. Dublin, 82; Mountain Pansy, 
80; Ranunculus Auricomus and 
Ghelidonium majus in Co. Wexford, 
72; Soaring of Birds, de Villamil’s 
“‘“Sodring’ Flight . 2.” (réview), -27- 

Mosses and Hepatics of Sligo and 
Leitrim, 81. 


Adare, Co. Limerick, 78; 
1902, 73. 


Naturalists, Local, 70. 


Obituary: Flemyng, Rev. 
148; Flood, Margaret Greer, 
Lett, Henry William, 41 ; 
son, W.. Joe. 


PiLy 


Woe. 
65; 
Tomlin- 
108 ; Wear, Sylvanus, 


Ornithological Notes from Mayo and 
Galway, 46. 

Ostenfeld, C. H.: Description of Herb- 
Robert, 23. 


Pack-Beresford, Denis R.: Ravens on 
Howth, 136; Records of Irish Wood- 
lice, 57; Woodcock in Dublin, 24. 


Pansy, Mountain, and its Time of 
Flowering, 8o. 
Phibbs, G. B.: Variations in the 


Segmental Spines of the Fourth- 
stage Larva of Hypoderma bovis, 53. 

Philips, R. A.: Donisthorpea mixta: 
and D. umbrata, two: Ants new to 
Ireland, 147; Nests of the Ant 
Stenamma Westwoodi, Discovered 
in Ireland, 125. 

Physalia on Co. Derry Coast, 71. 


Plants: Antrim, 80; Down and 
Dublin, rot. 

Plant Lore for the Young, 7o. 

Praeger, R. Lloyd: Acaena Sangui. - 


sorbae an Alien Colonist, 99; An 
trim Plants, 80; Behaviour of 
Fritillary, 97; Birds’ Nests and - 
their Fate, 25; Equisetum litorale 
Kuhlw., 145; Henry William Lett 
(obituary), 41 ; Notes on Down and 
Dublin plants, 1ol; R. & S. Gur- - 
ney’s ‘‘ Book about Plants and. 
Trees ’’ (review), 70. ) 
Prunus Padus in Wicklow and Kildare, 


145. 


Ranunculus Auricomus in Co. Wex- 
ford, 72. 

Ravens on How th, 136. 

Reviews : Cardiff Naturalists’ Society’s 
“ Faunistic Survey of Glamorgan,”’ 
70; R. & S. G. Gurney’s “‘ A Book 
about. Plants and» Iréesy> ge; 
Macewen’s ‘“‘ The Growth and Shed- 
ding of the Antler of the Deer,” 
68; R. de’ Villamil’s “ Soaring 
Flight : a simple Mechanical. Solu- 
tion of the Problem,’’ 27. 

Ruttledge, Robert F.: Ornithological 
Notes from Maya and Galway, 46. 

Ruttledge, W. Iceland Falcon ae 
Co. Kerry, 63. 


JRoyal Zoological Society, 51,. 58, 112. 


The Eafliest Irish 
Turtles on Irish 


Scharli Hi. > Bl 
Zoologist, 128 ; 
Coast, 29. 


Index. vi 


Scully, R. W.: Spiranthes Roman- 
zoffiana in County Kerry, 79. 

Serin in Queen’s County, 64. 

Sesia formicaeformis, a correction, 24. 

Sheals, Alf. : Breeding of Squirrels, 111 

Spiranthes Romanzoffana in County 
Kerry, 79. 

Squirrels, Breeding of, 111. 

Stelfox, A. W.: Carex axillaris in Co. 
Dublin, 145; Curious Behaviour of 
Bat, 109; Humble Bees of Lambay, 
108; Note on Carex muricata L 
and its segregates C. contigua Hoppe 
and ©. Pairaei Schultz, 31; Prunus 
Padus in Wicklow and Kildare, 145 ; 
Two Aculeate Hymenoptera New to 
Ireland, 146 ; Wood White Butterfly 
in Co, Dublin, 97. 

Stenamma Westwoodi, 125 


Thomson, J. S.{ Brachypodium pin- 
natum in Co. Dublin, go. 

Titmouse, Long-tailed, Return of, 15. 

Tits, British Long-tailed, in Belfast, 206. 

Tomlinson, W. J. C. (Obituary notice), 
108 

Torrens, D. S.: Macewen’s “ The 
Growth and Shedding of the Antler 
of the Deer ”’ (review), 68, 


Turtles on Insh Coast, 29 


Villami), Lt.-Col. R. de: “ Soaring 
Flight : a Simple Mechanical Solu- 
tion of the Problem ”’ (reviewed), 27 


Walker, F. H.: J epidoptera at Dolly- 
mount, Co. Dublin, 62. 

Wear, Sylvanus (Obituary notice), 23. 

Whales and Dolphins stranded on the 
Irish Coast during 1919 and 1920, 71. 


Whitethroat, Jesser, in Co. Dublin, 
82. Os: 

Williams, W. J.: Records of Irish 
Birds, 82. 


Woodcock in Dublin, 24. 

Woodlice, Records of, 57. 

Workman, W. H.: Bittern in County 
Antrim, 52; British Long-tailed 
Tits in Belfast, 26; ‘‘Song and 
Nesting of Birds,”’ 52.. 

Wren, 26; Return of Golden-crested, 
15. 


x 


Zoologist, Earliest Irish, 128. 
Zoology in Dublin University, $4. 


¢ ’ ty 
fe» & % 8 


Bee, OD OT ee ee 8 te 


OR ce sy Vol. XXX. No. 1. 
aie JANUARY, 1921. 


~~ 


-H Montbly Journal 


OF 
GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. 


ORGAN O: THE 

ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND 

DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, 
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BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB, 
DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB, 
CORK NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB, 
TYRONE NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


25 j EDITED BY 
ate ~ Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc., M.R.I.A. 
ks AND — 


R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.IA. 


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LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. 


bed 
SS Ot eae ht 


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SOON Hop oo to 


~ 

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= 
r= 


Sane 
pee 


The Warble Fly. 

The Use and Purchase of Feeding 
Stuffs. 

Foot Rot in Sheep 

The Sale of Flax. 


Celery Leaf-Spot Disease or Blight. 


Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. 

Fluke in Sheep. 

Timotbyv Meadows. 

The Turnip Fly 

Wireworms. 

Prevention of White Scour in Calves 

Liquid Manure 

Contagious Abortion in Cattle. 

Prevention of Potato Blight 

Milk Records. 

Sheep Scab. 

The 

Swine Fever. 

Karly Potato Growing. 

Calf Rearing. 

Diseases of Poultry :—Gapes 

Basic Slag. 

Dishorning Calves. 

Care and ‘Treatment of 
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Fowl Cholera. 

Winter Fattening of Cattle. 

Breeding and Feeding of Pigs 

Blackleg, Black Quarter, or 
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Flax Seed 

Poultry Parasites—Fleas, Mites, and 
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Winter Egg Production. 

Rearing and Fattening of Turkeys 

Profitable Breeds of Poultry. 

The Revival of Tillage. 

The Liming of Land. 

Field Experiments-—Barley. 

Meadow Hay 

Potatoes. 

Mangels. 

Oats. j 

Turnizs. 

Grasses 


Premium 


Blue 


>” ? 


> »” 
Permanent Pasture 


The Rearing and Management of 
Chickens 
. “Husk” or ‘* Hoose’”’ in Calves 


Ringworm on Cattle 
Haymaking. 

The Black Currant Mite. 
Foul Brood or Bee Pest. 
Poultry Fattening. 

Portable Poultry Houses. 
The Leather-Jacket Grub. 
Flax Growing Experiments. 


Use and Purchase of Manurea. | 


The Construction of a Cowhow3e. 
Out of Print. 

The Apple. 

Cultivation of the Root Crop. 
Marketing of Fruit. 

Sprouting Seed Potatoes 

Testing of Farm Seeds. 

The Packing of Butter. 

Field Experiments—Wheat. 

The Management of Dairy Cows. 


** Redwater’”’ or ‘‘ Blood-Murrain ”’ 
in Cattle. 
Varieties of Fruit Suitable for 


Cultivation in Treland. 

Forestry: The Planting of Waste 
Lands. 
Forestry: The Proper Method of 
Planting Forest Trees. 

O.t of Print. 

Out of Print. 

The Prevention of Tuberculosis in 
Cattle. 

Forestry : Planting, Management, 
and Preservation of Shelter- Belt 
and Hedgerow ‘Timber. 

Out of Print. 


Out of Print. 

The Planting and Management of 
Hedges. 

Some Common Parasites of the 
Sheep. 


Barley Sowing 

American Gooseverry Mildew. 
Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. 
Home Buttermaking. 

The Cultivation of Small Fruits 
Catch Crops. 

Potato Culture on Small Farms 
Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes 
Cultivation of Osiers. 

Ensilage. 

Some Injurious Orchard Insects. 
Dirty Milk. 

Barley Threshing 

The Home Bottling of Fruit 

The Construction of Piggeries. 
The Advantages of Early Ploughing. 
Black Scab in Potatoes 

Home Preservation of Kggs. 
Marketing of Wild Fruits. 

Out of Print. 

Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and 
Eggs. 

Packing Eggs for Hatching 

Weeds. 

Tuberculosis in Poultry. 

Seaweed as Manure 


SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 


Catch Crops—Spring Feeding of Stock. 


Autumn Sown Cereals. 
Kegs and Poultry. 
Out of Print. 


The Sowing of Spring Wheat and Oats. 


Winter Manuring—Grass Lands. 

Out of Print. 

Destruction of Farm Pets. 

Out of Print. 

Pig Feeding 

Poultry Feeding—The 
economy. 

Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 

Sulphate of Ammonia. 


need 


The need for economy. | 
for | 


No. 


3° 


14. Flaxseed for 1918 sowing. 

15. Out of Print. 

16. Out of Print. 

17. Out of Priv. 

18. Treatment of Allotments for the 
Jrowing of Vegetables. 

19. Home Curing of Bacon. : 

20. Pollution of Rivers by Flax water. 

21. Farmers and Income Tax. 

22. Pig Keeping. 

23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 

24. Conversion of Grass Lands into 
‘Tillage. 

25. Threshing and Storing of Grain, 


Conies of the above leafiets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the 
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THE IRISH NATURALIST. 


VOLUME Xxx. 


fae RELATION OF SONG. TO THE NESTING 
OF BIRDS. , 


BM fi F. BURKITYE. 


THE song of birds may have relation, perhaps, to a number 
of things besides connubial life, but as the bulk of song is 
in spring and early summer it is natural to expect and 
investigate a relation to nesting. Song is not confined to 
spring and early summer, and on that point I take the 
liberty of quoting from two articles by Messrs. C. and H. 
Alexander in “ British Birds,’’ May, 1908, and February, 
rg1tr. These show-the result of an enquiry over several 
years as to what months in the year each song can be heard 
in the S.E. of England. They do not deal with the relation 
of song to connubial life. They note certain relations of 
song to weather. 

What at once strikes a north of Ireland observer is the 
amount of song which Messrs. Alexander seem to get over 
there outside the “ regular’ period. It seems clear to me 
that we here get nothing at all like it ; that song is much 
more confined to the regular period. The Hedge Sparrow 
there sings regularly from the second week in September 
all through the winter, whereas I do not know of its song 
here before the end of January or beginning of February. 
Again, with them the Chiffchaff sings some in August and 
regularly in September, whereas I might hear, perhaps, 
one bird in August and never one in September. Their 


A 


2 The Irish Naturalist. January, 


Willow Wrens sing regularly through August ; I might 
hear the song twice. They note that several species have 
an autumn as well as a spring song period ; that this 
is well seen in the Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Creeper, 
Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, and Willow Wren, less so in Missel- 
Thrush, Blackbird and Chaffinch ; that the Song Thrush, 
Robin, and Hedge Sparrow sing all through the winter, 
and the Wren makes no appreciable break. They do not 
hold much to the frequent suggestion that autumn singing 
is from young birds of the year. This is nearly all 
superior to my district. I should say the remarks apply 
to us in the case of Goldcrest, Creeper, Robi) and 
Wren ; in a much less degree as to the Wagtail, Skylark 
and Song Thrush, and not at all as to the rest. 


Messrs. Alexander’s “‘ regular ’’ period, where I can 
check it, 1s also inclined to last later than ours. Thus they 
put the regular song of Thrush and Blackbird as ending 
in third and fourth weeks in July respectively, whereas I 
would put them at least a month earlier. They end the 
Chaffinch’s regular song in first week of July as compared 
with mine fully a fortnight earlier. The Meteorological 
Society divides the British Isles for phenological observations 
into climatic divisions :—A (S.E. England) to K (N. Scotland) 
and Messrs. Alexander’s district and mine would belong to 
C and G respectively. 


9?) 


Messrs. Alexander mark, of course, a period of “ regular 
song as distinct from occasional or fitful song. This regular 
period is mostly but not always in spring and early summer. 
Their chief exceptions among the residents are as follows :— 


Robin (Regular period) .. Fourth week in July to fourth week in 
June. 

Hedge Sparrow... .. Second week in September to end of July, 

Wren a s oy: RE Year. 

Pied Wagtail MG .. October and early November, and Feb- 
ruary to May. 

Starling .. ih .. End of August to beginning of May. 


Then among the migrants they put the following as 
singing during their entire stay, which I also find :—Switt, 
Swallow (except on arrival), Nightjar. ; 


ry ka ge BurRkITT.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 3 


Lut in the case of these migrants, the whole time they 
are with us might be called the family season, and their 
song may have reference to the family life. So that we are 
left with the above four or five residents of which there 
is the prima facie suggestion that their song has no particular 
relation to family life, being as regular out of the breeding 
season as in it. Whether it really has or not I have no 
sufficient data for elucidating. Guarding a certain territory 
for himself and for a real or desired mate, though the latter 
_ pay little or no attention, may possibly be a motive with 
the Robin and Wren; at least I have reason to fancy so 
in the case of the Wren. As regards the other above- 
mentioned species which do in my district give some song 
in autumn, such as the Goldcrest, Wagtail, Creeper, Starling, 
and Skylark ; or which make in autumn call-notes of more 
or less frequency such as the Chaffinch, Missel-Thrush, 
Hedge-Sparrow, and Yellow-hammer—lI throw out the 
suggestion that the motive is sexual, shewn either by 
antipathy and fighting between the males or an attachment 
of male to female, this antipathy and attachment waning 
as winter approaches. 

I do not pretend to competence in this subject of song. 
Also my observations herein may or may not clash with 
those by others and with what can be gleaned on the 
subject out of bird books. I had hoped to incorporate 
such gleanings here, but irregularity in the train service 
has cut me off from libraries. | 

The main point of this paper is to show that with at 
least a certain number of well-known songsters, mating 
seems to put a brake or a stopper on the song; and that 
we should have comparatively little song from them were 
it not for un-mated males and the recrudescence of song 
where there are second broods. 

With the general run of songsters the earlier ones begin 
singing a good long while before nesting. Thus with the 
Chaffinch there are about 2? months between early song 
and early eggs. This might suggest that mating does not 
affect the song. But this would be a hasty conclusion. 
Firstly matches may be made up very slowly, and secondly 
there is a gradual supply of fresh-starting singers. 


A2 


4 The Irish Naturalist. January, 


The termination of the regular period of song is of 
special interest to me, because, though I suppose moulting 
has a good deal to do with it, I find that the termination 
in some species strikingly coincides with the last of the 
unmated singers getting mates, thus suggesting that the 
termination is due to mating. I regret I know nothing 
about moulting, but if it is moulting which stops the song, 
does moulting take place later in S.E. England than here, 
inasmuch as the termination seems later there? (I may 
remark about this termination, that amongst all the songsters 
as far as I know (including Corncrake) when the song has 
so declined as to be no more heard in ordinary day time, 
it may still be heard in early morning.) 

I have culled the following list from Messrs. Alexander’s 
papers, showing the end of some of their “regular’”’ periods, 
remembering that occasional song may continue with them 
two or three weeks later, such as in Starling, Lapwing, 
Missel-Thrush, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Whitethroat. Trish 
observers may like to compare with them. 


Begin. of May Starling Mid. July .. Whitethroat (g) 

Mid. May .. Lapwing Sedge Warbler 

Fourth week May Missel-Thrush Grass Warbler 

Begin. June .. Great, Coal, and | Third week July Song Thrush 

Blue Tits Linnet 

Mid. June 2 oreeper Fourth week July Blackbird 

Late » Jime- isan Cuci0g Chiffchaff 

End June.i) SS) soiderese End July .. Hedge Sparrow 
Robin Reed Bunting 
Meadow Pipit Skylark 
Willow Wren Martin 
Corncrake Mid. August .. Lesser Redpoll 
Whinchat Fourth week Aug Yellow-hammer 

First week July  Chaffinch End August .. Greenfinch 
Sand Martin End September Swallow 


Second week july Gardin Warbler Begin. October Wood Pigeon 


For an individual observer to set himself to investigate 
the relation of song to nesting, and to cover any considerable 
number of species, is rather a “ tall order.’ But, perhaps, 
even such more or less tentative results as have been 
obtained by my observations may be worth recording. 
They may help as a basis for others to amend or extend. 
The study needs much persistence and includes many 


192. Burxitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 5 


disappointments. Besides, one observer may have very 
poor chances and much labour over a species not common 
in his neighbourhood, which another can study from his 
hall-door. The process requires for each species that the 
observer should note a number of separate male birds, 
preferably from the very beginning of their season ; note 
their song, if any, and then watch whether any individuals 
stick sufficiently to one site or are sufficiently isolated 
from others, or in some other way have their individuality 
identified. Each of such birds has then to be watched to 
see if he gets a mate, and the relation of his song thereto, 
and throughout the subsequent family life. But will the 
pair remain at the site? Will you find the nest? Will 
the nest be deserted ? Willa parent or the nest be destroyed ? 
After these risks will you have enough cases left to judge 
by? In my experience the odds are that when you have 
got as far as the nests, at least half of them and probably 
two-thirds will come to a bad end. Jats, hawks, cats, and 
boys are I suppose the cause of most tragedies, but some 
evil spirit will lead a farmer to cut the only clump of weeds 
or bit of hedge you want left, or lead a miles-man to clear 
the brushwood off your special bit of railway bank, or the 
turf-cutter to select your special spot on the moor. I find 
such a large proportion of my ground-built (or near ground) 
nests destroyed that I imagine my footsteps must be 
followed up by rats at night; or can there be general 
destruction on such a scale ? Again, desertion is sometimes 
mysterious, as for example in two cases this year where a 
pair of Yellow-hammers and another of Garden Warblers 
deserted the first nest with eggs, and quickly made new 
ones within four or five yards. The first nests had not 
been fingered nor the birds disturbed by me. 

My observations for this article more particularly refer 
to the Chaffinch, Yellow-hammer, Chiffchaff, Willow Wren, 
Lesser Redpoll, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, and 
Greater Whitethroat. 

Probably no hard-and-fast rule binds all the males of 
a species in their singing, and indeed anything I lay down 
herein is only meant to be tentative.’ I wish this to be 
understood without repeating it. 


Go 


The Irish Naturalist. January, 


. The songsters of the above species sing strongly 


before mating and as if to get a mate because, 


. Some practically cease to sing after getting a mate. ~ 


(Perhaps only true of the Yellow-hammer. | 
have not studied the Blackbird, but I notice 
that an observer in “ British Birds,’’ September, 
1920, incidentally mentions that a Blackbird 
whose song had previously been almost incessant, 
was much reduced after a mate arrived). 


. Some practically cease to sing after the female 


begins to sit. (Generally true of Chafhnch, 
Willow Wren, Grasshopper Warbler, White- 
throat.) 

All have either ceased to sing or sing very much 


less while the female is sitting. (Chiffchaff 
doubtful.) 


. A male otherwise silent may sing a bar or two 


while the female is off the nest. 

There is no, or little, song when rearing brood. 
(Except Chiffchaff and Redpoll trill—see note 
on Redpoll below; Willow Wren sometimes 
sings.) 


. As might be deduced from the above, any strong 


continual singer 1s mateless. (Except perhaps 
Chiffchaff and Redpoll.) And these mateless 
males are further distinguished by their bold 
advertisement of themselves. 


. Mateless males may sing on for weeks or months 


before mating ; not changing their site, and in 
some cases hardly even changing their particular 
perch. 


. Thus the bulk of the song of these species, except 


Chiffchaff and Redpoll, is from birds before 
mating. And its prolongation in any strength 
during several months is mainly due to a supply 
of unmated males, coupled with the recrudescence 
of song where there are second broods. 


1921. Burkitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 2 


zo. One common notion about bird song seems, at 
least in these cases, to be just the one thing 
we can safely deny, namely, that the male sings 
chiefly to please a sitting mate. 


The Greater Whitethroat is the most interesting example 
of the above. His song ceases almost entirely shortly 
after the nest is begun, and as the nesting is started more 
quickly after arrival than any bird I know we should have 
very little of this song were it not for the supply of mateless 
males. As the weeks pass these latter acquire mates, but 
great numbers of them may go on mateless and singing 
past the end of May and all through June and well into 
July. Whenever one gets a mate he almost at once ceases 
to be heard. But if some accident occurs to the nest or 
the female, one hears the male start singing again. A 
greatly added interest attaches to the mateless males 
because they occupy their. time building a series of cock 
nests. Both parents seem to feed the young equally. 

The mated Grasshopper Warbler seems to cease early 
to sing, and does not sing again till after the first brood 
is fledged. Both parents seem to feed the young equally. 
A certain prolongation of the earlier song seems to be due 
to still mateless males. 

The Garden Warbler will either stop singing altogether 
or sing seldom and low after the female begins to sit. 
(There may be some exceptions to this.) He may from 
time to time give a few notes when she is off the eggs. 

A beautiful low rendering of his song, almost a whisper, 
is a certain indication of the close proximity of the nest 
and probably fresh eggs. Any strong not-shy singers 
after early in June will probably be found to be still mateless. 
I have watched such birds, which do not give the usual 
mated alarm, and with which I could detect no female. 
These provide a certain prolongation of the song. But 
such are few and the main run of the song of this bird is 
the shortest I know, lasting barely a month in my experience. 
A lot of small beginnings of nests are found in the bushes 
around any of these songsters, and are probably made by 
the male. I only once caught such building in the act, 
but at that time I was not aware of the habit and so did 


8 The Ivish Naturalist. January, 


not notice which sex did it. Both parents feed the young, 
but I think the male does it less. 


In the case of the Willow Wren the first strong well 
advertised song gets low and less frequent very shortly 
after a mate arrives. With many males it may cease 
altogether, and not a note be heard till the brood is hatched. 
Both parents feed the young, the male doing it much less. ~ 
He may at that time sing at intervals but the song soon 
stops. It is nearly safe to say that all Willow Wrens singing 
on loudly and steadily are mateless. In my article of 
September, 1919 (supra), | gave examples of such birds 
remaining even up to twelve weeks mateless. 

As to the Lesser Redpoll, my observations were on the 
trill and not on the alleged early song. I confess unacquain- 
tance with the latter, and therefore, perhaps, the trill 
should not stand with these other songs. It belongs more 
properly to that large class of notes which imply the 
accompanying presence of the mate or family, for it seems 
to be almost entirely made in his flights with the female. 
I have not heard it when she was sitting. He is a very 
faithful mate, accompanying her on her flights for building 
material and again when she goes for food for the young, 
trilling all the way. And again he does the same when 
the young are fledged and being fed up in high tree-tops. 
The trill is thus heard on even towards the end of July. 
The high course of flight and the big circles taken by this 
small bird make it very difficult to locate, though heard 
all about you. I have not seen the male feeding the young. 


In the case of the Chaffinch it would be rather daring 
to suggest rules about such a well-known bird, from the 
study of only a few cases. But in those few the male 
certainly stopped singing when the female began to sit, 
and did not sing again till that brood was done with. 
Many of these birds, probably yearlings, plainly remain 
unmated till well on in the season and thus provide a fairly 
steady volume of song. But I have noticed a distinct 
period of little or no song such as would be accounted for 
by the gap between the main run of first and second broods. 
Both parents feed the young. 


tg21. Burkitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 9 


The Yellow-hammer’s song is a particularly popular 
melody as he remains perched up on a telegraph wire or 
bush or tree, and lasts throughout the entire day. Many 
a time in the past have I[ waited for some sign of the female, 
or other indication of a nest, but without avail. I know 
now that it is nearly certain that such a singer means 
there is no mate. I have never detected such a singer to 
have a mate. And conversely I have never heard the 
male of a known mated pair sing, even in the earliest stages 
of matehood, unless a very odd scrap. The Yellow- 
hammers mated note is essentially the single note, which, 
though not loud, carries a remarkable distance. The tail 
bobs down at each note so that you can know he is making 
it even if too far to be heard. The unmated bird may use 
this note also to some extent, but the odds are that a male 
making this note and not singing (proper) is mated. 

The Yellow-hammer begins to sing early in the year, 
and makes himself noticeable by his song from a perch as 
well as by his bright colours; while hardly any females 
are noticed for a long while, probably from the absénce of 
any such advertisement. 


Later on two or three males along with one female will 
be seen making long circular flights; apparently some 
method of selection. Frequently two or more males will 
be perched not far from a female ; the true mate will not 
be singing while the others will. The building female may 
take long flights with material and the male may accompany 
her. He will probably make the single note during her 
Stay about the nest. (I have in several cases seen the 
male carrying building material—once in each case—but 
how much IJ do not know.) He will either be quite silent 
and unnoticeable during the incubation (in which he is 
said to take part) or he may maintain long periods of the 
note perched fairly near at hand. Ifsome accident happens 
to the female, singing may re-commence. His part in 
feeding the young is variable or mil. He then usually 
accompanies her on her flights for food, and may possibly 
give a bar or two of song (proper) while waiting for her 
to return. In any anxiety the crest of either bird will 
probably erect. I have had a number of examples of 


Io The Ivish Naturalist. January, 


unmated Yellow-hammer males singing from almost the 
one perch for at least six weeks; and in some cases I think 
it was the same bird for three months. I left one such 
bird still singing on August 5th. These birds may sing at 
intervals of ten or fifteen seconds throughout almost the 
entire day. The “ regular’ song period of this bird is one 
of our longest, being 55 months, ending mid-August. 
Does it not moult very late ? 

The renewal of song for second broods of certain species 
can be noted in individual examples, and more easily in 
isolated pairs, but I also think I can detect a marked 
general recrudescence round about dates which would 
correspond with second broods. Thus I fancy I have 
marked it for our Chaffinches about the last week in May ; 
for Snipe in first week in June; for Yellow-hammers in 
beginning of June and again at mid-July; for Sedge 
Warblers at end of June; for Grasshopper Warblers at 
beginning of July. But we might ask why a male who 
has a mate should re-sing, if the purpose of song be to get 
a mate. Well, the unmated males, who get mates so late 
that the latter can hardly be late arrivals, perhaps get 
females who have left their first husbands. And thus 
the male who has a mate may sing after the first brood 
for fear of losing her. 

But in any extended study of this subject the question 
will arise: what 7s song? Is that easy of definition? Some 
sounds may be denoted as not only a song but also an alarm 
or a mate’s call or a family note, or a general company 
note. The Lapwing’s note seems to fulfil all these purposes. 
Is it a song >and is the Tern’s and even the Blackheaded 
Gull’s not one, though the use of the note among these 
three seems to fairly correspond ? 

In some cases even the Warblers’ song comes in as an 
alarm in addition to the more regular alarm note. Commonly 
so in the case of the Sedge Warbler, but also in the 
Grasshopper Warbler. The Whitethroat sometimes blurts 
out a peculiar whortling variation of his song if you are 
near the nest ; and the Chiffchaff may insert a bar or two 
of song amongst the ordinary alarm notes. 


Enniskillen. 


1921. Jounson.—Notes on Lepidoptera im 1920. II 


NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA IN 1920. 
BY REV. W. F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S. 


THE past year was not a good one for Lepidoptera, nor 
indeed for insects in general, for it was on the whole a wet 
_ year, and we had practically no summer. There were fine 
days, it is. true, but they were, like angels’ visits, few and 
far between. It could not be expected under such depressing 
weather conditions, that butterflies should abound, and 
they did not. 

Usually the first fine days at the end of March or 
beginning of April are heralded by the appearance on the 
wing of the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly, but this year 
the first to appear on the wing was the Speckled Wood, 
and it did not show itself till April 24th, nor was this 
surprising for I think last April was the worst April I can 
remember. On May 4th the Green-veined White put in 
an appearance, and on the 7th I saw the first Small Tortoise- 
shell and the first Orange-tip. On the 15th May I was 
agreeably surprised to see a battered Peacock Butterfly in 
my flower garden, the first I had seen here in the spring, 
all the other occurrences having been in the autumn. I 
hoped it would lay its eggs ine and that I should have 
the pleasure of seeing 1cs family in the autumn, but evidently 
the nettles were were not to its taste, as none materialised. 

At Drumbanagher Vicarage, however, my young friends, 
Misses Phyllis and Doris Nelson found a large family of 
larvae and succeeded in rearing many fine specimens of this 
handsome butterfly. 

In mid-June I went to Portnoo, Co. Donegal, and was 
there for almost a month, but the weather was no more 
propitious there than here, and I met with but few 
Lepidoptera. 

The following butterflies were observed :—Large White, 
Peacock, Wall, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Green Hair- 
streak, Small Copper, Common Blue, and Little Blue. A 
few moths also turned up. As Mrs. Johnson and I were 
walking across some boggy ground, she picked up a 


{2 The Irish Naturalist. January, ” 


beautiful fresh female of Diacrisia sannio (russula), the first 
of this sex I had met with ; we had caught males at Portnoo 
before but no females, so I was very pleased at this capture. 
The moth was sitting low down on the grass and its 
detection does credit to Mrs. Johnson’s keenness of sight. I 
found a nice specimen of boarmia repandata sitting under 
a window sill, and took Miana fasciuncula on thistles on 
the sandhills, the latter were rather worn and faded. On 
almost the last day of our visit I saw among herbage on 
the roadside a little black moth with white spots on its 
wings. [I netted it and it proved to be Eunychia octomaculata, 
a species I had nat previously met with. This ends the 
meagre list from Portnoo. 

After our return home, Mrs. Johnson and [| were in 
Newry on July 30th and her sharp eyes detected Bryophila 
perla on the wall of one of the markets ; and on September 
roth she pointed out to me Lupherina testacea on a shop 
window in Sugar Island, Newry. This specimen was larger 
and darker than usual. In July I gathered some umbels 
of Hog-weed on which larvae were feeding, these pupated 
and from these pupae Depressaria heracleana emerged at the 
end of August. 

August 27th was one of the few really fine days we 
had, and I took advantage of it to walk round by fields 
with my net and picked up a nice Pyrausta aurata, and 
on the following day I found Hydroecia nictitans on Ragweed. 

On September 15th I walked down the canal bank to 
look for Sawfly larvae on some bushes of Salix pentandra 
and found larvae of Dicranura vinula and Notodonta ziczac. 
On my way home I saw a nice fresh specimen of the Red 
Admiral. On September 29th I saw three more in another 
direction, and en October 2nd had the pleasure of seeing 
this beautiful butterfly in my flower garden. On November 
6th my terriers found a nest of half grown rats under a 
heap of leaves and sticks. To help the dogs I turned over 
the heap and out of it flew several small light-coloured 
moths. They were very sluggish, and having a killing- 
bottle in my pocket I had little difficulty in securing 
specimens. On examination I found that they were 
Depressaria arenella. This seems a late date for these 


1921. JOHNSON.—WNotes on Lepidoptera in 1920. 13 


moths to occur, but Stainton (‘‘ Manual” i1., p. 317) says 
that nearly every Depressaria hibernates. 

I was greatly struck this year with the hardiness of 
the Speckled Wood Butterfly. It was the first to appear 
and the last to disappear. Every gleam of sunshine brought 
it out, and I even saw it on the wing in drizzling rain. 
This makes its disappearance from parts of the south and 
south-east of England more remarkable. Mr. Meyrick 
many years ago (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1890, p. 297) remarked 
on its disappearance from the neighbourhood of Marlborough 
and I have this year been told by a correspondent that 
both it and the Wall Butterfly have disappeared from Kent, 
and I believe the same holds good of other localities where 
both used to be abundant. 


Poyntzpass. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


NOVEMBER 1o.—The Club met at Leinster House. 


H. A. LaArFrerty (President) exhibited microscopical preparations 
showing the spermogonial and aecidial stages of Melampsora Lint Desm. 
as found by him on young flax plants in Ireland. These two stages 
of the fungus were first recorded by Fromme who, in r1g12, found them 
on fiax plants in the United States of America, and they have not hitherto 
been recognised outside that country. 

Paut A. Murpuy showed dividing nuclei in the swarm-spores of a 
myxomycete (Lycogala) and, by way of comparison, similar nuclei in 
roots of bean and Galtonia. 

W. F. Gunn and Pror, J. A. Scott exhibited preparations showing 
the “streaming ’’ movement of the protoplasm of Badhamia utricularis, 
a species of Mycetozoa. The movement was observed to continue in 
one direction for 80 or go seconds, then to be reversed for a somewhat 
shorter period, the longer period always being in the direction in which 
the plasmodium was advancing. In about twelve hours after the meet- 
ing it was observed that the plasmodium had gathered together in 
little heaps on the rotten wood (the material on which it was feeding), 
sporangia had formed, and spores with traces of capillitium threads 
were already discernible in the interior of the sporangia. 


14 The Irish Naturalist. January, 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


NOVEMBER 16.—First meeting of the winter session in the Museum, 
College Square North, the President (S. A. BENNETT, B.A., B.Sc.) 
gave an address on “‘ Water Plants.’’ Before the proceedings commenced 
references were made to the recent death of Sylvanus Wear, a member 
of many years’ standing, and the Club’s librarian and herbarium curator, 
a vote of condolence, proposed by the President, and seconded by Mr. 
J. A. S. Stendall, being passed in the usual way. 

In his address the President stated that in addition to the difficulty 
of obtaining an adequate oxygen supply there was the difficulty of raising 
the flowering spike out of the water into the surrounding air. The 
methods adopted by water plants in solving this problem afforded many 
instances of remarkably efficient adaptations to external conditions. 
The luxuriant growth of water plants was discussed, and the history of 
the spread of the Canadian Weed in the British Islands was given. 
This pest, which had cost canal companies many thousands of pounds, 
was first reported from Waringstown in 1836, a doubtful honour to County 
Down. The phenomenon of heterophylly was discussed, the different 
forms of leaf exhibited by one and the same plant could hardly be referred 
to the direct action of the environment, as both submerged leaves and 
floating leaves could already be distinguished in the growing leaf-bud 
which was forming under water. In future much more weight would 
have to be given to the part played by descent in the determination of 
leaf form and less stress laid on the theory of adaptation to external 
conditions. The address closed with a review of some of the outstanding 
difficulties of the theory of natural selection, as illustrated by the bladder- 
wort (Utricularia) and the evolution of the buoyant bud. 

The address was freely illustrated by a fine series of lantern views, 
and at its close was supplemented by some very interesting remarks by 
Professor Gregg Wilson. 

The Hon. Secretary also presented his report as delegate to the British 
Association meeting, held in Cardiff during August last. 

NOVEMBER 30.—Sectional meeting in the Museum, College Square 
North. A paper on “‘ Rats: Their Habits and Economics” was read 
by Mr. J. A. S. StENDALL. After detailing the position of rats in the 
animal kingdom, the author gave a brief history of the introduction of 
the Black Rat and its more formidable cousin, the Brown Rat, into Great 
Britain ; these two animals are without doubt the most highly organised 
members of their family and the most successful of mammals. The 
so-called Black Rat is not always black, but consists of three distinct 
sub-species, the Black Rat proper, the Alexandrine Rat, which is brownish- 
grey, and the Tree or Roof Rat, which is reddish-brown. The black 
form of the Brown Rat in Ireland, first described by Wm. Thompson 
in 1837 as a distinct species, is apparently increasing in numbers. The 
damage caused by rats was referred to. Their destructive and offensive 
habits mark them as among our deadliest enemies, 


1921. Irish Societies. 15 


The address was illustrated by numerous specimens, in the examination 


of which much interest was taken. A_ short discussion followed the 
reading of the paper, in which the President, G, Reilly, and the Hon, 
Secretary took part. : 


NOTES. 
ZOOLOGY. 


An Aberration of Argynnis aglaia. 


I send a description of an interesting aberration of Argynnis aglaia 
which my son, W. G. Crawford, caught among the sand-hills bordering 
the Bush River at Portballantrae, Co. Antrim, at end of August, 1gto. 

Female. Expanse 2} inches. UPpPERSIDE.—Fore wing mostly black 
with a fulvous spot about middle of the cell. Basal area dusky brown, 
terminal area fulvous crossed by thickened black veins. Cilia cream 
except where interrupted by the black veins. Hind wing. Basal area 
dusky brown; fulvous patch stretching from costal margin across cell 
with halved black spot superimposed on it; outer area mostly black, 
dusky fulvous showing only in the interspaces. Cilia as in fore wing. 
UNDERSIDE.—-Fove wing, fulvous with thin black bar across base of 
cell, large roundish black spot in middle of cell and broken black bar 
across apex of cell; disc almost wholly black with veins fulvous, terminal 
margin fulvous with subterminal brown line marked with silvery blue 
on the inner side in interspaces 5, 6, and 7. Hind wing, ground colour 
green marked by usual silver blue spots, mostly edged with black. The 
discal spots in interspaces 5, 6, and 7 are entirely black. Yellowish 
spots in interspaces 2, 3, and 4 between the discal and subterminal rows 
of silvery spots. . 


Won. CRAWFORD. 
Belfast. 


Return of the Golden-crested Wren and Long-tailed 
Titmouse. 


As stated (Ivish Nat. vol. xxvi., p. 118) the severe winter of 1916-17 
practically, if not entirely, exterminated the Golden-crested Wren and 
Long-tailed Titmouse in this district. In regard to the former species, 
after the lapse of about a year a few appeared again, and now this bird 
has about regained its former status. Until November, 1920, the Long- 
tailed Titmouse was not noted here, but I am glad to report that on the 
24th of that month Mr. C. B. Horsbrugh saw a pair in his garden, and 
on the following morning I observed them also. 


NEVIN H. FOSTER. 
Hillsborough, Co, Down. 


16 


The Irish Naturalist. January, 1921, 


Migration Season of the Corncrake. 


I dare to suggest that out of all the migratory birds which come to 
the British Isles to breed, there is one which does us the honour of coming 
to the Emerald Isle distinctly earlier than to England—namely, the 


Corncrake. 


My grounds are the following :— 


1. A record of observations during 20 years (1877-1896) from 


iS) 


“some 15 stations mainly in England’ published in the 
Natural History Journal gives the average first arrival of 
the Corncrake as the ist of May. 


. The average taken by me in Fermanagh for the 14 years 1907- 


1920 is the 2oth April or 11 days earlier. 


In 11 of these 14 years the variation was not more than 2 days 


from the 20th, which is remarkable, and which shows the 
seriousness of the average 11 day earliness in (2). 


Taking the mean of the first arrivals with me of 11 migrants 


during 6 to 13 years, exclusive of the Corncrake, I find this 
mean to be 3 days later in Fermanagh than the N. H. /f. 
mean for the same 11 birds. In other words we are at 
least 3 days later on an average than England. This 3 
days should then be added to the 11 in (3), making the 
Corncrake really 14 days earlier here than if it was on a 
par with the other birds. 


. During the past 6 years 1914-1919 observations have been 


tabulated in the Phenological Report of the Meteorological 
Society. The average of Corncrake arrivals therein 
(excluding the Scotch to make my argument fairer) is the 
4th of May. Whereas the Irish records therein taken by 
themselves average 22nd-23rd April or 114 days earlier. 


For counter argument to my proposition, 
(a) It might be said that my own observations may have been 


more alert and therefore earlier than the average observer. 
But what about the other Irish observers ? It needs no 
great alertness to hear the Corncrake. If the 11 days in 
(3) is to be reduced for alertness the 3 days in (4) must 
be increased accordingly. 


(b) The Irish stations in the Phenological Report are very few ; 


but they are corroborative. 


(c) In this Report there are few observations from south-west 


England. That area should, perhaps, be our chief 
competitor. But I see no evidence from the tables that 
the south of England is earlier than the Midlands. 
Does this argue their unreliability ? 


(2) What has lighthouse research to say on the matter ? 


Enniskillen J. Ps Bure 


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PAGE 
' The Relation of bce to the Nesting of nee! P, a 
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IRISH SOCIETIES : 
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NOTES : 
An Aberration of Argynnis aglaia—W. CRAWFORD 
Return of the Golden-crested Wren and Long-tailed Titmouse— 
NEVIN H. FOSTER, FL.S... ‘ 


Migration Season of the Corncrake—J. P. BuRKITT 


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» 29 Flax Seed » 75 Barley Sowing 
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WAR 5 1921 


February, 1921. The Lrish Naturalist. 17 


NOTES ON SOME IRISH ENTOMOSTRACA., 
BY ROBERT GURNEY, M.A. 


THE following notes on Entomostraca are the result of a 
week’s stay at Malahide (Co. Dublin) at the end of September, 
1920. JDuring this time I paid visits to Howth and to 
Newbridge, and have therefore arranged these notes under | 
the heading of these localities in order to bring into 
prominence the difference in the conditions investigated. 


t. MALAHIDE. 


There is almost an entire absence of fresh-water pocls 
in the neighbourhood of Malahide, but it is an excellent 
locality for the study of estuarine species, and two fresh- 
water species of considerable interest were found. 


In the demesne of Malahide Castle are some fine old 
Beech trees, and the water collected in hollows at the foot 
of these trees, or at the junction of branches with the stem 
was investigated, with the result that in one of thein were 
found a few specimens of Movaria warica (Graeter). This 
is a Copepod resembling in many respects M. arboricola 
Scourfield, which was discovered by Mr. Scourfield in 
similar situations in Hornbeams and Beeches in Epping 
Forest, and has since been found to be common in Beech 
tree holes in the New Forest ; but it is a smaller species, 
and quite distinct. It was originally found by Graeter in 
caves in Switzerland, but has also been taken by him and 
by Chappuis in rotten wood, and by Mr. Scourfield in a 
tree-hole in Epping “Lower” Forest. It is probably 
therefore a true woodland species. Its occurrence at 
Malahide seems to me to indicate that the Beech wood 
‘here is a relic of a once more extensive forest. Other holes 
in these trees were either altogether barren or contained 
10 Morarias, but in two of them the ee crn were 
found :— 

a 


18 The Irish Naturalist. Pilke February, 
re ya 

Canthocamptus pygmaeus. | Canthocamptus lucidulus. 

Candona candida. Cyclops fimbriatus. 

Cypria ophthalmica. Chydorus sphaericus. 


Brackish pools by the estuary were found to be rich in 
Entomostraca, among which the following are worth 
mention :— 


Halicyclops aequoreus Fisch. 
Nitocra typica Boeck. 

. Nitocra spinipes Boeck. 
Mesochra rapiens Schmeil. 
Tachidius littoralis Poppe. 


Nitocra typica also occurred in the estuary itself. It 
appears to be a rather rare species preferring more saline 
water than N. sfimipes, although sometimes (as on this 
occasion) living in company with it. Mesochra rapiens 
(=M. hirticornis Scott) has, so far, only been found in one 
locality in Ireland—Clare Island (Scourfield). Iara 
characteristic of water of very low salinity, and occurs 
even in perfectly fresh water. I was not able to analyse 
the water of these Malahide pools, but, to judge by the 
situation and nature of the fauna, the salinity must have 
been high—at least 12 grms. chlorine per litre. 

In a small trickle of fresh water draining into the 
estuary was found, in company with Nitocra spinipes, a 
variety of Cyclops languidus which differs so much from 
the type as to constitute apparently a. distinct species. 
This form has only 11 joints in the first antenna, and differs 
from C. languidus in the form of the swimming legs, in 
which the terminal joints are scarcely longer than broad, 
while the terminal spines of the inner branch of the fourth 
foot are of very unequal length. There are a number of 
forms of Cyclops closely related to C. languidus, to several 
of which specific names have been attached, and a careful 
revision of these forms is much needed. I am acquainted 
with two of these varieties in addition to that above 


mentioned, neither of which seems to agree with published 


descriptions, and must defer a detailed description of these 
forms to a future occasion. 


/-_ 


1921. GuRNEY——l[vish Entomostraca. 19 


2.. HOWTH. 


High up on the hill of Howth is a marshy spot with 
a small deep pool, or reservoir, in which Cyclops prasinus 
and Bosmina longirostris abounded, while Canthocamptus 
pygmaeus, Alonella nana and Alona affinis were found in 
adjacent pools. This depression seemed, from the nature 
of the flora and fauna, to drain more or less calcareous 
soil, whereas a pool in a quarry higher up the hill appeared 
to be of a different character. Here occurred Cyclops 
languidus, C. bisetosus and Moraria brevipes, the last 
being, I think, an addition to the Irish fauna. M. brevipes 
is a rare British species living only in lime-free water and 
generally in Sphagnum moss. It has been recorded from 
several localities in Scotland, from Epping Forest, and 
occurs in heath pools in Norfolk. 


3. BoG oF ALLEN AT NEWBRIDGE. 


I was only able to visit the fringe of the bog and to 
make a few collections in small Sphagnum pools here and 
there, so that the results were disappointing and scanty. 
These small pools, sometimes quite filled with Sphagnum, 
seem to have much in common with the Sphagnum bogs 
of the New Forest. The fauna is remarkably poor, the 
only species found to be common at Newbridge being 
Acantholeberts curvirostris. A few specimens of Moraria 
brevipes were taken from one pool, but the most interesting 
capture was Cyclops venustus Norman and Scott, a species 
which was described in 1906 from specimens collected on 
Exmoor by Canon Norman. It has since been found by 
Mr. Scourfield on Exmoor and Dartmoor also. This 
species is closely allied to C. capillatus, and is, perhaps, to 
be regarded as a variety of it, but it is readily distinguished 
from that and other species by the coarsely toothed margins 
of the abdominal segments and by the surface markings of 
the integument. The surface of the abdominal segments 
is ridged, and along these ridges run rows of minute markings 
which are apparently pits such as are found in C. diaphanus | 
Fisch. The surface of the cephalothorax is covered by 


delicate marking which gives the appearance of a complicated 
A 2 


20 The Ivish Naturalist. 


wrinkling of the cuticle. 


February, 


The swimming legs agree with 


those of C. capillatus except in small details, and the fifth 


leg is identical. 


LIST OF SPECIES FOUND. 


A = Bog of Allen. 


—A., 
Alona affinis Leyd.—H. 
A. guttata Sars.—A. 
Alonella nana Baird.—A. H. 
A. excisa Fisch.—A. 


Chydorus sphaericus O. F. M.—A. 


Eurytemora lacinulata Fisch.—M. 
Cyclops languidus Sars.—A. H. 
. languidus var.—M. 

. viridis Jur.—A. 

. stvenuus Fisch.—H. 


. bisetosus Rehb.—H. 
. nanus Sars.—A. 
. spervatus Lallj.—A. 


OG Oe On Oe) 


M = Malahide. 


Simocephalus vetulus O. F. M.—A. 
Bosmina longirostris O. F. M.—H. 
Acantholeberis curvivostris O. F. M. 


. venustus Norm. and Scott.—A. 


H = Howth. 

Cyclops prasinus Fisch.—H. 

C. fimbriatus Fisch.—A. M. 
Tigriopus fulvus Fisch.—M. 
Dactylopus tisboides Claus.—M. 
Idya furcata Baird.—M. 
Canthocamptus lucidulus Rehb.—M. 
C. pygmaeus Sars.—A. M. H. 
Movaria brevipes Sars.—A. H. 
M. varica Graeter.—M. 
Nitocra typica Boeck.—M. 

N. spinipes Boeck.—M. 
Mesochra rapiens Schmeil.—M. 
M. lilljeborgit Boeck.—M. 
Tachidius littovalis Poppe.—M. 
LT. brevicornis Lillj.—M. 
Cytheridea torosa Jones.—M. 
Cythere lutea O. F. M.—M. 
Candona candida O. F. M.—M. 


BIRDS’ SONGS AT HILLSBOROUGH, CO. DOWN. 


BY NEVIN: H.- FOSTER, F.L.S., M.B:0-0, 


Apropos of Mr. J. P. Burkitt’s article (ante pp. 1-10) I 
append a list extracted from my note-books showing 
the months in which | have heard a number of birds’ songs 
here during the years 1gto-1918. Unfortunately the pre- 
cise dates had not. been noted and consequently a bird 
might have been credited with singing in a month in which 
its song had only been uttered on the first or the last day 
of the month. Further, some of the earlier or later times 
given in the table may be exceptional and of such I cite 
a few instances in which I had noted the particular day. 
The song of the Blackbird is seldom heard here in February, 


and indeed only sparingly in early March. 


Ti was an 


1921. FostER—Birds’ Songs at Hillsborough, Co. Down. 21 


axiom with the late John Cottney that the Sedge-Warbler 
never sang in the vicinity of its nest, and the same has 
invariably been my own experience. The Chaffinch’s song 
is usually first heard about the middle of February, and 
from then till the middle of July apparently every male 
bird in the neighbourhood sings all day long, but one heard 
singing on 4th November, 1915, is an exception. I have 
not heard the Chaffinch’s song in this district prior to 
February,’ but on 26th January, 1918, I noted one singing 
in Phoenix Park, Dublin. The song of the Corn-Bunting 
in November, 1911, must be exceptional; and I believe 
{1 have heard Skylarks singing in December though my 
note-books do not record the fact. The Landrail’s “ song”’ 
generally ceases to be uttered about the third week in July, 
but one was heard on the evening of gth August, 1917. 
In 1908 I have a note of a Whitethroat perched on a tele- 
phone wire and rising therefrom in full song and descending 
to its perch several times as is its custom—this on 6th 
August. 


PERIOD OF SINGING AS HEARD AT HILLSBOROUGH, 
CO, DOWN, 1g9t0-18. 


Song-Thrush 4 .. jan.—July; Sept.—Dec. 
Blackbird My .. FebJuly. 

Redbreast oy Zi) .sfam.=Dec. 

Whitethroat se .. May—July. 
Golden-crested Wren .. jan.—July. 

Chiffchaff ie .. March—Sept. 
Willow-Wren My .. April—Sept. 
Sedge-Warbler be .. May-July. 
Hedge-Sparrow ss .. Jan.—Dec. 

Great Titmouse... ..  jJan.—Dec. 
Coal-Titmouse 2% ce (anbal=Dec. 

Blue Titmouse ae .. Jan., March—May ; Dec. 
PY Tree © is es ..  Jan.—Dec. 
Meadow-Pipit ae .. March-July. 

Chaffinch i" .. Feb.—July; Nov. 
Corn-Bunting A .. March—Aug. ; Nov. 
Yellow Bunting... .. Feb.—Aug. 
Reed-Bunting oh .. Feb. ; April—Aug. 
Skylark # .. jJan.—July ; Sept.—Nov., 
Cuckoo = .. April-June. 

Landrail i .. April—Aug. 


1Since this was in type I heard two Chaffinches singing on 31st 
January at Hillsborough 


22 The Irish Naturalist. February, 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


DECEMBER 21.—The Vice-President (Rev. W. R. Mrecaw, M.A.) gave 
a lecture on ‘“‘ The Popular Study of Mosses.’’ Before calling upon the 
lecturer the Chairman drew the attention of the members to the fund 
that is being raised to defray the cost of publication of the “‘ Supplement ”’ 
to the Flora of North-East Ireland, a work that is being put out at the 
expense of the Club, and appealed for hearty support. Fifty pounds is 
needed, towards which .eleven guineas has already been promised. 

Mr. Megaw, in the course of his lecture, said mosses were found under 


ce 


every parallel of latitude, in the lowest swamps, and on the snow-line of 
the Alps. Some specimens grew with seeming indifference in any situation, 
others affect certain soils. Many mosses are to be found within our city 
boundaries, on walls and footpaths, and in our public parks and private 
gardens. Emphasis was laid upon the great importance of mosses in the 
general economy of nature, where they help to prepare the soil for plants 
of a higher order. The direct benefit they confer on man is limited, the 
supply of peat fuel being the chief. Quaint medical, domestic, and 
mdustrial uses of mosses were spoken of. Mosses, after lying by for 
decades, can be renewed by simply soaking them in water; thus life- 
ike specimens may be examined long after the date of gathering. Peculi- 
arities of growth, structure, and reproduction were dealt with. The 
lecturer discussed the value of moss exchange clubs, and made reference 
to the excellent work done in the study of mosses by a few of the older 
members of the Club. He ended by making an appeal to the younger 
generation on behalf of the study of bryology in North-East Ireland. 
The lecture was illustrated by many specimens of mosses, and after its 
conclusion a short discussion took place, in which J. A. S. Stendal, Miss . 
Rea, and the Hon. Secretary took part. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


JANUARY 13.—The President, C. B. Moffat, in the chair. “A. W. 
STELFOX delivered a lecture on “ Snails and other things,’’ which was 
illustrated by specimens of the different type of land and freshwater 
mollusca foundin Ireland. After sketching the life histories of habits 
of several species of the various types, Mr. Stelfox surveyed the distri- 
bution in Ireland of the mollusca and touched lightly on the theories 
which have been put forward in this connexion, concluding with some 
evidence in favour of the supposition of a post-Glacial land connexion 
with Great Britain, which would have permitted the freshwater shells 
of the Severn basin to migrate to Ireland via a united Barrow, Nore, Suir, 
and Severn estuary. 

A promising discussion was cut short by the approach of Curfew. 


1921: Obituary—Sylvanus Wear. 


i) 
WwW 


OBITUARY. 


SYLVANUS WEAR. 


The Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club has to mourn the loss of one of its 
most faithful members in the person of Sylvanus Wear, who died after 
a very brief illness on 13th November last. Shortly after retiring from 
business and settling in Belfast in 1904, Mr. Wear became a member of 
this Club and for many years he acted as its librarian and an ex-officio 
member of its committee, besides undertaking many other duties in 
connexion with the Club. He was gifted with an ideal modesty as well 
as an endearing nature, and it follows that he was beloved by his intimate 
friends ; so effectively did he efface himself that he was practically un- 
known outside this small circle. Readers of the Jvish Naturalist will 
hardly be able to realise the activity with which he followed his love of 
natural history, as he could seldom be induced to record his finds. His 
interests were wide, but botany claimed him first, and it was in the 
Botanical Section of the Club that his activities were most felt. Some 
years ago when it became evident that a new Supplement to the “ Flora 
of the North-East of Ireland’’ was becoming a necessity, Mr. Wear 
voluntarily undertook to collect and file all records of plants made since 
the former supplement was published in 1895. None of us will ever know 
how much time and love Mr. Wear spent upon this work, but it is with 
something akin to satisfaction that we can to-day record the fact that the 
MS. for the new Supplement was completed by Mr. Wear ten days before 
his death. This Supplement to the “ Flora of the North-East’ will 
shortly appear in print, and it is to be hoped that it will prove a fitting 
monument to his energy and ability. 

Sylvanus was the second son of the late Thomas Wear of Felton Mills, 
and was born at Felton in Northumberland. 


, 2 


NOTES. 
BOTANY. 


An Irish Crane’s-bill. 


The report of the Botanical Exchange Club of the British Isles for 
1919 (published 1920) contains a description of a new form of the Herb- 
Robert by Dr. C. H. Ostenfeld of Copenhagen, to which the attention of 
Irish botanists should be directed. His description reads as follows :— 
G. Robertianum L. nova sub-sp. celticum Ostenfeld. Quam typus gracilius 
et multo minus foetidum ; caules non nisi ad nodos erubescentes, etiam 
in plantis in sole natis, petioli foliorum et pedunculi inflorescentiae quam 
in typo breviores; laminae foliorum superiorum quam petioli longiores. 
Habitat : Hibernia occid. in saxis calcareis ad Ballyvaughan. The plant 


24 The Irish Naturaltst. February. 


was collected on the International Phytogeographical Excursion of rg1I, 
and has been grown and studied side by side with typical Irish and Scottish 
G. Robevtianum by the describer. It is not known elsewhere at present 
than at Ballyvaughan. 


ZOOLOGY. 


Notes on Lepidoptera. 


During my stay at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, in June, 1919, I collected 
any lepidopteran larvae that came my way; but unfortunately most of 
them were stung by Ichneumons, and only a few changed into pupae ; 
from these few I obtained in the spring of 1920, a fine Notodonta chaonia, 
which agrees with Kane's description of the Killarney and Clonbrock 
specimens mentioned in his “‘ Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland,”’ 
in its large size, white ground colour and strongly marked pattern. I also 
got 3 specimens of Taeniocampa miniosa var. rubricosa. 

On the 6th August, 1919, I took here at Tempo the first Avgynnis 
aglaia I had seen in this district; though a fine fresh specimen, I hardly 
think it could have been bred so far inland. I have seen no others since. 
During August and September, 1919, I was fortunate in finding eleven 
larvae of Acvonycta leporina, feeding on low alder bushes, all these 
eventually burrowed into some rotten wood that I provided them with 
and produced eleven imagoes in April, 1920. I tried to breed from some 
of these moths in June, but only succeeded in getting one female to lay 
five eggs; these hatched out, but the little larvae refused to feed and died 
almost directly. On the 22nd of May, 1920, Isaw a Painted Lady (Vanessa 
cavadut), this is only the second one I have seen here, the other I netted 
in September, 1915. 

CHARLES LANGHAM. 

Tempo, Co. Fermanagh. 


s 


Sesia formicaeformis, a correction. 


In my notes in the [vish Naturalist for December, 1920, I stated that 
this insect was new to the Irish list of lepidoptera ; this is an error, as 
I quite overlooked the capture of two examples by Col. J. W. Yerbury at 
Glengarriff in June, 1901, and recorded by Prof. Carpenter in this magazine 
for January, 1902. My specimen is from the Kenmare district, where 
Mr. A. E. L. Sabine found the larvae not uncommonly in stems of sallows 
growing in exposed situations. No doubt it has a wide range in the South 
of Ireland. p 

THoMAS GREER. 

Curglasson, Stewartstown. 


Woodcock in Dublin. 
On Saturday, December 18th, while watching a football match in 
Trinity College Park, and standing about twenty yards from the wall 
adjoining Brunswick Street, a bird which I at once recognised to be a Wood- 


1g2t. ° Notes. 25 


cock, flew over my head, having evidently been flushed by a boy who was 
climbing a tree close to the wall behind me. The bird flew over the ground, 
wheeled left-handed and was lost to sight in the fog over Brunswick Street. 
He was also seen by Surgeon Pringle who was standing further down the 
ground on my left. On examination, the bird had evidently been lying 
amongst some dead leaves which had collected under the wall. I reported 
this interesting occurrence to the Jvish Times and a paragraph appeared 
in their paper on Monday, 20th. On that day I chanced to meet Mr. 
Croker Barrington in the street, who informed me that the last occasion 
on which a Woodcock had been seen in the Park was about fifty years 
ago. He was playing in a hockey match, when, as he described it, a bird 
zigzaged amongst the players, one of whom struck at it with his hockey- 
stick and killed it; on picking it up they found it was a Woodcock. 


Kildare Street Club, Dublin. HucuH D. Pack-BERESFORD. 


Birds’ Nests and their Fate. 


A recent remark (supra, p. 5) by Mr. Burkitt that “ In my experience, 
the odds are that when you have got as far as the nests, at least half of 
them and probably two-thirds will come to a bad end,’’ put me in mind 
of some observations on this point made many years ago. For several 
years I searched for nests in the Holywood neighbourhood (Ce. 
Down) with some industry, and kept notes of their history. The year 
1884 supphes the most complete record, and I give below an abstract 
ofit. About half of the nests were found within the confines of villadom ; 
the remaining half in the plantations, glens, etc., of open undulating 
fertile country. The nests were more thickly distributed in the former 
section, but the percentage of casualties was higher there. The species 
of birds represented, and the number of nests in each case, were as follows : 
Blackbird, 65; Chaffinch, 41; Goldcrest, 2; Great Tit, 1; Greenfinch, 
30; Grey Wagtail, 1; Hedge-Sparrow, 20; Jackdaw, 3; Kestrel, 1; 
Lesser Redpoll, 2; Linnet, 2; Magpie, 20; Meadow Pipit, 1; Missel- 
Thrush, 5; Robin, 17; Skylark, 1; Song-Thrush, 19; Sparrow, 2; 
Sparrow-Hawk, 2; Spotted Flycatcher, 1; Starling. 3; Water-Ouzel, 2; 
Waterhen, 3; Woodcock, 1; Wood-Pigeon, 11; Wren, 14; Yellow- 
ieaminer, 12. otal of all species, 282. If U stand for “nest left 
unfinished ”’ ; D, “‘ nest deserted with eggs or young’”’; R, “ nest robbed 
or eggs or young destroyed’; F, ‘‘ young safely fledged’; and O, “end 
not known,” the story of the 282 nests, expressed in percentages, was 

, bere ta te 5 OO 7, 

Or dividing the uncertain 7 per cent. proportionately, we may say 37 per 
cent. of the nests saw broods safely fledged, 63 per cent. of them were 
built in vain. These figures show the correctness of .Mr. Burkitt’s in- 
ferences. Of those birds of which a good number of nests were observed, 
the most successful species were—Robin (48 per cent. fledged), Yellow- 
hammer (42 per cent.), Chaffinch (41 per cent.), Magpie (40 per cent.) 


26 The Irish Naturalist. February, 


The species which most frequently suffered disaster was the Song-Thrush 
(only 11 per cent. of the nests saw fledged young) ; while the next in mis- 
fortune were Hedge-Sparrow (22 per cent.), and Blackbird, Greenfinch, 
and Wren (each 32 per cent). In the case of the last, however, four 
nests left unfinished were presumably cock nests. 
R, Ltoyp PRAEGER. 
Dublin. 


British Long-tailed Tits in Belfast. 


The winter of I916~-17 so carefully recorded by Mr. C. B. Moffat in the 
Tvish Naturalist for June, 1917, page 89, was probably the hardest on 
our avifauna in the memory of the present generation, and amongst others 
he draws attention to the extermination of the Long-tailed Titmouse 
(4Egithalus caudatus voseus) in his district ; the same thing seems to have 
happened here for I have no note of this species in our trees since that 
winter till yesterday, Christmas Day, 25th December, 1920, when I saw 
a flock of about a dozen hunting for insects on the Sycamore and Birch 
trees. I hope they have recovered their old status and that they will 
become plentiful again. 

W. H, WorRKMAN. 

Lismore, 

Windsor Avenue, Belfast. 


The Wren. 


I am glad that several contributors have queried one item in my 
notes about this bird, namely, that some males do not appear to feed 
the young in the nest, and I hasten to admit that such males are probably 
exceptional. J] have seen other males feeding. But this was a minor 
point. I still suggest that most females have the nest built for them. 
However in a multitude of observations there will be wisdom. 


Enniskillen. j. Po Bugee: 


Bats in Co. Fermanagh. 


< 


For many years I have been trying to find a “‘ roosting”’ place of 
Dauben'on’s Bat (Myotis Daubentoni), which is a common species here, 
but until August, 1919, I never could locate it; however, I then found 
a large colony of about forty females and two males, under the eaves of 
my motor house. We had to smoke them out, and caught them as they 
emerged through a small hole in the wall, with a butterfly net. Among 
them was one male Pipistrelle (Pipistvellus pipistrellus)... On the other 
side of the gable, we smoked out a quantity of Pepistrelles, but there 
were no Daubentons amongst them. ‘ 

On, August 3rd, 1919, I picked up dead in the yard an immature Reddish- 
gray. Bat. (Myotis Nattereri), and a few days later had an adult male 
of the same species brought to me alive, it had been captured in a room 
of a house in the village of Tempo. So far I have taken in this immediate 


192i. Notes. 27 


neighbourhood five species of Bat, viz.: Plerygisies Leisleri, the Hairy- 
armed Bat; Pipistrellus p.pistrellus, the Pipistrelle ; Mzyotis Daubentoni, 
Daubenton s Bat; Myotis Nattereri, the Reddish-gray Bat; and Plecotus 
auritus, the Long-eared Bat. Many years ago I recorded the Whiskered 
Bat from here, but I am now doubtful as to its having been correctly 
identified. 
CHARLES LANGHAM. 
Tempo, Co. Fermanagh. 


REVIEW. 


THE SOARING OF BIRDS. 


Soaring Fiight : a Simple Mechanical Solution of the Problem. By 
Lt.-CoL. R. Dp#& VILLAMIL (late R.E.), author of “A BC of Hydro- 
dynamics,’’ &c. London: Charles Spon. ts. 6d. net. 


In a modest little pamphlet consisting of only 48 pages -Lieut.-Colonel 
de Villamil has put forward what appears to be a perfectly triumphant 
solution of the question—How are some of the larger birds enabled to 
rise in spiral ascents to a great height in the air with no visible effort 
on their own part, and certainly without the exertion of once flapping 
their wings? The simplicity of the explanation offered—when one 
looks back on the amount of controversy that has been expended over 
the question—is little short of startling. 

To all students of the flight of birds this subject of ‘‘ soaring flight ”’ 
has hitherto proved a complete stumbling-block. The ancient Hebrew 
sage who spoke of “‘ the way of an eagle in the air’”’ as first of.the four 
things that were too hard for his understanding would seem to have had 
quite as good a grasp of the nature of the problem as most of the biologists 
who have written of it in recent years. Professor Charles Roy (in the 
article on “‘ Flight ’’ written for Newton’s “ Dictionary of Birds’’) was 
able to dismiss pretty summarily nearly all the theories put forward on 
the subject by stating that they fell naturally into two great categories— 
those that ignored the laws of dynamics and those that were based on 
inexact knowledge of the observable facts. Two—and only two—of 
the then existent hypotheses were partially—and only partially—exempted 
by Professor Roy from this sweeping condemnation. These were the 
theory of upward currents of air, and that of varying velocity of the 
wind at different heights. To the first of these there is the obvious 
objection that it postulates for the ascending currents a height, a strength, 
a command of space, and a numerical abundance that we have no reason. 
to believe them to possess in any part of the world. — To the alternative 
theory (though Professor Roy gave it a hesitating preference) there is 


28 The Irish Naturalist. February, 1921. 


the obstacle that it also presupposes conditions in the atmosphere widely | 


- different from what we have reason to believe to prevail—at least in the 


higher regions—while it is far from clear that the feat of soaring would 
be adequately explained by the most elaborate stratification of swifter 
and slower currents. It is worth noting that in the late Mr. F. W. 
Headley’s important work, ,“‘ The Flight of Birds’”’ (published in 1912) 
the opinion is once more decidedly maintained that soaring can only be 
effected in ascending currents. Mr. Headley frankly confesses that the 
‘‘ varying velocities’’ theory is unintelligible to him, and he gives the 
full weight of his authority to the time-honoured view that soaring in a 
horizontal and uniform wind would be impossible. 

It is the uniformly acknowledged impossibility that Colonel de Villamil 
puts forward as the only intelligible and perfectly simple solution of the 
whole riddle. In his view, the time-honoured and hitherto unchallenged 
opinion that no bird could soar in a horizontal and uniform wind is based 
on sheer forgetfulness of the principle of the conservation of energy. 
The soaring bird rises with an energy that it has “‘ trapped ’’ from the 
wind before commencing its spiral ascent, and continues to “ trap” 
afresh during each down-wind half of the circles it describes in the whole 
course of the spiral movement. 

Those who wish to follow Colonel de Villamil’s quantitative estimates 
of the various steps in a soaring bird’s progress should consult his 
pamphlet ; but his general conception can be made clear without them. 
Supposing a horizontal wind with sufficient force acting or “‘ doing work 
upon” a bird that is flying with the ordinary “ rowing ”’ action a more 
_ or less down-wind course, he shows that the bird will soon have acquired 
a velocity and a kinetic energy much in excess of what it would have 
possessed but for the work of the wind. Converting some of this 
superfluous kinetic energy into potential energy of height, it ceases to 
flap, adjusts its wings at an appropriate angle, and rises for the first half 
(the upwind half) of the first round ofits spiral. The second or down-wind 
half of the round is a mere gliding descent, in which the wind again works 
on the bird and returns to it the energy it had expended during the 
‘p-wind curve. There is, therefore, nothing to prevent the spiral from 
‘being continued ad infinitum, provided the wind remains uniform. As 
observers are agreed that in actual soaring the rise is limited to the 
up-wind half of each round. Colonel de Villamil’s explanation certainly 
seems to stand the test of meeting the known facts of the case with an 
exactness that seems almost above criticism. It will give an added 
interest to the fine spectacle of a Heron or a Gull “‘ screwing up”’ into 
‘the air to endeavour to compare its movements with those required by 
‘this ‘“‘ simple mechanical solution ’’—though the full weight of Colonel 
de Villamil’s reasoning can only be appreciated by those having some 
acquaintance with the more powerful soarers—the Vultures, Albatrosses, 
Adjutant Birds, etc.—:that can -be watched in more southern regions. 
‘That the author has hit on the real clue to a very ancient puzzle will 
‘scarcely be denied. 


2 


C. B. MoFFat. 


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Vol. xxx., No.2, ee ; REE ga oF ea February, 1921, 
CONTENDS 2: a oy ee ee 
PAG 


Notes on some Irish Entomostraca—RoBERT GURNEY, M.A, Pee 
Birds’ Songs at Ei ercuen, Co.*. Down—NeEvIN. Hy” ag 


FOSTER, F.L.S. 4 ne ae aE ies sas x 

IRISH SOCIETIES . | ; 

Beliast Naturalists’ Field. habit, ae Sart =e ia 

Dublin Naturalists’. Field Club .. Pn 5 ote * 
OBITUARY ; : uae Red, * 

Sylvanus Wear ih an seth eee ag 4m Se ne & 
NOTES: 

An Irish Crane’s-bill ...-, TDs veel Pas nine 

Notes on Lepidoptera—SIrR fete) LANGHAM, ° Barr, t 

Sesia formicaeformis, a correction—-THOMAS GREER... . .- 

Woodcock in Dublin—H. D. Pack-BERESFORD e os 

Birds’ Nests and their Fate—R. Lioyp PRAEGER | .._ ike 

British Long-tailed Tits in Belfast—-W. H. WorKMAN Siew 

The Wren-~J. P. Burkitt see ‘he Me dee . 

Bats in Co, Fermanagh—Srr CHARLES LANGHAM, BakT. sores 
REVIEW : 


Ride: Villamil’s “Soaring Wight? (CB. Monee a ee 


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APA 


March, 1921. The trish Naturalist. 29 
TURTLES ON: “DAE sTRISH - COAST, 
BY R. F. SCHARFF, B.SC., PH.D. 


Miss M. J. DELAP, of Valentia Island, who is a well-known 
and valuable correspondent of the Jvish Naturalist, sent 
a dead turtle to the Museum on the 27th January last. 
In the letter accompanying this rare and interesting speci- 
men she alluded to the fact that there had been a tremendous 
drift lately of Velella and other floating organisms. During 
the great storms of the 17th and 18th of January and for 
several days after the shores of Valentia Island were strewn 
with living Velella in every stage of development from one 
to seventy millimetres in length. Miss Delap_ also 
succeeded in hatching the eggs of Velella (which is a 
floating hydrozoan) and she reported the larvae to be 
“ gaily swimming about in my-sea-water tank.’’ She also 
found one Janthina (a floating mollusc with a purple shell) 
and parts of two. Spirulas (cuttles with coiled shells). No 
doubt, as Miss Delap suggests, the turtle has been conveyed 
to the Irish coast by the same storms. 

The turtle reached the Museum a couple of days later, 
and it was quite evident from its condition that it had 
only. died recently. There were no marks on the body 
to show that it had been dashed against the rocks ; never- 
theless that was probably the cause of death. .It presented 
no signs of decay and the under surface of the body was 
covered with a growth of some hydroid which could not be 
named, as the turtle had been greatly knocked about 
during the transit from Kerry to Dublin. 

Inclusive of the head, the turtle measured 13} inches 
and weighed 4 lbs. 7 0zs. The shell, which almost covers 
the body, was 9? inches long and g inches wide. The 
strong keels in the middle of the upper surface of the shell, 
the serrated posterior margin, the number of marginal 
plates, the large head with its powerful hooked jaws, and 
the fact that the flippers had two claws, all confirmed the 
view that we had to deal with a young specimen of the 
Loggerhead Turtle (Thalassochelys caretta). Its flesh is 
not palatable like that of the Edible Turtle and the tortoise- 
shell is of no commercial value. The species grows to 

A 


30 The Inisk Naturalist. March, 


a length of six feet and has a wide range. Besides all 
the tropical seas, it inhabits the Mediterranean and is an 
accidental visitor to the western ccasts of Europe. 

The Irish turtle, if we may call it so, above referred to, 
must have drifted to our shores either by means of the 
Gulf Stream from the West Indies or with a marine current 
from the Mediterranean. The fact that it was accom- 
panied by Velella, Ianthina and Spirula, which are tropical 
forms of life, prcves that they all were carried to our shores 
by the Gulf Stream. It might be contended since Ianthina_ 
and Velella are frequently met with in the Mediterranean, 
that they and the turtle were transported to Ireland by 
the Rennel current or other marine current coming from 
the coast of Portugal. Spirula, however, is not to my 
knowledge found in the Mediterranean nor is Physalia, 
which occasionally finds its way to the western shores of 
Europe. Miss Delap reported to me that she had heard 
of a Physalia being seen in Bantry Bay recently. And 
this remarkable creature, belonging to the jelly-fish trite 
and perhaps better known by the popular name of 
“Portuguese Man-of-War,’ is surely a native of the 
tropical seas and not found in the Mediterranean. 

In a letter addressed to the Field and published in the 
issue of the 5th February last, Mr. P. J. Dennehy states 
that a turtle was picked up dead but quite fresh in Pulleen 
Harbour at the mouth of Bantry Bay during. the previous 
week. Jt weighed 34 lbs., had a ridge with 5 tubercles, 
and measured 13 inches in length and g inches across the 
back. It was therefore shghtly smaller than the Valentia 
turtle, also a Loggerhead, and no doubt was cast ashore 
during the storms referred to by Miss Delap. 

Such occurrences may be thought to be quite unique, 
but in 1890 a young Loggerhead Turtle, measuring 8+ inches 
in length (10! including the head), as washed ashore in 
Donegal Bay. It has been exhibited in the Dublin Museum 
ever since. Several records of similar cccurrences are 
known from the west coast of Scotland and the south-west 
of England, while an adult Loggerhead Turtle was stranded 
in 1894 on the coast of Belgium. 


National Museum, Dublin. 


1921. STELFOX—Nole on Caizx muricala Le” 31 


NOTE ON CAREX MURICATA L. AND ITS 
SHGREGATES: C. CONTIGUA, HOPPE 
Ao CPA RAT SCHULTZ, 


BY ie WS PELPOR: 


Carex muricata of Linné appears nowadays to be generally 
regarded as a composite species, and in England it is the 
custom to refer plants to one or other of its segregates 
contigua or Paivaet. So far as I know, the only Irish re- 
ferences to either of these species are by R. Ll. Praeger (in 
“Flora of the West of Ireland ’’) and R. W. Scully (in 
“ Flora of Kerry ’’), where all “ muricata’’ records are re- 
ferred to contigua, and it seems to have been inferred that 
Pairaei is absent from Ireland. My attention was first 
drawn to the latter by an English correspondent—Mr. 
Norman G. Hadden—-about a couple of years ago. At that 
time the form of “ muricata’’ recorded from the Belfast 
district (Co. Antrim) was the only one known to me, and 
this Hadden named typical contigua, at the same time 
sending me a specimen of Pairaez: for comparison, together 
with notes on its habits and characters in which it differed 
from contigua. During last August I searched for and found 
Dr. Scully’s station for “ muricata’’ near Sandyford, Co. 
Dublin (see J7ish Nat., Xxviil., 90, Ig19), and was at once 
struck by the resemblance of this plant to Hadden’s speci- 
men of Pairaei. Several authorities have since verified 
specimens from this locality as undoubiedly Pazraez, in- 
cluding Messrs. Arthur Bennett, C. E. Salmon and H. Stewart 
Thompson, so that it is now possible definitely to add 
Pairaet to the list of Irish sedges. 

C. Pairaei is stated to prefer dry, sandy situations, just 
such as that near Sandyford, where it grows ona dry bank 
built of granite boulders and sods of sandy earth. C. 
contigua, on the other hand, is more often found in damper, 
richer ground, but the two species have been reported to 
grow in association in England; and I can assert that 
contigua has not lost any of its characters through being 


grown in a dry spot in my garden. 
A 2 


32 The trish Naturalist. March, 


The chief differences between the two species are as_ 
follows :— 


C."CONDIGU A, CGC. PATZALE 

Taller, more robust, with stouter, More slender, with darker, more . 
greener stem. wiry stem. 

Fruit also greener and more like Fruit brown and more like that of 
that of divulsa. tevetiuscula. 

Fruit long and tapering gradually ruit shorter and contracting much 
into a long beak. more suddenly into a short beak. 

Ligule much larger Ligule shorter and smaller. 


In both species the spikelets are contiguous, but there is 
a tendency for the lowermost spikelet to be separated from 
those above, as in many other sedges. 

On the sun-baked western side of the ditch at Sandyford 
the fruiting stems of Pairaei were only some 4 to 6 inches 
long, but on the eastern, more shaded side they attained 
nearly 2 feet, or, in other words, were nearly as long as those 
of contigua grown in my garden. The figure of “ muricata ”’ 
given in “ Bentham and Hooker” appears to delineate 
Pairaei, although the enlarged sketch of the fruit agrees with 
my contigua. In Pairaer the fruiting spike is usually (but 
not always) subtended by a short bract, as shown in the 
figure just mentioned. The plant of contigua in my garden 
has never a bract beneath the spike. 

The exact locality for Pairae: at Sandyford is on the 
eastern side of the old road, half a mile south of that place, 
just south of where this road crosses that from St. Columba’s 
to Leopardstown, and on the summit of a slight eminence. 
It is not clear whether this is Dr. Moore’s station given in 
Cybele Hibernica, viz., “ Near Stepaside, on the way to 
Holly Park” (now St. Columba’s College). 

To judge by specimens in the National Herbarium, 
Pairaet is quite as common, if not more prevalent, in central 
and southern Ireland than contigua, but fresh material is 
necessary before the distribution of the two species can be 
worked out. For assistance in compiling this note my 
thanks are due to those mentioned above, as well as to Miss 
M. C. Knowles. 


Dublin. 


1921, Jounson—Some Lfrish Hymenoptera Aculeata, 


roy 
—~ 
—“ 


Some Thist HYMENOPTERA ACULEATA. 
BY REV. W. F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S., M.R.I.A. 


LIke other insects, the Aculeate Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees 
and Wasps) suffered from the wet season, and I am conse- 
quently only able to present comparatively few species ; but 
lack of quantity is redeemed by the quality of some of my 
captures, as will be noted below. 

Pompilus gibbus is a very active insect, running and 
flying among herbage so quickly as to make its capture 
difficult, for it keeps so low that the net is very apt to be 
diverted by hitting the sand or some tuft of grass. I met 
with several on the sandhills at Portnoo, and have taken it 
at Newcastle, Co. Down ;! it has also been taken in several 
localities in the South of Ireland. It frequents sandhills, 
into which it burrows to make a nest for its larvae. It is 
said to provision its nests with spiders, stung into a state of 
paralysis, as so well described by J. H. Fabre in “ Hunting 
“Wasps’”’; but this I was unable to observe. 

Passaloecus monilicornis is distinguished from others of 
its genus, in the male, by the form of its antennae, which are 
somewhat dilated in the middle, with the joints bead-shaped, 
giving it a very distinct appearance. I took it in what I call 
“ lane,’ which is really my back avenue, where there is a, 
plentiful supply of bramble stems and old wood, in which. 
it is said to make its burrows. I may remark that |] have 
examined a good many dead bramble stems without meeting 
with the nests of this or any other species, but this is probably 
my misfortune and not the fault of the Fossors. I have, how- 
ever, found a piece of dead wood with burrows of something 
in it, and I am waiting patiently till the spring to see if any- 
thing will emerge. | 

Crabro clavipes is a pretty little insect noticeable for its 
very long “‘ waist,’’ which is really the first segment of its 
hind body. I took one in a window and another in one of 
my fields on a very hot day at the end of August. As it is 


1 Tyish Naturalist, 1907, p. 244. 


34 The Ivish Naturalist. March, 


5 


only about + inch in length and very slender, it is easily 
overlooked. It is said to nest in bramble stems. 


Crabro palmipes was very common on the sandhills at 
Portnoo, and seemed to be particularly’ attracted by 
Knotted Figwert (Scrophularia nodosa), of which there was 
a large patch growing in a sheltered hollow, close to a bank 
of sand in which the Fossor was making its burrows. It > 
was running over the leaves and flying about the plants in 
numbers, and I was able to take as many as | wanted. 


I found Crabro leucostomus at a rose-arch made of pine 
logs at Lenaderg House, and my friend Mr. C. M. Davies 
sent me C. cavifrons and C. varius from the same place. All 
were making their burrows in the dead wood. Mr. Davies 
also captured Chrysis ignita, which he found entering the 
holes in the rose-arch. Chrysis is not an aculeate, but is 
parasitic on various aculeates, e.g., Odynerus, entering their 
nests and laying its eggs therein. The females have an 
ovipositor, which can be withdrawn or protruded at will, 
but, as far as I know, no sting. The popular name for them 
is Ruby-tailed Flies. 


Oxybelus uniglumis was in considerable numbers at the 
same bank of sand at Portnoo that Crabro palmipes fre- 
quented, and I watched it carrying its prey to its burrow, 
a matter of some difficulty, as the fly was sometimes as big 
as its captor. When a gust of wind came both captor and 
captive were blown about mercilessly, but Oxybelus held on, 
even when dashed on to the sand, and ultimately reached 
its burrow. I obtained specimens of the flies it was carrying, 
and Mr. J. E. Collin, F.E.S., has kindly identified them as 
Mydaea duplaris and Hylomyia coarctata. 


If I had met with nothing else but Colletes montanus at 
Portnoo, it would have been sufficient reward for my visit, 
at the same time I must acknowledge that it was more by 
good luck than good guidance that I obtained them. I took 
two males on the sandhills, but I was quite unaware of my 
good fortune until Mr. R. C. L. Perkins, D.Sc., F.R.S., to 
whom I had sent them with other Aculeata, informed me 
what they were. This species was introduced to the British 
List by the late Mr. E. Saunders, F.R.S., on specimens taken | 


1921, Jounson.—Some Ivish Hymenoptera Aculeata. 35 


by Mr. A. A. Dagleish on Irvine Moor, near Glasgow.’ In 
Ireland it has been taken by Col. Yerbury at Waterville, Co. 
Kerry.” I do not know of any other records of its capture. 

Sphecodes ferruginatus and S. hyalinatus have, as far as I 
know, only been taken in Ireland, the former at Clare 
Island, and the latter at Castlebar.* Sphecodes are small 
black and red insects, and are said to be parasitic on Halictus 
in the same way as Nomada is on Andrena. They certainly 
are associated with Halictus, for where the one is found so 
is the other. Doubt has been thrown upon the supposition 
that they are parasitic, because Sphecodes has been seen to 
make a burrow for itself; but however that may be, the 
habits of the two genera are similar, and Mr. Rk. C. L. Perkins, 
who has given much attention to the matter, is convinced 
that Sphecodes is an inquiline of Halictus. 

The species of Halictus and Andrena make their nests in 
the ground, but each one makes a burrow for itself, for they 
are solitary workers ; and though a number may be found 
together in one place, still each works for itself and resents © 
the intrusion of aneighbour. I find them here in dry banks, 
and even on the side of the road, in fact I have nearly walked 
on Andrena cinervaria. At Portnoo I found them making 
their burrows in a pathway along the sea-shore, which one 
would have easily supposed to be too hard for the little 
excavators to make any impression ; they also had many — 
burrows in the sandhills. Where the locality is suitable and 
space available, large numbers congregate, but this is only 
an assemblage, and there is no co-operation or partnership, 
as in the case of Hive Bees or Social Wasps. They are very 
fond of the flowering catkins of Sallows and Willows, and 
when there is an early blossoming of these they are among 
the earliest visitors. At Armagh I used to take Andrena 
clarkella among the first bees; as soon as the catkins 
flowered it was sure to be there. Here I have no catkins 
near me, and I generally see A. conerarra first, in fact I have 
not met with A. clarkella here at all. 

In the end of June last I captured a male Megachile, 


1 Ent. Mo. Mag. 1899,, pr -»262. 2 Ent. Mo. Mag:, 1902, p. 53. 
8 Proc. R.I.A., 1911, Vol. xxxi., part 24. 


36 The Irish Naturalist. March, 


submitted it to Dr. Perkins, and he very kindly informs me 
that it is Megachile versicolor Smith, a close ally of M. 
centuncularis L. These are the Leaf-cutter bees, so called 
from their habit of cutting pieces out of leaves wherewith 
to line their nests. 

The species of Nomada are, as I have already remarked, 
parasitic on Andrena. They are conspicuous insects in 
yellow and black, or yellow and brown, quite unlike their 
hosts, in fact, most people would call them wasps. I[ have 
been fortunate in taking a good many species here, but, so 
far, have failed to assign them to their proper hosts. To 
accomplish this requires a good deal of time and patience, 
and, above all, good weather, for the bees are not active 
except in sunshine. ek. 


PSAMMOCHARIDAE (Pompilidae). 


Psammochares (Pompilus) nigerrimus Scop.—Portnoo, June. 
P. gibbus Fab.—-Portnoo, both sexes, on sandhills, June, July. 


SPHEGIDAE. 
Passaloecus monilicornis Dhlb.—Poyntzpass, lane, July. 
Crabro clavipes L.—-Poyntzpass, in window and field, August. 
C. leuecostomus L.—-Lenaderg, at rose arch, June. 
C. palmipes L.—Portnos, both sexes plentiful on sandhills, June, July. 
C. varius Lep. 
C. eavifrons Thoms. 
C.. chrysostomus Mor.—-Poyntzpass, field at Hogweed, females, August. 
C. lituratus Panz.—Poyntzpass, field, July. 
Oxybelus uniglumis |... Portnoo, sandhills, both sexes, June, July. 


Lenaderg, at rose arch, July. 


COLLETIDAE. 
Colletes montanus Mor.—Portnoo, sandhills, males, July. 


ANDRENIDAE. 


Sphecodes subquadratus Smith.—Lenaderg, a female, June. 
S. ferruginatus Schrank | as ye 
S. hyalinatus Schrank uf ortnoo, shore, June, 

S. affinis v. Hag.—Poyntzpass, roadside, June. 

Halictus rubieundus Chr.—Portnoo, sandhills and shore, June, July. 

H. cylindricus Fab.—Poyntzpass, field, September. 

H. nitidiusculus K.—Poyntzpass, roadside, June. . 
Andrena trimmerana Auct., var. seotica Perkins,—Armagh, Poyntzpass, 
Tempo, April, May, June. This var. has the face beneath the 
antennae with black hairs. 


ie Se Oe Perkins, ‘‘ British Species of Andrena and Nomada,’’ Tvans. 
Ent, Soc., 1919, p. .218 sqq. 


1g21. JOHNSON -Some Lrish Hymnoptera Aculeata. 37 

Andrena fucata Smith.—Poyntzpass, both sexes, June, July; Carlingford, 
May. | 

A. nigroaenea Ix.—Poyntzpass, in garden on laurel hedge; Carlingtord, 
on roadside, May. 

A. gwynana K.—Portnoo, shore, June. 

A. sericea Chr.—Portnoo, sandhills, June. 

A. coitana K.— Poyntzpass. 

A. wilkella K.—Portnoo, shore, June. 

Nomada armata H.S. 

N. goodeniana K. (swccincta Panz.) > Poyntzpass, field, May. 

N. marshamella Kk. (a/ternata K.) J 

N. ruficornis L.—Poyntzpass, field, May ; garden, June. 

’N. fabriciana L._— Poyntzpass, roadside, May. 

N. flavoguttata K.—Poyntzpass, field, May; garden, June. 


APIDAE. 
Megachile versicolor Smith.—Portnoo, shore, June; Poyntzpass, August. 


Poyntzpass. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


JANUARY 12.—The Club met at Leinster House. Dr. G. H. Peruy- 
BRIDGE exhibited sections of the needles of Pinus excelsa, from a nursery 
in Wexford, attacked by the parasitic fungus Lophodermium lineatuni. 
The attack was noticed in 1919, and the fungus causing it was described 
as a new species by Miss A, Lorrain Smith and Mr. J. Ramsbottom (to 
whom specimens for identification had been forwarded by the exhibitor) 
in Tvans. British Mycological Soc., vi., 4, p- 305, 1920. 

Sir I. W. Moore exhibited Chrysomyxa abietis in its winter stage. At 
former meeting exhibitor had shown specimens in the summer stage. The 
latter came from Co. Wicklow, the specimens now shown were obtained 
in Co. Dublin. It has also been found in Co. Meath. 

H. A. LAFFERTY exhibited preparations illustrating the effect of the 
“ browning ”’ fungus on flax fibres. The middle lamella of the cells was 
conyerted into a substance which, when tested microchemically, gave the 
characteristic reactions of lignin. 

FEBRUARY 9.—The Club met at Leinster House. PAauLt A. MurpnHy 
exhibited a preparation of portion of the leaf of a potato plant affected 
with leaf roll, and a corresponding portion of a healthy plant. The cause 
of the leaf roll is unknown, but the disease brings about a marked retarda- 
tion in the rate at which starch is removed from the leaves. The most 
outstanding difference, therefore, between diseased and heaithy leaves is 
the presence of abundant starch in the morning hours in the former, and 
its practical absence in the latter. 


38 The Lrish Naturaltsz. March, 


J. N. Harpert exhibited a beetle, Tvzgonogenus globulus, Solier, found 
recently amongst clover seeds imported into this country. The insect 
belongs to the family Ptinidae, which contains many species liable, on 
account of their habits, to dispersal through commerce and of almost 
cosmopolitan range. The present species is a good example, having been 
recorded from countries as far apart as Tasmania, America and Great 
Britain. 

Dr. G. H. PETHYBRIDGE exhibited germinating seeds and seedlings of 
Cyclamen neapolitanum. Seed had been produced by plants brought from 
the Alban Hills, near Rome, early in 1914, and grown since then in Dublin. 
On germinating the hypocotyl develops at once into a small round tuber 
or corm. Roots develop from the bottom of the corm, while a single coty- 


ledon, apparently, is found on top. ‘The distal end of this remains within 


the seed for a time, functioning as a food-absorbing organ. Later it 
appears above ground and develops a green lamina. Near the point of 
attachment of the petiole of the cotyledon to the corm asmall structure or 
rudiment is present, the exact nature of which has only recently been made 
clear (see A. W. Hill, Annals of Botany, xxxiv., no. 136, Oct., 1920, 
p- 417). This rudiment is, in fact, a potential second cotyledon. For, if 
the first cotyledon be removed partially or wholly, or if its lamina fails to 


escape from the seed coat, as sometimes happens, the rudiment develops - 


into a second cotyledon. Thus the aberrant type of seedling in Cyclamen 
is not monocotyledonous, as some of the older observers maintained, but 
truly dicotyledonous. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


JAN. 18.—The President (S. A. BENNETT) referred to the recent loss the 
Club had sustained in the deaths of Canon H. W. Lett, one of the great 
authorities on Irish mosses, and a member of forty-four years’ standing ; 
Mr. Pim, a well-known entomologist and a member for fifty-two years ; 
and Mr. Hamilton, also a member of long standing. The President also 
referred to the subscription that is being raised to defray the cost of 
printing the new ‘“ Supplement to the Flora of the N.E. of Ireland,” a 
work which will rank high in the local scientific literature. 

Professor GREGG WILSON lectured on “ Frogs and their Relatives.’ 
After describing the haunts and habits of the Common Frog, he gave a 
brief account of the characteristics of the Edible Frog, the toads, the newts 
and salamanders, and the caecilians. The amphibia haye not only invaded 
the surface of the earth, but some, such as the caecilians, burrow into it; 
others, such as Proteus, live in dark underground caverns; many frogs 
have taken to arboreal life, and one at least has developed a certain power 
of flight. Drinking in the ordinary way is not a practice of the amphibia, 
water being absorbed through the skin. In some cases the male carries the 
eggs about for a time, and only puts them into the water when they are 
nearly ready to hatch. . But the most striking of all modifications is when 
the eggs are retained in the oviducts, and the larva not only develops there 


’ 


——_e 


1921. Irish Socteties. 39 


but passes through its whole metamorphosis, being fed on material derived 
from neighbouring eggs that have broken down. The lecture was illust- 
rated by a fine series of excellent lantern views. 

T. Edens Osborne and W. M. Crawford were elected members of the 
Club. 

Fes. 1.—The Hon. Secretary (A. McI. CLELAND) read a paper entitled 
“<The Pastor’s Account Book: 1768-1780,’’ in which he gave an account 
of the ministrations of the Rev. Joshua Symonds, minister in the Old 
Meeting House, Bedford. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


NOVEMBER 11.—The Vice-President (C. B. Morrat) in the Chair. 
There was a large attendance. Miss M. G. FLoop opened an extremely 
interesting discussion with a short paper on “‘ The Fauna and Flora of a 
Rock-Pool,’’ describing in popular terms the properties of many of the 
more interesting sea-weeds (of which a series of beautifully mounted 
specimens were exhibited on the table), after which she dealt in similar 
fashion with the various animal inhabitants, and the complicated cosmos 
of which they form the chief material. Discussion on Miss Flood’s paper 
was carried on by W. F. Gunn, R. Ll. Praeger, E. Tenison Collins, Alex. 
Williams, Miss West, and Professor Henry, and little time was left for the 
_ carrying out of a further programme of exhibits, including an interesting 
Saxifrage shown by R. Ll. Praeger. A new member (Athole Harrison) was 
elected. | 

DECEMBER 9.—The Vice-President in the Chair. Discussion was 
opened by Miss SHEILA SAUNDERSON with a paper on “ Some Garden 
Pests ’’ which covered a wide field, dealing with slugs and snails, Oniscidae, 
and the various insect-pests that gardeners have to deal with, and pre- 
scribing treatment to meet the several emergencies. Discussion was 
carried on by Messrs. E. Tenison Collins, W. F. Gunn, and A. Henry, the 
subject of Fungi being imported by one of the speakers as an additional 
pest to those mentioned by the lecturer. 

FEBRUARY 10.—The President in the chair. ATHOLE Harrison read 
a paper on “ Bird’s Eggs.’’ The paper dealt with the variations in number, 
shape, size and colour which exist in birds’ eggs. Birds such as the Titmice 
and Goldcrest, which are not well able to survive severe weather, as was 
shown in the winter of 1916-17, lay large clutches of eggs, up to ten or 
even more. All eggs were probably originally white, and the presence of 
colour is due to the need for a reduction in the visibility of the egg, the 
most extreme form being known as “ protective coloration.’’ Some eggs, 
not usually so regarded, come under this heading, although the colour is 
not protective the colouration is. An example is the egg of the Missel 
Thrush and, when a nest of this bird containing eggs is viewed from 
above, it often appears to contain only dead leaves. 


40 The Ivish Naturalist. March 1923! 


Ni@) eee, 


ZOOLOGY. 


Drift on the Kerry Coast. 


Following a long period of heavy seas and broken weather, the gale on 


the 17th January brought a large drift of Véelella spivans into Valentia 
Harbour They were left on the shore in great numbers, a deep band of 
vivid blue. Considering the very rough seas through which they had 
come, they were very little damaged, most of them alive, in every stage 
from tiny specks to almost 3 inches in length (1 to 70 mm.). One broken 
Ianthina and parts of two Spirula were also found, and the usual 
- accompaniment of barnacles attached to cork, cinders, etc. 

On the 27th January a small Turtle was found stranded on the same 
beach, dead, but not long so. Dr. Scharff pronounces it a young Logger- 
head! ; it is now in the National Museum. 

In the Cork Examiner of 3rd February, a correspondent reports the 
arrival in Bantry Bay of a large fleet of Portuguese Men-o war, 
greatly to the amazement of sailors, who were accustomed to see them 
in warm southern seas and not in these colder waters. 


Valentia Island. | M. J. DeEvap. 


Recent Records of Irish Birds. 


An adult male Avocet (Recurvivostva avosetta) and an immature male 
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis f. falcinellus) are recorded by Mr. C. J. Carroll (British 
Birds, 1921, p. 188) as having been shot in Co. Wexford in the autumn of 
1917. A female Goosander (Mergus m. mergansey) observed by G: R. 


Humphreys on Kylemore Middle Lake in December, 191g (7b., 1920, p. 275), 


is apparently the first known occurrence of this species in Connemara ; 
and a Carolina Crake (Porzana carolina) reported by Mr. Clifford D. Borrer 
(ib., 298) as taken on board H.M.S. Dragon, about 100 miles off the west 
coast of Ireland early in 1920, is of interest in connection with the occur- 
rence of a bird of the same species at Slyne Head lighthouse on April 11th, 
recorded by Prof. Patten in this Journal (vol. xxix., p. 59). Mr. R. F. 
Ruttledge,in a series of notes from various parts of Ireland (British Birds, 
1920, p. 142), mentions the extension of the range of the Stock-Dove 
(Columba enas) to Co. Galway ; and the breeding of the Manx Shearwater 


(Puffinus p. puffinus), on Inishbofin is reported by Mr. H. B. Cott (2b., 1921, 
p- 188). 


1 See Dr. Scharff’s article, p. 29 of this number. 


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Vol. xxx., No. 3. | | {= March, 1921, pe 
CONTENTS. 


Turtles on the Irish Coast—R. F. ScCHARFF, .B.SC., PH.D. 
Notes on Carex Muricata and its Segregates: C. _Contigua ” | 


and C. Pairaei—A. W, STELFOX ae Sertes. iy 
Some Irish Hymenoptera Aculeata—Rev. W: F. JOHNSON, M.A. 


TRISH SOCIETIES. 


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Dablin Natubilists’ elanClib "scans Soon es Sp ie 
Notes : 

Drift on the Kerry Coast—Miss M. J. DELAP ~ ze ee 40 

Recent Records ee Birds ..,. ea oe ee 40 


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» 9. 


The Warble Fly. 

The Use and Purchase of Feeding 
Stuffs. 

Foot Rot in Sheep 

Out of Print. 

Celery 

Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. 

Finke in Sheep. 

limotby Meadows. 

The Turnip Fly 

Wireworms. 

Prevention of -White Scour in Calves 

Liquid Manure. 

Contagious Abortion in Cattle. 

Prevention of Potato Blight 

Milk Records. 

Sheep Scab. 

The Use and Purchase of Manurea. 

Swine Fever. 

Early Potato Growing. 

Calf Rearing. 

Diseases of Poultry :—Gapes 

Basic Slag. 

Dishorning Calves. 

Care and Treatment of Premium 
Bulls. 

Fowl! Cholera. 

Winter Fattening of Cattle. 

Breeding and Feeding of Pigs 

Blackleg, Black Quarter, 
Quarter 

Flax Seed 

Poy Parasites—Fleas, Mites, and 

ice. 

Winter Egg Production. 

Rearing and Fattening of Turkeys 

Profitable Breeds of Poultry. 

Out of Print. 

The Liming of Land. 

Field Experiments—Barley. 

Meadow Hay 

Potatoes. 

Mangels. 

Oats. 

Turnips. 

Permanent Pasture Grasses 

The Rearing and Management of 
Chickens 


9 ? 
%” 3° 
” s° 
2” ” 


** Husk” or * Hoose” in Calves 


Ringworm on Cattle 
Haymaking. 

The Black” Currant Mite. 
Foul Brood or Bee Pest. 
Poultry Fattening. 

Portable Poultry Houses. 
The Leather-Jacket Grub. 
Flax Growing Experiments. 


Leaf-Spot Disease or Blight. 


or Blue 


The Construction of a Cowhouse. 
Out of Print. 

The Apple. 

Cultivation of the Root Crop. 
Marketing of Fruit. 

Sprouting Seed Potatoes 

Testing of Farm Seeds. 

Out of Print. 

Field Experiments—W heat. 

The Management of Dairy Cows. 
**Redwater’”’ or ‘“‘ Blood-Murrain 
in Cattle. 

Varieties of Fruit Suitable 
Cultivation in Treland. 

Forestry: The Planting of Waste 
Lands. 
Forestry: The Proper Method of 
Planting Forest Trees. 

Out of Print. 

Out of Print. 

The Prevention of Tuberculosis in 
Cattle. 

Forestry: Planting, 
and Preservation of 
and Hedgerow Timber. 

Out of Print. 

Out of Print. 

The Planting and Management of 
Hedges. 

Some Common Parasites of the 
Sheep. 

Barley Sowing 

American Gooseberry Mildew. 
Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. 
Home Buttermaking. 

The Cultivation of Small Fruits 
Catch Crops. 

Potato Culture on Small Farms 
Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes 
Cultivation of Osiers. 

Ensilage. 

Some Injurious 
Dirty Milk. 
Barley Threshing 
The Home Bottling of Fruit 

The Construction of Piggeries. 
The Advantages of Early Ploughing. 
Black Scab in Potatoes 

Home Preservation of Eggs. 
Marketing of Wild Fruits. 

Out of Print. 

Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and 
Eggs. 

Packing Eggs for Hatching 

Weeda. 

Tuberculosis in Poultry. 

Seaweed as Manure 


for 


Management, 
Shelter- Belt 


Orehard Insects. 


SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 


Catch Crops—Spring Feeding for Stock; No. 


Autumn Sown Cereals. 

Out of Print. 

Out of Print. 

The Sowing of Spring Wheat and Oats. 
Winter Manuring—Grass Lands. 

Out of Print. 

Destruction of Farm Pests. 

Out of Print. 


10. 
ike 
12 


me 


Pig Feeding—Need for Economy 
Out of Print. 
Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 


13-18. Out of Print. 


19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 


23. 


Home Curing of Bacon. 
Out of Print. 

Farmers and Income Tax. 
Out of Print. 

Palm Nut Cake and Meal, 


Conies of the above leaficts can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the 


Secretary Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper 
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Letters 


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April, 1921. The lrish Naturalist. AI 


Penny? WILLIAM LETT, 


HENRY WILLIAM LETT was bornat Hillsborough, in Co. Down, 
on 4th December, 1836, and died at Aghaderg, in the same 
county, on 26th December, 1920, at the age of 84. The 
son of a clergyman of the Church of Ireland, he in turn was 
ordained, and spent his life as a country rector within 
thirty miles of his birthplace—first at Derriaghy, in Antrim, 
subsequently at Meigh and Ardmore in Armagh, but mainly 
-at Aghaderg, in Down. 

Like his contemporary S. A. Stewart, H. W. Lett does not 
appear to have taken to natural history pursuits till long 
after attaining manhood. He joined the Belfast Field 
Club in 1878, fiitteen years after its foundation, when he was 
forty-two years of age. His first published contribution is 
a brief report of a paper read before the same Club on 15th 
November, 1881 (when he was forty-five), entitled “‘ Records 
of a Former Level of Lough Neagh,” and describing the 
remarkable submerged scarp—still unmapped and _ un- 
explained (see J. N., xxiv., pp. 8, 65)—-that extends along 
much to the southern and western shores of the lake. His 
first botanical contribution was a paper read before the 
Club a year and a half later, on “‘ Fungi, Mushrooms, and 
Toadstools—Disease, Blight, and Food-producing Plants.” 
To the Fungi he paid considerable attention for many years, 
acting as conductor of various “ Fungus Forays ”’ organised 
by the Club, and publishing in 1885, as a Supplement to the 
Club’s Proceedings, a list of the local species to the number 
of 581. Lett paid some little attention also to Lichens, and 
indeed there was no group of plants which he did not explore. 

To the Mosses and Hepatics he devoted much time, and 
his published work deals mainly with these groups. To the 
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (of which 
he was elected a member in 1896) he contributed three 
Reports on these plants. The first (1889) dealt with the 
flora of the Mourne Mountain district ;. the second (im 
conjunction with D. McArdle) on the plants of Torc Water- 
fall, near Killarney, famous among bryologists; and the 
third formed one of the Clare Island Survey series. The 


field-work for the last-named was carried out when Lett was 
A 


42 The Irish. Naturalist. | April, - 


approaching 75 years of age, and those who had the pleasure 
of working with him on those western trips will recall his 
pleasant companionship, his energy, and his indifference to 
weather and hardship in that wild tangle of sea and land. 
He loved the open country, and visited many parts of 
Ireland—Donegal, Sligo, Connemara and West Mayo, the 
Galtees and Comeraghs, and the mountainous parts of 
Kerry, mostly in search of mosses. The present writer was 
with him on the last of his more extended trips when, at 
the age of seventy-seven, he accepted R. J. Ussher’s in- 
vitation to join in a week’s work on the Saltees, where we 
lived in.a ruined house (the only one on the island), sleeping » 
on straw on the floor in that portion which still retained a - 
roof. The most interesting plant which resulted from his 
work among the Irish Cryptogams was Adelanthus dugor- 
tiensis, a new Hepatic, whose nearest relation (A. unciformis) 
is an inhabitant of the southern end of Africa and South 
America. He published in 1902 a “ J.ist with Descriptive 
Notes ” of British Hepatics, which was founded on Pearson’s 
well-known work, and brought the list of species up to date ; 
and two years later issued a “‘ Catalogue of British Hepatics,”’ 
in which some errors in the former work were set right. He 
was an original member of the Moss. Exchange Club, in 
which he took a warm interest. His final publication on 
Irish cryptogams was the important ‘‘ Census Report on 
the Mosses of Ireland, ” published by the Royal Irish 
Academy in Io15. | 

The Flowering Plants were also well known to him. His 
herbarium shows that many were collected and named before 
he left Ardmore, on Lough Neagh, in 1886. Though the 
Rubi were the only group to which he devoted more than 
cursory attention, his excellent eye detected some plants 
overlooked by his predecessors and contemporaries—for 
instance, the interesting northern Carex pauciflora, which, 
though now known to be abundant over the Garron Plateau, 
in Antrim (see J: N., xxix., 27), remained undiscovered ‘in 
that oft-traversed area till identified by him in 1895; and 
Hypochaeris. glabra, found (when in company with C. H. 
Waddell) at Magilligan. In both cases Lett’s station remains 
the only Irish one for the plant. 


1921. Henry William Lett. 43 


To the Brambles he paid much attention, and his work, 
which had the great advantage of supervision by Rev. W. 
Moyle Rogers, added largely to our knowledge of this 
difficult group in the North of Ireland.. He found more than 
one new form, among which his name is commemorated in 
Rubus Lett of Rogers. 

Canon: Lett’s energy expended itself also on archaeologi- 
cal pursuits, and though he did not publish much, he had a 
very good knowledge of local antiquities, both prehistoric 
and ecclesiastical. He was especially interested in the 
ancient Ulster frontier-defence known as “ The Black Pig’s 
Dyke (see “ Ulster Journal of Archaeology,” vol. ii., 1897), 
and in cromleacs and other rude stone monuments. To this 
Journal he was a frequent contributor from the first volume 
until a few years ago. Residing at a distance from scientific 
centres, he was unable to take an active part in the work 
of the societies to which he belonged; but he served on the 
Committee of the Belfast Field Club from 1883 until 1889, and 
occupied the Presidential chair during the sessions 1912-13 
and 1913-I4. 

Canon Lett was a good ae of the amateur naturalist. 
Without the advantages of a scientific training, and living 
isolated from the influence and encouragement of fellow- 
workers, he acquired a wide knowledge of most groups of the 
plant world, and dexterity in the use of the microscope, 
He was a thorough field naturalist, with that eye for likely 
country that only comes with experience, and seldom comes 
fully to any but the country-bred. Possessed of an energetic 
and sanguine disposition, he ranged far, but sometimes 
lacked the caution and patience necessary when dealing 
with critical plants, thus bringing down on himself the 
criticism of that prince of caution, S. A. Stewart. He was 
an excellent companion, full of country lore and quaint 
experience, and his death leaves a conspicuous gap in the 
tanks of northern naturalists. 


R.. LLtoyD PRAEGER. 


A 


44 The Irish Naturalist, Apri, 


THE DISTRIBUTION: OF ARGYNNIS AGLATIA: IN 
IRELAND. 


BY REV. W. F.. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S. 


My own capture of this butterfly here and notes of its 
appearance in various localities made me look up the records 
of its occurrence in Ireland, and from the materials available 
I have made up the following table of its distribution, taking 
first the coastal counties and then those inland.. The 
numbers denote the references :— 


COASTAL. COUNTIES. 


KERRY.—Kenmare (2), Ballybunnion (5). 
Cork.—Bandon, Desertserges, Rosscarberry (2). 
WATERFORD.—Ballinamore, Kilmedon (I 1), Portlaw (12) 
WEXFORD.—Ballyhyland (10). , 
WICKLOow.—Greystones, Bray Head (2). 
DuBLIN.—Lambay (6). 
Down.—Dundrum (2), Newcastle (7). 
ANTRIM.—Portrush, Portballintrae (2, 15). 
LONDONDERRY.—Co. Derry (1), Londonderry District (3), 
Castlerock (7). 
DoNnEGAL.—Co. Donegal (1), Londonderry District (3). 
Mayo.—Hollymount (13). | 
GALway.—Ardrahan (2), Recess, Inishmore (4), ‘Clifden 
Roundstone (8). | ; | 


INLAND COUNTIES. 


KILKENNY.—Muileport (11). 
KILDARE.—Curragh (9). 

ARMAGH.—Poyntzpass (14). 
FERMANAGH.—Tempo (16). 

It will be seen from the above that this butterfly is by 
no means confined to the sea-coast, for ‘many of these 
localities are at a distance from the sea, the Curragh, for 
instance, where it is said to be “ locally common,” being 
thirty miles from the coast. 


1921. JOHNSON—-Argynnis aglaia im Ireland. 45 


It would be interesting to know of other localities for it 
in Ireland besides those mentioned. It will be seen that 
among the coastal counties there are no records from Meath, 
Louth, or Sligo, and twelve inland counties are also without 
records. The Donegal records are not very clear, as neither 
of the Messrs. Campbell mention specific localities. 

I must congratulate Mr. Crawford and his son on the 
beautiful aberration which the latter captured at Port- 


“ballintrae. It is the first aberration, as far as I know, 


recorded from Ireland. Mr. Kane, in his “ Catalogue,” 
does not mention any aberration, nor do any others who have 
recorded the capture of the butterfly in Ireland, so that the 
capture is very remarkable and should set lepidopterists 
looking out for varieties of this butterfly in Ireland. In 
England a good many varieties occur, and Mr. Barrett and 
Mr. South have figured several in their respective works 
on British Butterflies. One in which the basal silvery spots 
are united is called var. Charlotta. It was known, Mr. South 
says, to early entomologists as the “ Queen of England 
Fritillary.”’ 


REFERENCES. 


rt. W. HOWARD CAMPBELL, Notes on the past Season in Cos. Derry and 
Donegal. Entomologist, xvii., 1884, p. 59. 

2. W. F. DE VisMES Kane. A Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland. 
Entomologist, xxvi., 1893, p. 121, etc. 

3. D.C. CAMPBELL. The Macro-Lepidoptera of the Londonderry District. 

 dvish Nat., 1893, 1., p. 19. 

4. W. F. DE VisMES Kane. The Galway Field Club Conference; Lepi- 
doptera. Ivish Nat., iv., 1895, p. 263. 

5. H. K. GoRE CUTHBERT. An BK EAioloeest at Ballybunnion, Co. Kerry, 
Irish Nat., vii., 1898, p. €5. 

6. W. F. DE VismEs Kane. Lepidoptera of Lambay. Ivish red XVi., 

1907, P. 44. 

7. Rev. W. F. JoHNSON. Lepidoptera in the North of Ireland during 1906. 
Frish NG, %Vi., 1907; p. 16T. 

8. L. H. BoNAPARTE Wyse. Entomological Notes from Galway. Irish 
Nat, ei, 1Gr2; p: 3:7. 

9. J. N. HALBERT. Some Recent Records of Irish Insects, Lepidoptera. 
Trish Nat., xxiv., EOLS, e157. 

to. C: B. Morrat. Argynnis aglaia in North-west Wexford. Jvish Nat., 
Te FOS; H-. 072. 


46 The Irish Naturalist. April, 


11. L. H. BonapARTE Wyse. Argynnis aglaia in East Waterford. Ivish 
Nat.,. XXVil.;, 19L0, p-. &2. 

12. REv. CANON W. W. FLEmMyNc. Argynnis aglaia in Co. Waterford. 
t.€., PD. 55+ 

13. W. RuTTLEDGE. Argynnis aglaia in South Mayo. t.c., p. 72. 

14. Rev. W. F. JoHNson. Argynnis aglaia at Poyntzpass. Irish Nai., 
XXiX:,) 2020, 4p. 12% 

15. W. CRawrorpb. An aberration of Argynnis aglaia. Ivish Nat., xxx., 
IO2ZT,-P.1 5: 

16. SIR C. LANGHAM. Notes on Lepidoptera. ié.¢., p. 24. 


Poyntzpass. 


ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM MAYO AND 
GALWAY. 


BY: ROBERT: Fo. RUTTLEDGE, 


THE following observations were made chiefly in the district 
round about Hollymount, and in South Mayo, but with them 
are some notes of observations made in Co. Galway :— 

MissEL THRUSH (Turdus viscivorus).—A large influx took 
place about August 24th last, flocks of nearly one hundred 
being often observed. 


REDWING (Twuvdus iliacus)—The appearance of this 
winter visitor on October 7th last year was early for it in 
these parts. On October 12th I noticed flocks, large and 
small, in the woods and fields. 


FIELDFARE (Turdus pilaris).—Since April, 1917, after the 
very severe winter of Ig16-17, this species was entirely 
absent from the Hollymount district, the first re-appearance 
being on April 8th, 1919, when a flock of 30 were observed. 
During last spring they were again plentiful throughout this 
part of the country. They did not re-appear in this demesne 
until January 4th, 1920. 

CHIFF-CHAFF (Phylloscopus rufus).—Owing, probably, 
to the ungeniality of the season, this bird, with one exception, 
did not recommence to sing last autumn. 


1921. RUTTLEDGE.—Ornithological Notes. 47 


YELLOW BuntTING (Emberiza citrinella).—The late Mr. 
Robert Warren noticed the entire disappearance from the 
Ballina district in September. Here in South Mayo I notice 
there is very little decrease in numbers. I took particular 
notice of this species during the past September. 


SKYLARK (Alauda_ arvensis).—The immigration in 
October is well marked here. I find a note in my diary of 
1917 to the effect that, on October 6th, numbers of Skylarks 
were passing north all morning. Again, last year, on October 
7th, all the morning I observed Skylarks flying high N., N.E. 
and E., but chiefly to the N.E., and so high that in many 
cases one could only hear them. 


PrED WAGTAIL (Motacilla lugubris)—On October 2nd, 
when driving between Bunowen and Clifden, in western 
Connemara, I observed parties of half a dozen cr more Pied 
Wagtails at various places along the road. I also observed 
many on the shores of Killary Bay between August roth and 
14th, 1920.1 I saw a flock of as many as 14 Pied Wagtails 
on October 4th, 1920; mostly immature birds. 

SWALLOW (Hirvundo rustica).—First seen last year on 
April toth, which is earlier than its usual date of first 
appearance here. A pure white specimen was seen on three 
occasions at Bloomfield, on September 12th, 1920. It was 
only observed on this one date. 

SAND MARTIN (Cottle riparia)—I observed this species at 
a nesting site on the north, or Mayo, shore of Killary Har- 
bour, on August 13th, 1920. The nesting site was in a high 
bank overlooking the harbour. 

BULLFINCH (Pyrrhula europaea).—This bird seems to be 
increasing steadily in South Mayo. 

NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus europaeus).—This bird is un- 
doubtedly increasing and spreading in South Mayo. I 
observed more last autumn than ever before. There is 
evidence of its having bred in Bloomfield demesne in rg19. 

KINGFISHER (Alcedo ispida).—I observed several King- 
fishers on the shore of Clifden Bay, Co. Galway, on Sep- 


1 It is not very common in the extreme West of Connaught (Ussher & 
Warren’s ‘“‘ Birds of Ireland,” p. 35). 


48 The Irish Naturalist, April, 


tember 20th, 1920. One bird was quite close up to the 
quays. On October 11th, while looking for Dippers, I ob- 
served at least one Kingfisher on a mountain stream. 


Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus).—Made an early appearance 
here last year, being first heardon April 2oth, while in 1914, 
I9QI5, 1916 and 1018 it was first heard on April 27th, and in 
1917 on April 25th. 

PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus).—Although this 
bird breeds and is not uncommon on the coasts of Mayo 
and Galway, I had never before seen it inland during the 
summer months. During August and September of last 
year, however, Peregrines were observed inland by my 
brother and me on four occasions, the occurrences being as 
follows :—One, immature, flying low over Lough Carra, on 
August 18th ; an immature bird over the Corrigeen Islands, 
Lough Mask, on September 6th ; one, 15th September, near 
the Cow Islands, Lough Carra; on October Ist one was 
seen giving chase to a Green Plover over Lough Carra—the 
bird was probably a female, but was seen-at some distance. 


CORMORANT (Phalacrocorox carbo).—The Cormorants 
which inhabit Hog Island, Lough Carra, do not appear to 
frequent that lake in numbers during daytime. Many spend 
the day fishing on Lough Mask, and the majority on Lough 
Corrib, Every evening, however, the birds return regularly 
at sun-down to roost on Hog Island. | 

SHOVELER (Sfatula clypeata)—This is a_ rapidly 
increasing species in South Mayo, and breeds. I observed 
over twenty birds feeding at Lough Deen, Co. Mayo, on 
August 30th, 1920. This is the first time I have met with 
Shovelers on that lake, and my first observation of them in 
this district in August. 

WIGEON (Marveca penelope).—Several were observed on 
Lough Deen on April 29th, 1920—a late date to meet with 
them. A flock of from fifteen to twenty were observed at 
Cloon Lough, Co. Mayo, on October 11th, 1920—the first 
seen last autumn. | 

RINGED PLOVER (Aegialitis hiaticola).—FEvidently bred 
at Lough Deen, Co. Mayo, again last year, young birds were 
seen there on July 15th. 


1921. RUTTLEDGE 


Ornithological’ Notes. 49 


COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago coelestis).—Evidently a large 
influx took place about August 30th, as on that date Snipe 
were very abundant everywhere—previously there had not 
been half the number. 


CURLEW (Numenius arquata).—Never before, I think, 
have I observed such large flocks of Curlew frequenting the 
bogs, as I saw last July. By the end of August, however, 
Curlew were comparatively scarce on the bogs in this district. 


WHIMBREL (Numentus phaeopus).—The first sign of the 
return migration was on August 6th, when a single bird was 
observed at Bloomfield, flying S.W.; wind W.N.W., with 
driving mist. The bird was identified by its call and was at 
some little distance. This date is slightly early for its re- 
appearance here. The southward movement was also well 
marked on August 9th, 18th, and September 13th on Lough 
Carra; and on August 23rd a flock of 30 were seen flying 
over Lough Mask, but not in any definite direction. 


GENERAL OBSERVATION ON ARRIVAL OF MIGRANTS. 


The Warblers were unusually late in their first appearance 
in 1920; the Willow Wren did not arrive until April 13th, 
a week later than usual, and the Chiff-chaff, which usually 
appears during the last week in March, was not heard until 
April 7tht On the other hand, the Swallow and Cuckoo were 
earher than usual. The Cuckoo, which for three years 
running has first been heard on April 27th, was heard last 
year on April 2oth. 

The Whimbrel, too, was late in its first appearance, being 
seen, true to its name of May-bird, on the 1st May, whereas 
in 1917, 1918 and Io1g it appeared on April 23rd, 24th and 
2Ist respectively. 


Bloomfield, Hollymount, Co. Mayo. 


50 The Irish Naturalist. April, 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


FEBRUARY 15.—A lecture was.delivered by J. Kk. H. GREEVEs on “ Sea 
Birds,”’ the President (S. A. Bennett) beingin the chair. The lecturer dealt 
with the auks, terns, and gulls, leaving the rest of our numerous sea birds 
for future consideration. In the course of his address, which was illustrated 
by a series of lantern slides, most of which were new to members of the 
Club, and a fine show of preserved specimens from the Belfast Museum, 
he demonstrated the common descent of the above-mentioned families from 
an ancestor which must in some respects have resembled the modern 
plover. Mention was made of discoveries by members of the Club and 
others in recent years, such as the breeding of the Great Black-backed Gull 
and Herring Gull in County Down in 1920; the Sandwich Tern in Strang- 
ford Lough in 1906, the first and almost the only record for the district ; 
and the first inland breeding-place of the Herring Gull in Ireland on the 
Antrim hills, in t902. The Club is particularly indebted to the Belfast 
Museum authorities for specimens of Bonaparte’s Gull, shot on the 
Lagan in 1848, and Sabine’s Gull from Belfast Lough in 1822, which were 
much admired. 

The paper was spoken on by Professor Gregg Wilson, Rev. W. R. Megaw, 
N. H. Foster, J. A. Stendall, and the President, and the meeting closed 
with the election of one new member. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB, | 


FEBRUARY 10.—ATHOLE HARRISON dealt with the subject of “‘ Bird’s 
Eggs,’’ pointing out how remarkably those of different species differ in 
shape, number, and colour, and offering suggestions (many of them 
grounded on his own experience) as to the probable reasons for such 
variation. After a short discussion on Mr. Harrison’s paper, J. de W. 
HINCH gave an account of the evidence recently collected in proof of Post- 
Glacial variations in the Irish climate, showing by strong cumulative 
testimony that during a part of the period that followed the Ice Age 
our summers must have been considerably warmer than they are now. 
Specimens of many of the marine animals that formed the basis of the 
argument were exhibited, and evoked much interest. 

Marcu 10.—F. W. R. BRAMBELL read a paper on “ The Crossbill, 
Siskin, and Brambling in Co. Wicklow.’’ He referred to the general range 
of these birds in the Old World and in Ireland, and described their habits 
in connection with feeding, nesting, etc. Their coloration in relation to 
protection was also dealt with. 


ro2t. ~ Irish Societies. 51 


ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


Recent gifts include a Mandrill from the President, a Leopard, a Puma, 
and two Brown Bear cubs from the Royal Scottish Zoological Society ; 
Rabbits from Mrs. Brooks, Miss A. McCabe, and Dr. Leeper, Alexander 
Parrakeets from Mr. ;. P. Fox, a Golden Pheasant from Dr. Bell, a Silver 
Pheasant from Mr. A. K. Sheridan, a pair of Ring doves from Miss Trench, 
and 10,000 Brown Trout ova from the Earl of Dunraven. 

Three Rhesus Monkeys, a Sooty Mangabey, two Grey Lemurs, a Mute 
Swan, and 12,000 Brown Trout ova have been purchased. A Lesser 
White-nosed Monkey, a Grey Parrot, Stanley, Rosella, and Grass Parra- 
keets, Peach-faced Love-birds, Diamond, Doves, Cormorants, and a Yuca- 
tan Jay have been received on deposit. 


NOTES, 
ZOOLOGY. 


Irish Hymenoptera Aculeata: some Corrections. 


I submitted specimens belonging to the difficult genera Sphecodes, 
Halictus and Andrena to Dr. R. C. L. Perkins, F.R.S., who has named 
them for me. and I am deeply indebted to him; as a result I have to 
make the following corrections of records in the Ivish Naturalist :— 


1907, p. 245 .. Sphecodes gibbus L. =subquadratus Smith, and ferruginatus 


Schk. 
Andrena vosae Panz.=tvimmevana auct., var. scotica 
Perkins. 
I9gi6, p.62 .. Halictus malachurus K., Poyntzpass=albipes K. ; Cool- 


more=cylindricus Fab., and =freygessneri Alfk. 
H, iongulus Smith=cylindricus Fab. 
A, pauxillus Schk. =albipes K. 
| p. 172 .. H. longulus Smith=albipes K. 
1918, p. 3 .. Sphecodes dinidiatus, v Hag.=ferruginatus Schk., and 
= hyalinatus Schk. 
Halictus longulus Smith=cylindricus Fab. 
H. pauixilius Schk. =freygessner1 Altfk. 
H. minutus K. =albipes K. 
I919, p. 7. «. Sphecodes gibbus L.=afinis, v. Hag., large. female, or, 
variegatus, v. Hag. 
S. subquadratus Smith =afinis, v. Hag. 
Halictus leucozonius Schr.=albipes K. 
H_ subfasciatus, Nyl.=freygessnert Altk. 
p. 133 .. H. malachurus K.=albipes K. 
H. subfasciatus Nyl.=freygessneri Altk. 


I should explain that Sphecodes affinis in the female is practically 
impcssible to distinguish satisfactorily from the same sex of S. variegatus. 


Poyntzpass. W. F. JOHNSON. 


52 The Irish Naturalist. April, 1921. 


~“ Song and Nesting of Birds.’ 


I was greatly interested in Mr. Burkitt’s thoughtful article on the above 
subject, partly because I had just finished reading a paper on pretty 
much the same subject, entitled “‘ The Singing Tree, or how near to the 
nest do the male birds sing ?”’ This paper is by H. Mousley and was pub- 
lished in the Auk for July, 1919. Mr. Burkitt’s main point is to show 
that with at least a number of birds mating puts a brake or stopper on 
song, and that we should have comparatively little song if it was not for 
un-mated males. Mr. Mousley, on the other hand, seems to come to rather 
the opposite conclusion in his study of American Warblers, etc., in which 
he proves that the males were always in evidence during the nesting 
season. He was led to this conclusion by the great difficulty he had in 
locating the nests of the various species of warblers under his observation ; 
it suddenly occurred to him to pay special attention to the males which 
were singing in special trees or places, and he found that by drawing an 
imaginary circle round the singing male he could generally locate the nest, 
the circle varying from four to thirty yards and up to even fifty yards ; 
and he goes on to say that the more he has been able to study the singing 
ways of the male birds at nesting time the more he has been able to perfect 
his system, but to find the nest he says it is essential for his system to have 
a singing male. He then gives a list of various species which he has suc- 
cessfully experimented with; this includes Warblers, Sandpipers, Larks, 
Finches, Thrushes, Waxwings, etc., all of which were singing during the 
nesting season. This, in conclusion, I think makes quite an interesting 
comparison between our species and their American cousins. Mr. Burkitt 
points out that even in England there is much more singing amongst birds 
than in this country, could it be possible that owing to our milder winters 
birds start singing earlier than in England or America and consequently 
stop earlier or about the time the nesting season commences. 


~ W. H. WorxKMAN. 
Belfast. : 


Bittern in County Antrim. 


I was most fortunate in securing a beautiful male specimen of the 
Common Bittern, Potaurus stellaris, at Rangecroft’s poultry shop. It was 
shot by a local gunner at Mosley, on Thursday, 13th January, 1921, and 
according to Ussher and Warren no previous record is given for county 
Antrim, although twenty-one records are given for County Down. The 
curious moulted appearance of the back of the neck was very noticeable 
in this specimen, which, according to Kirkman’s “‘ British Bird Book,”’ is 
the usual condition, as contour feathers do not grow on the back of the 
neck of this species, 


W. H. WorxKMAN. 
Belfast. 


Raed > 


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Vol. xxx., No. 4. 


CONTENTS, | 
Henry William Lett--R. LtoyD PRAEGER PE eke ste 
The Distribution of Argynnis aglaia in Ireland —Rey. W.- 
F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S. . oe ; 3 ba: aoa 
Ornithological Notes from Mayo and Caves Ronee Fo ee 
RUTTLEDGE ©? 257 koae Pye a PRN toa 
IRISH SOCIETIES . ot 
Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club .. | we 4 4 50m 
Dublin Naturalists Field Club - .. BS mes 23 50) 
Royal Zoological Society : P ms Sey 4 
| Notes: % : + 7 
Irish Hymenoptera Aculeata : some Corrections—Rev. W. F. Joun- ide 
SON, M.A. As a . Tn 5l 
Song and Nesting of Birds—-W. H. WORKMAN, M.B.0O.U. fe Se 52 
Bittern in Co, Antrim—W. H. WoRKMAN, M,B.0.U. 4. 5 ~ 52 


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| a tS pines Te i tS a ee 
a ee 


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


AND TECHNICAL 


INSTRUCTION, FOR Wi RET ANI: 


LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT’S LEAFLETS. 


No. 1. The Warble Fly. No. 538. The Construction of a Cowhouse. 
» 2 The Use and Purchase of Feeding » 54. Out of Print. 
Stuffs. >», 55. The Apple. 

» 3. Foot Rot in Sheep: » 56. Cultivation of the Root Crop. 
» 4. Out of Print. » 57. Marketing of Fruit. 
cs Bs Celery Leaf-Spot Disease or Blight.) ,, 58. Sprouting Seed Potatoes 

a. 

8. 


ss Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. » 59. Testing of Farm Seeds. 

es Fluke in Sheep. s» 60 Out of Print. 

a Timothy Meadows. +» 61. Field Experiments—Wheat. 

" The Turnip Fly. », 62. The Management of Dairy Cows. 


Wireworms. 
Prevention of White Scour in Calves. 


**Redwater’”’ or ‘‘ Blood-Murrain ” 
in Cattle. 


9. 
10. 
11. 
;, 12. Liquid Manure. » 64. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for 
», 18. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Cultivation in Ireland. 
», 14 Prevention of Potato Blight » 65. Forestry: The Planting of Waste 
»» 15. Milk Records. Lands. 
», 16. Sheep Scab. +, 0d. Forestry: The Proper Method of 
» 17. The Use and Purchase of Manurea. Planting Forest Trees. 
; 18 Swine Fever. 5. Bf. Out of Print 
», 19. Early Potato Growing. » 68. Out of Print. 
», 20. Calf Rearing. » 69. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in 
» 21. Diseases of Poultry :—Gapes ‘ Cattle. 
» 22. Basic Slag. » 70. Forestry: Planting, Management, 
», 23. Dishorning Calves. and Preservation of Shelter- Belt 
» 24. Care and Treatment of Premium and Hedgerow Timber 
Bulls. 99 CL. “Out of Print: 
»» 25. Fowl Cholera. ste: OU OmMerent. 
.», 26. Winter Fattening of Cattle. » 73 The Planting and Management of 
», 27. Breeding and Feeding of Pigs Hedges. 
», 28. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue » 74. Some Common Parasites of the 
Quarter Sheep. 
» 29 Flax Seed » 775 Barley Sowing 
» 30. Poultry Parasttes—Fleas, Mites, and » 776 American Gooseberry Mildew. 
Lice. » 77. Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. 
» ol. Winter Egg Production. » 78 Home Buttermaking. 
», o2. Rearing and Fattening of Turkeys » 79. The Cultivation of Small Fruits 
», od. Profitable Breeds of Poultry. » 80. Catch Crops. 
», 34. Out of Print. » 81. Potato Culture on Small Farms 
» oo. The Liming of Land. » 82. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes 
» 06 Field Experiments—RBarley. » 8&3. Cultivation of Osiers. 
PAC ys 2 Meadow Hay », 8&4. Ensilage. 
5 38 ee i Potatoes. », &5 Some Injurious Orehard Insects. 
9 OO: ow Mangels. », 86. Dirty Milk. 
», 40 a “ Oats. , 87 Barley Threshing 
5 AN ys Ps Turnips. ,» 88. The Home Bottling of Fruit 
» 42. Permanent Pasture Grasses » 89 The Construction of Piggeries. 
» 48. The Rearing and Management of » 9¢. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. 
Chickens » 91. Black Scak in Potatoes 
>» 44 *‘ Husk” or “* Hoose”’ in Calves » 92 Home Preservation of Regs. 
» 45. Ringworm on Cattle » 93 Marketing of Wild Fruits. 
» 46 Haymaking. » 94. Out of Print. 
» 47. The Black Currant Mite. ., 95. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and 
» 48 Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Eggs. 
» 49. Poultry Fattening. » 96. Packing Eggs for Hatching 
., DO Portable Poultry Houses. » 97. Weeds. 
», 01. The Leather-Jacket Grub. , 98. Tuberculosis in Poultry. 
» 52. Flax Growing Experiments. » 99 Seaweed as Manure 
SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 
No. 1. Catch Crops—Spring Feeding for Stock; No. 10. Pig Feeding—Need for Economy 
» 2. Autumn Sown Cereals. ] » 11. Out of Print. : 
ss Be. OUR Of -PPrent. », 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 
» 4. Out of Print. »» 18-18. Out of Print. 
» 5. The Sowing of Spring Wheat and Oats.| ,, 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 
» 6. Winter Manuring—Grass Lands. »» 20. Out of Print. 
» T Out of Print. », 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 
, 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 53 mee. Out ofsPrini. 
» 9. Out of Print. ,, 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 


Conies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the 
Secretary Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, 
Dublin. Letters application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked 
“* Publications.” 


m3. ero 


JUN 3S 1921 


May, ro2u. The Lrish Naturalist. 53 


VARIATIONS IN THE SEGMENTAL SPINES 
OF THE FOURTH-STAGE LARVA OF 
HYPODERMA BOVIS. 


BY G. B. PHIBBS. 
SIncE the discovery of the newly-hatched maggot, four 
stages are recognised in the larval history of the Warble- 
fly. These four stages are very distinctly differentiated 
one from another. There is however some difference in 
appearance between what is known as the young fourth- 
stage larva and the “ ripe’”’ maggot. A careful comparison 
of the spines, which arise on certain areas of the cuticle, 


ee oe 


K 


) 


Mea 


ev 
or 2 


ly Vv 


Fig. 1. Fourth stage Larva of Hypoderma bovis. Lateral View. X 5 
Areas of Segments indicated: d, dorsal; J.d., latero-dorsal; /., lateral ; 
J.v., latero-ventral; v., ventral. 


was therefore undertaken with a view to ascertaining, if 
possible, whether there are not more than these generally 
accepted four larval stages. It was soon seen, however, 
that considerable variation occurs in the spiny armature 
of the full-grown warble maggot (Hypoderma bovis). This 
is noticeable as regards the number, relative distribution 


size and shape of the spines. 
A 


54 The Irish Naturalist. May, 


Each of the eleven segments of the mature larva is 
readily divisible into eight distinct areas (ig. 1.) :—a dorsal 
area (d), a ventral area (v), and on each side a latero-dorsal 
(1.d.) a lateral (l.) and a latero-ventral area (/.v.). Spines 
are not borne on all these areas. In Hypoederma bcvis 
the ninth, tenth and eleventh dorsal areas are devoid of 
spines, as also are the tenth and eleventh ventral and. 
the ninth, tenth and eleventh latero-ventral areas ; while 
the latero-dorsal and lateral areas bear no spines after 
the fifth segment. 


AD We09 - ee 
OVI) > | OD. 


VOM: o6 
AMO 1 ee 


a ~ 
) k 
COW ie: | tee 
Fig. 2. Variation in the spiny armature of the right eighth latero- 


ventral area in ten specimens (a—k) of the fourth-stage larva of H. bovis. 
X 20. 


The variations occur not only on corresponding areas 
in different specimens but also on corresponding areas on 
the right and left sides of the same specimen. The diversity 
may be observed on any area that is selected for comparison. 
It is well marked, for example, on the “ bosses” of the 
latero-ventral areas. Here the spines, pointing away from 
the head, are frequently of a very irregular shape. They 
are in some cases quite conspicuous, but in others are 


1921. PHIBBS.—Variations in Spines of Larva of Hypoderma. 55 


hardly to be distinguished from the horny platelets of the 
cuticle. Various stages of development between plates 
and spines may be observed. ~ 


I mm. 
as Sr a rT 
Yv Ms on Wee 
+ + 
M4 Ww 3 vr 
‘“ 3% y \ v 


aun «tee 
Oem »§ OLMOOD 
- D000 © Oe 
+ Um 1 00g YOO 
Govo ' ele 


Fig. 3. Comparison of spines on the latero-ventral areas of the-right 
and left sides of a single H. bovis fourth-stage larva, x 20. The numbers 
indicate the segments. 


The eighth latero-ventral area was chosen for comparison 
in ten specimens. The results of this comparison are indi- 
- cated in fig. 2. All the spines are simple ; that is to say 
each spine has only one point. In number they range 
from'one (j.) to eleven (a). In one or two cases true spines 
can hardly be said to exist on the area at all (k.).. The 
spines are irregularly arranged in a single line, with, in one 
or two cases, an odd spine below, In size and shape the 

A2 


56 The Irish Naturalist. May, 


differences are very marked. The majority are large 
somewhat irregular “‘scale-spines,’”’ but there are also 
small conical tooth-shaped spines or “ denticles.” 


vw 2 | oe 
“vw 7 ‘wewF¥ 
mw yee Vey 


Vie 3 b 4 
yY.v 
by were Au y 


OM Wu 


Mor 1004 
ls 0 WAN 

| ae: 
(aes 0 


I mm. 
a Se 


Fig. 4. Comparison of spines on the corresponding areas of another 
specimen of the same. xX 20. 


— 
es 
<— 
< 
< 
=< 
<= 
con, SE 
= 
= 
onl 


a 

= 
w 

ip 


8 


The comparison of the latero-ventral areas on the right 
and left sides of a single specimen show variations quite 
as considerable as those in different specimens. In one case 
(fig 3.) the eighth area on the right side have no real spines, 
whereas on the left they are four in number, two scale- 
spines and two denticles, all small though well developed. 
Similarly on the sixth latero-ventral area the right side has 
one large scale-spine as against six medium-sized spines. 
on the left. 

Similar numerical variations were found on all the 
segments of this and other specimens (see fig. 4.) ; in some 
segments the right side bearing a preponderence of spines, 


1921. PHIBBS.—Vartations in Spines of Larva af Hypoderma. 57 


in some the left. The spines become smaller and very 
much more uniform on the areas nearer the head. The 
third and fourth segments appear to carry, in most cases, 
the greatest number of spines. Those of the largest size 
are generally to be found on the fifth segment. 

The differences were seen to be quite as great in the so- 
called young fourth-stage larvae as in the old specimens 
about to pupate. 

From the above facts it will be obvious that the number 
and appearance of the spines cannot be taken as giving any 
indication that the Warble-fly aie through more than 
four larval stages. 


Royal College of Science, Dublin. 


SOME RECORDS OF WOODLICE. 
BY DENIS R. PACK-BERESFORD, M.R.1.A. 


Mr. R. A. PuiLtips has been good enough to send in 
some Woodlice collected lately by himself in the Counties 
Clare, Galway and Tipperary. Amongst these there are 
three finds that are worth recording. 


Trichoniscus vividus (Koch).—A°* single specimen from Menio, Co. 
Galway, N.E. This is quite an interesting record as this species 
has only previously been taken in the south-eastern Counties, 
viz. ;—Queen’s Co., Carjow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, 
with a single record from North Kerry (Dingle, A.W.S.). 


Trichoniscus pygmaeus, G, O. Sars.—A single specimen also from near 
Menlo, Co. Galway, N.E. 


Haplophthalmus Mengei, Zad.—Five specimens from Portumna, Co. 
Galway, S. This little species seems to range all over Ireland, 
but is nowhere common, and has not previously been taken 
in Co. Galway. 


Fenagh Ho., Bagnalstown. 


58 7 The Irish Naturalist. May, 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


JANUARY 21.—THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING was held in the Royal 
Dublin Society’s Lecture Theatre, the President (SIR FREDERICK MooRE) 
in the chair. The Hon. Secretary (ProF. A. Francis Drxon, Sc.D.) 
presented the report and accounts and moved their adoption, which was 
seconded by SiR RoBERT Woops, M.Ch., M.P., supported by Rev. W. 
O’N. LINDESAyY, and carried unanimously. 

The Report dwells on the difficulties experienced during 1920 through 
- the curtailment of railway traffic and the disturbed state of the country, 
and the high price of food and coal. It has been abnormally difficult to 
secure new animals, but the grounds and houses are in excellent condition 
and many improvements have been carried out. Despite the strictest 
economy, the year closed with a bank overdraft of £621, and the Council 
appeals for a great increase in the membership. During 1920 there were 
elected 62 annual members and 19 life members. The Gardens were 
visited by 159,783 persons, the gate receipts amounting to £3,009. The 
Society has {2,000 from the profits of the 1919 Fete invested. A Fete 
lasting for ten days was held at the end of June, 1920, for the special 
object of raising funds to detray the cost of the proposed enclosure for 
bears. A sum of £700 resulted from the effort, and the Council records 
its thanks to the many ladies and gentlemen who gave in this connection 
splendid service to the Society ; the Fete not merely brought in a sub- 
stantial sum, but also helped to increase public interest in the Gardens. 
Thanks are especially due to Lady Fitzgerald Arnott, Lady Moore. and 
Mr. and Mrs. Knox Peebles. 

During the year the Nesbitt Aviary has been re-roofed and the root of 
the Anthropoid House has been repaired. A complete German submarine 
periscope was presented to the Society by the Royal Navy War Trophies 
Committee in February, 1920. It has been erected in the loft over the 
Elephant House, for which a new floor and an outside staircase have been 
provided. Through the periscope a beautiful view of the gardens and 
surrounding country can be obtained, and it has been inspected by many 
interested visitors. The periscope proved one of the attractions at the 
Gardens during the Fete. The main grass-plot has been levelled and re- 
sown, and the garden walks repaired and gravelled. Work on the new 
bear enclosure has been commenced, and it is hoped that the cages will be 
ready for their owners early in the New Year. The balconies, stairs, and 
entire woodwork of the Haughton House have been repaired and repainted. 
Altogether over £1 200 has been spent on necessary repairs to buildings. 

During the year the Gardens lost by death two of their most popular 
inmates, ‘‘ George ’’ and “ Charlie.’’ Both of these Chimpanzees had lived 
in the Anthropoid house for just six years, and had always delighted 
visitors by their liveliness and by the friendly interest they took in man- 
kind. ‘‘ George,” the elder of the two, had become feeble for some months 


* 


1921. Irish Societies. 59 


before his death, but “‘ Charlie’ was ill only for a very short time. The 
actual cause of death is believed to have been inflammation in connexion 
with the colon and peritonitis. The Council is glad to report that the 
surviving Chimpanzee, “‘ Fanny,’’ is in excellent health, and in good 
condition. She is more uncertain in her disposition than were either 
““George”’ or “‘ Charlie,’’ but she is in many ways more clever, and prone 
to playing unexpected tricks upon her friends. 

An American Bison bull calf was born in the Gardens, and is doing well. 
It is the third Bison calf which has been reared in Dublin since the Canadian 
Government presented the pair of Bison to the Gardens in 1913. A hand- 
some Crested Porcupine was purchased during the year, and occupies a 
cage beneath the Haughton House. The Council was fortunate in being 
able to acquire a great Kangaroo and a black-tailed Wallaby, both of which 
are doing well in one of the glass-roofed cages which, in the years before the 
war, were devoted to Marsupials. 

“ Sandari,”” the young Indian Elephant presented to the Society in 
June, 1913, by the Maharajah of Mysore, has grown to seven feet one inch 
in height. She is extremely docile, and following the instructions of her 
devoted keeper, has acquired many interesting accomplishments. Since 
she came to Dublin she has gained two feet four and a half inches in height, 
an average growth of just over four inches a year. The following figures 
give her height in each year since she came :— 


ff. ins. fp. INS: 
3 years old 4 “erg 7 years old 6-25 
4 Ks ra 5 I 8 ae a 6 5. 
5 ne i 5 9 i, fe 6; 286 
6 4 i io. ere 10 Sara tt es Br ent 


The stock of Lions now consists of six males and eight females. 
‘“‘Menelik,’’ the old Abyssinian Lion given some years ago by the King, 
died, while a pair of Dublin-bred animals, ‘‘ Seamus ”’ and “‘ Nuala,’’ were 
sent during the year to renew the stock in the Zoological Gardens of 
Antwerp. - 

The Poultry Exhibit continues to attract much interest, and is being 
extended. It is stillin charge of an instructress nominated by the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, and towards whose salary the Department makes an 
annual grant. Several new houses have been obtained, and an increased 
number of birds, representing a greater number of types, is*now stocked. 
Among the latter are a number of birds bred from parents with great 
egg-laying records. The Council desires to express its thanks to the 
Department of Agriculture for its continued help. and especially to Mr. 
Nasmyth Miller, the Department’s expert. 

Early in April the Council arranged to hold a series of classes in the 
Gardens for Boy Scouts. It was thought that such classes would not only 
prove of interest to the boys, but would help them in preparing for their 
naturalist badge. Several members of the Council and the Superintendent 
undertook to share the work, and the classes were begun on the first 
Saturday in May, and held in the early afternoon on each of the 


60 The Irish Naturalist. May, 


six following Saturdays. At the end of the course an examination was 
held for those who had attended regularly. In all, 23 Scouts attended, 
representing several different troops, but unfortunately many came very 
irregularly. Six Scouts passed the examination, and the first place was 
obtained by Charles Gibbs, of the Harold’s Cross Troop. 

The Council expresses sincere gratitude to the Hon. Secretary, Prof. A. 
F. Dixon. At the urgent request of his colleagues he accepted that office 
at a time not only critical in the affairs of the Society, but also one during 
which his professional duties have been especially onerous, and the Society 
owes much to his energy, devotion, and ability. 

As a result of the ballot, the President announced that the following 
had been elected to fill the three vacancies on the Council :—F. Conway 
Dwyer, M.B., Charles B. Moffat, B.A., and C. Wisdom Hely, J.P. 

At the conclusion of the formal business, Professor G. H. CARPENTER 
gave a lecture entitled “‘ Societies and their Members.”’” This was illus- 
trated by many beautiful lantern slides, and followed by an exhibition of 
two cinematograph films illustrating animal life. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


MARCH I.—ANNUAL CONVERSAZIONE.—A company of 175 members 
and friends met at 6 o’clock in the Carlton Hall. The zoological exhibits 
included a demonstration of the method of determining the age of fishes 
by means of their scales and otoliths, by Professor Gregg Wilson, M.A. ; 
cases showing trapdoor spiders, Tarantula spiders, and Trinidad snails, 
by the Belfast Municipal Museum; eggs of Guillemot, showing variation 
in ‘colour; Joy]. we ET. Greeves; cases of Indian butterflies and Indian 
birds, by W. M. Crawford, B.A.; exotic birds, by C. B. Horsbrugh ; 
gramophone records of songs of Nightingale, Blackbird, and Thrush, by 
T. Edens Osborne; animal photographs, by E. Armstrong; and local 
moths, by H. Malcolmson. 

The botanical exhibits included freshwater alga, with macroscopical 
and microscopical exhibits, by Miss M. W. Rea, B.Sc. ; local mosses living 
and the same mosses as museum specimens, by William Porter and Rev. 
W. R. Megaw; the Toothwort parasitic on Hawthorn and a collection of 
local plants, by N. Carrothers ; local Mycetozoa, by the Belfast Municipal 
Museum ; plants recently collected in County Antrim, by R. LI. Praeger, 
M.R.I.A.; encrusted Saxifrages in flower and a form of Scaly Spleenwort, 
by William Porter ; fungoid diseases of plants, by the Municipal Museum ; 
Carex divulsa from its three stations in County Down, and pondweeds of 
Down and Antrim, with distribution maps, by the President (S. A. Bennett, 
B.A., B.Sc.) ; some sphagnums of the British Isles, by J. Glover; types 
of local mosses in fruit, by Rev. W. R. Megaw ; the Brazil nut of commerce 
and the artichoke in flower, by N. Carrothers ; sunflower, showing reversal 
_of geotropic curvature in an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas, by Mrs. M. 
Taeynns B.Sc, 


1921. Irish Societies. 61 


The geological exhibits included Trilobites from the Upper Silurian, 
by Mr. and Mrs. A. M‘I. Cleland; fossil Nautili from the Lias and the 
Upper Chalk, with nautilus in section and a recent nautilus, by R. Bell, 
F.G.S. ; set of thin sections of igneous rocks, showing certain structures 
exhibited by means of microscopes, by Dr. A. R. Dwerryhouse, D.Sc., and 
Miss D. Reynolds, B.Sc. 

_ The archeological exhibits included a fine collection of early pottery 
and encaustic tiles, by H. C. Lawlor ; fragments of Neolithic pottery from 
Whitepark Bay, by Mrs. Metcalfe ; sections of wooden pipes formerly used 
for Belfast water supply, by A. M‘I. Cleland; brass snake of Indian 
workmanship, by William M. Crawford, B.A.; early book on botany, with 
hand-coloured plates and examples of early envelopes, by Miss Mawdsley. 

After a few remarks by the President and the election of three new 
members tea was served in the restaurant at 8.15 p.m., and a very pleasant 
evening brought to a close. 


NOTES, 


ZOOLOGY. 


Armadillidium vulgare. 


The distribution of Avmadillidium vulgare Latreille in Ireland has more 
than once been commented upon. This Woodlouse has not been found 
north of a line drawn across Ireland from Galway to Larne, and but for 
twe localities in Armagh ard Antrim the eastern terminus of this line could 
have been placed many miles further south. In Munster it is not uncom- 
mon, except in South and North Kerry, where it has not yet been found. 
It is very common throughout Leinster, though still unrecorded from 
Longford. Except for two localities in S.F. Galway, it has not been found 
in Connaught. From Ulster it was long believed to have been absent, 
but closer searcn has been rewarded by the finding of a few specimens at 
Carrickmacross and at Navan Fort and Umgola ‘/hoth near Armagh City), 
in the counties of Monaghan and Armagh respectively—-each of these 
localities being on the limestone. A large colony was discovered at 
Magheramorne, Co. Antrim, by A. W. Stelfox. Here it is possible it was 
artificially introduced by a ship discharging ballast, as it exists in company 
with some species of moliusks and plants not native in this district. In 
Co. Down it resides in small numbers in the southern part of the county— 
Ardglass, Killough, Portaferry, Downpatrick and Newry, though appa- 
rently not at Annalong or Kilkeel. Recently I discovered a very numerous 
colony on the bank of the river Bann at Laurencetown, and it may be 
mentioned that this locality is less than a mile from Seapatrick, where 


62 The Irish Naturalist. May, 


Rt. J: Welch obtained it in 1909. At Laurencetown in the course of half 
an hour I observed probably 200 specimens of this species, while only 
1 Tvichoniscus pusillus, 4 Philoscia muscorum and about 12 Oniscus asellus 
were seen. 
NEVIN H. FOSTER. 
Hillsborough, Co. Down. 


Chelifer scorpioides Herm., a False-Scorpion new to the 
Irish Fauna. 


Through the kindness of Mr. Denis R. Pack-Beresford I have recently 
seen this Chelifer, a single specimen, taken by him during the past winter 
from vegetable debris from one of his woods at Fenagh, Co. Carlow. The 
Trish list, rich both in Obisium and Chthonius, is remarkably poor in 
Chelifer, so that the addition of the present species is of much interest. 


H. Watiis Kew. — 
London, 


Lepidoptera at Dollymount, Co. Dublin. 


During the summer of 1920, I spent some time collecting Lepidoptera 
in this locality, and append some records of the more interesting species 
met with. 

Like nearly all seaside places, Dollymount is a “‘ breezy’’ hunting 
ground. I scarcely remember one day last summer there was not a stiff 
wind blowing, which is not a favourable state of affairs for obtaining 
butterflies and moths. Amongst the butterflies Pieris brassicae was scarce 
in the early summer but very numerous during the autumn. Euchloe 
cavdamines was rare, only three specimens being observed. During July I 
observed Colias edusa in a field on the sea-shore, several females, all in 
good condition ; later in the same month specimens were captured in one 
of the little valleys between the sand-hills on the Nerth Bull bank opposite 
Dollymount. The species has been recorded from Clontarf and’ Howth. 

During the summer of 1918, the district was swarming with the Small 
Tortoiseshell, Vanessa urticae ; one could see them in hundreds, and not- 
withstanding that the nettles were covered with thousands of their black 
caterpiflars, hardly a specimen was to be seen during last summer, which 
is remarkable, as it usually is one of the most abundant butterflies in the 
locality. Vanesso 10 was scarce ; observed only about half a dozen during 
the summer. During the month of August there was a remarkable number 
of Vanessa atalanta. They could be counted by the dozen in the gardens 
of the houses upon the sea front ; a few remained until the end of Sep- 
tember. Two specimens of V.cavdui were captured, and a fair number of 
Hipparchia semele on the North Bull. 


I1g2I, Notes, 63 


Amongst Moths the following may be noted :—Smerinthus populi was 
found at rest on wheat stalks; Chaerocampa elpenor, one specimen ; 
C. porcellus, farly numerous; Macroglossa stellatavum, frequent ; Agyvotis 
praecox, two specimens caught flying in garden, visitors, no doubt, from 
the North Bull sandhills. Naenia typica and Chariclea umbra one of each 
caught flying to flowers in garden, a few Leucania lithargyrea were secured 
in the same way. Amongst the Geometers a few Uvapteryx sambucaria 
were observed, and a male of the local Biston styvatarius was captured in a 
tramcar, flying around lamp inside, an unexpected species and apparently 
a new record for North Dublin. 

I also observed a fair number of A phomia sociellaand a few Zanclognatha 
tarvsipennalis in the garden. 

F. H. WALKER. 
Dollymount, Dublin. 


Argynnis aglaia in Co. Tyrone. 


The Rev. W. F. Johnson, in his interesting paper (pp. 44-6 supra) on 
the distribution of 4. aglaia in Ireland, has overlooked the records for this 
county, viz , a specimen taken near Grange, Cookstown, on August 28th, 
1920, Ivish Nat., vol. xxix.1920, p. 132; and Prof. J. W. H. Harrison 
observed the species on several occasions, flying along the steep slopes, 
covered with heather and bracken, at Lough Fea (Entomologist, vol. li., 
1918, p. 220). 

a THOMAS GREER. 

Stewartstown. 


Iceland Falcon in Co. Kerry. 


Early in 1920 a bird of this species visited Inishtearaght, and was 
observed by Mr. Kennedy, one of the lightkeepers. He took notes on its 
behaviour :— : 

*“* January 13th.—Observed close to balcony of lighthouse, devouring a 
Razorbill. The bird was light grey in colour. 

“It left the rock on that date, but reappeared in April and stayed three 
days. On this occasion it sat quite close to a window when feeding. It 
was most interesting to watch it in flight catchingits prey. Forinstance, one 
day I sawit catch a Guillemot, which was flying in the opposite direction. 
It appeared to me as if the falcon could not get its talons to support the 
bird to bring it to the feeding place. When quite close to the cliff it released 
the Guillemot with great force, killing it against the clitf' It now swooped 
down and picked up its prey, which it brought to the highest pinnacle of 
the rock. 

“On the third day it took its departure, going south.” 


W. RUTTLEDGE. 
Bloomfield, Co. Mayo. 


64 The Irish Naturalist. May, 1921. 


Notes on some Irish Birds.. 


During a slight snowstorm on February zoth, 1918, in Rathmines, I 
observed a Yellow Wagtail which was sheltering for a short while in a 
lane. I had it under observation for several minutes at a distance of less 
than twenty feet through a pair of field glasses, and I am quite convinced 
that my identification was correct. This appears to be an unusually early 
date for this species. 

On the 2nd October last year, while along the North Bull Wall, Isawa 
party of Sandwich Terns feeding and resting there. Their large size and 
only slightly forked tail were very obvious. This species does not, I 
believe, usually occur in Dublin Bay. 

Grey Phalaropes usually occur here in October and November off the 
Irish coast, so the appearance of a party of over a hundred of these on the 
North Bull on March 13th of this year is a rather exceptional date. These 
birds which I saw were very tame, and I was able to approach within five 
yards of some of them, so that my field glass was hardly needed. Iam 
quite certain that I did not mistake them for any other bird, such as the 
Sanderling. 

While at Luggela, Co. Wicklow, on April 1st last. I observed a Raven 
on the hillside on the south of the lake. I’am well acquainted with this 
bird, which is much more plentiful in the Isle of Man, my native land, 
than it is here, and its hoarse “‘ croaking ’’ was very distinctive. Iam 
informed that Ravens are very rarely observed in Co. Wicklow, and my 
own observations would serve to confirm this. . 

A. HARRISON. 


>? 


Terenure, Dublin. 


Serin in Queen’s County. 


In a list of birds observed at Granston Manor, Queen’s Co. sent to 
me by Lord Castletown, the record of two pairs of this rare species may 
be of interest to readers of the Ivish Naturalist. 

G. C. May. 

Littlehampton. 


BOTANY. 


A new Station for Cardamine amara in Tyrone. 
This local plant was found in abundance on April 2nd, 1921, within half 


a mile of the village of Coagh, on the Ballinderry river. 


THOMAS GREER. 
Stewartstown. 


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CONTENTS. 


a 


Variations in the Segmental Spines of the pte 
Larva of Hypoderma bovis—G. B. PHIBBs Be | 
some Records of Woodlice—D. R. Pack BEROED 5 M.R.I.A, 


ere ‘Sahertes q 


-Royal Zoological Society +e 2 at ma 5S ee 
Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club .. hehe ie ae 60 s 

d yt: | 

Notes: ; 
Armadillidium vulgare—N. H, Foster, F.L-S. 6s 
Chelifer scorpioides, a False-Scorpion new to the ia ean z 
WALLIs KEW, F.L.s. ‘ 53 tebe 

‘ Lepidoptera at Dollymount, Co. Dubline—F. H. Watker 5 pn, Loe ae 
Argynnis aglaia in Co. Tyrone—THomas GREER a ht ae eam 
Iceland Falcon in Co. Kerry—-W. RuTTLEDGE op aif 63.0 

. Notes on some Irish Birds—-A- HARRISON .. “ e- 2 Oe 
Serin in Queen’s County—G. C.. May rs # 64a 
A new Station for Cardamine amara in Tyrone—THoMAs GREER oe 64 7 


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Upper Merrion Street, 


June, 1921. The Irish Naturalist. 65 


MARGARET GREER FLOOD. 


WE have to record the loss which science in Ireland has sus- 
tained by the untimely death of Margaret Greer Flood, B.A., 
on the 3rd May last. The funeral at Mount Jerome Ceme- 
tery was attended by many friends and sympathisers, who 
retain the memory of a refined and enthusiastic character, 
much beloved by her fellow-students both at Trinity College 
and the Royal College of Science. Born in Dublin in 1896, 
her life was short ; but it promised much, and the small 
band of Irish naturalists mourn their youngest and brightest 
recruit. It is not for us to speak of the void left in the 
circle of her relatives and intimate friends, whose poignant 
grief was so heart-breaking as she was laid to rest. We 
can but chronicle the brief facts of her public life. 

Educated at Norfolk College, Rathgar, she entered 
Trinity College in 1914, where her career was a distinguished 
One 2201, tlepry HH. Dixon, F.RK.S., under whom she 
worked at botany, says: “‘She more than once obtained 
first-class honours in Natural Science, and in October, 1918, 
she won Senior Moderatorship, the subjects being Botany, 
Zoology, and Geology. She submitted at that examination, 
as part of her research work, an investigation on the 
‘“Exudation of Water by Colocasia antiquorum,’ which was 
afterwards published in the Proceedings of the Royal Dublin 
Society, vol. xv. No. 36 (April, 1919), and reprinted in 
“Notes from the Botanical School, T.C.D.’ This work 
established the existence of continuous passages connecting 
the vessels of the wood of the:leaf with the exterior, and 
showed that there is no epithema on the leaf-tip responsible 
for the exudation. In May, 1920, Miss Flood gained at 
Trinity College a scholarship in Natural Science.”’ 

Miss Flood obtained a grant from the Department of 
Scientific and Industrial Research to enable her to receive 
training in Forest Botany at the Royal College of Science, 
Dublin, under the writer of this notice, and she carried out 
research work there from 1st December, 1918, until 31st 
March, 1920. The results appear in three papers published 
under the joint names of Augustine Henry and Margaret 


66 . The Irish Naturalist. ; June, 


G. Flood in Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 

vol. xxxv., Section B, as follows :— 

April, 1919—No. 2. ‘“‘ The History of the London Plane, Platanus 
acerifolia, with notes on the genus Platanus.”’ 


September, 1919—No. 4. ‘“‘ The History of the Dunkeld Hybrid Larch, 
Larix eurolepis, with notes on other Hybrid Conifers.”’ 


May, 1920—No. 5. ‘‘ The Douglas Firs: a Botanical and Silvicultural 
Description of the various Species of Pseudotsuga.”’ : 


Miss Flood’s share in these papers represent a vast amount 
of painstaking labour, which has helped to solve some 
problems of considerable interest to foresters and systematic 
botanists. 

In April, 1920, Miss Flood rejoined Trinity College as 
Demonstrator of Zoology for a brief period; and then, 
on October 14th, 1920, she was appointed Technical Assistant 
in the National Museum, a post which opened out to her 
a career, where her acquirements and talents would have 
had full scope. Dr. R. F. Scharff writes to me on the 18th 
May: “ Miss Flood felt too unwell on the 15th March to 
continue her work, and we all thought she must have 
contracted some form of influenza and expected her to be 
back soon. And then came the long and painful illness 
from which she never recovered. We have only had her 
services for five months. From the moment of her arrival 
in the museum I felt that we had made a unique discovery. 
Her charm of manner, her strong character and keen 
interest in Natural History impressed me _ particularly. 
Only one accomplishment she lacked which I thought 
would be useful to her as Technical Assistant, namely, 
typewriting ; and she began at once to acquire it. A few 
weeks after, she was able to type well and then started the 
catalogue of the large number of pamphlets which had 
accumulated during the war. Meanwhile she was busy 
mounting specimens in spirit for exhibition, and re-arranging 
and re-labelling the fossil invertebrates. It must be re- 
membered that for years before Miss Flood came there was 
no one in the museum to deal with the great accumulations 
of that kind, and she threw herself into the work with 
unbounded energy and zeal. When Mr. Nichols mentioned 


1921. Margaret Greer Flood. 67 


the Farnham collection of minerals she begged to be allowed 
to make another search for rare minerals among the dust- 
covered cases containing the remainder of the collection. 
She found a good number and added them to those already 
exhibited. Nothing was too irksome for her, and she 
simply revelled in work. She was anxious to study and, 
if possible, master some really difficult group of animals ; 
and when I recommended to her the Tunicates, which had 
repelled almost all zoologists by their unattractiveness, 
she beamed with delight and at once carried off the litera- 

ture on the subject to study it at home. I am sure she 
would have succeeded in thoroughly mastering that puzzling 
group of marine animals, for she would not shrink from any 
difficulties. It was delightful to meet a congenial spirit 
endowed with such fervour and eagerness to learn, and with 
whom all work was a labour of love.”’ 

Miss Flood was a member of the Dublin Naturalists’ 
Field Club, and some of the members recollect the charming 
paper on the life in the pools by the seashore at Skerries, 
which she read at one of the meetings last winter. 


A. HENRY. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


APRIL i3.—The Club met at Leinster House, the President (H. A. 
LAFFERTY) in the chair. 

Prof. G. H. CARPENTER showed stages in the development of a 
snowy fly (Aleyrodes sp.) and exhibited also the larva ot he Vine 
Coccid (Pulvinaria vitis) from a Co. Dublin greenhouse, for comparison 
with the Aleyrodes larva. 

D. McArRDLE showed Plagiochila punctata, one of the rare foliose 
Hepaticae. The interesting feature is the cell structure, the lumen of 
the cells being quite clear with thick walis and angles of a brown colour 
which give the feaves a punctate or dotted appearance, hence the name. 
The leaves are roundish-oval in shape with the upper margin recurved 
spinose ciliate, the lower margin is quite entire. The specimen 
. exhibited was found at Killarney. 


68 The Irish Naturalist. June, 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


MarcCH 15.—The President (S. A. BENNETT, B.A.) in the chair. Canon 
W. P. Carmopy lectured on “ Lisburn in the Olden Days,” tracing the 
town’s history from the early seventeenth century. The President, 
|. S. Killen, R. S. Lepper, M.A., and the Secretary took part- my tae 
subsequent discussion. 


REVIEWS. 


THE ANTLERS OF DEER. 


The Growth and Shedding of the Antler of the Deer. The Histological 
Phenomena and their Relation to the Growth of Bone. By SIR 
WILLIAM MACEWEN, F.R.S. Glasgow: MacLehose, Jackson and Co. 
1920. Pp. xviii. and 110. 109 photograph figures. Price tos. 6d. 
net. 


This monograph contains a detailed account of the author’s observa- 
tions of the processes attending the growth and shedding of the antlers 
in the Cervidae. The observations have an important bearing upon the 
general question of the growth of bone, and tend to support the author’s 
recently published work.} 

The antlers of stags are among the most remarkable of the structures 
known as secondary sexual characters, being found, as is well known, 
only in the male (except in the Reindeer). The antler arises from a base 
or pedicle which persists from year to year. At the commencement of 
growth, this pedicle becomes very highly vascular, and a cap of cartilage 
is formed on its extremity. This cap commences to ossify rapidly and 
continues to reproduce cartilage distally as its proximal region is con- 
verted into bone—a process analogous to the primary diaphyseal ossifi- 
cation of a mammalian long bone. : 

Both antler and ‘“‘ velvet’’ are highly vascular, and the shedding 
of the antler is a result of withdrawal of the blood supply. This becomes 
effected in the velvet by compression of the vessels through proliferation 
of bone at the base of the antler forming a corona which stretches and may 
break the skin. The dead velvet is rubbed off, leaving the bone naked. 
The same proliferation of osseous tissue compresses and occlude; the 
nutrient vessels of the bony antler, and it too becomes a dead structure. 
Resorption of bone at the base of the antler takes place pari passu and 
a layer of granulation tissue is laid down between the antler and the 
pedicle. At this “‘absciss layer’’ separation of the antler eventually 


1 'W. MacEweEn, ‘‘ Growth of Bone.”’ Glasgow, 1912, 


1921. Reviews. 69 


takes place. The top of the pedicle has now become very hard and 
non-vascular, and the skin overgrows it. 

The surprising rapidity of growth of the antler is a very remarkable 
feature. In some of the larger species, according to Flower, antlers may 
be produced which weigh more than all the rest of the skeleton, and yet 
the actual period of growth is only about three months. The author 
has observed nuclear budding to take place in the osteoblasts of the growing 
antler, in addition to the ordinary mitotic division, and suggests that 
this occurrence may account for the great augmentation in the rate of 
growth of the bone. There is a correspondingly rapid growth of the 
“velvet ’’ to keep pace with the growing bone. The velvet is a highly 
vascular structure, arising by proliferation of the cells of the skin around 
the pedicle, and completely covering the bony antler as a true living 
skin with glands, hair-follicles and hairs. 

A detailed account is given of the histological phenomena accompanying 
the processes of growth and shedding. The osteoblasts are described 
as arising in an undifferentiated mesodermal syncytium, not from a 
preformed connective-tissue or periosteal layer, as usually held. A similar 
origin has been observed by the author in human and other bones, and this 
view seems to be on a much more satisfactory basis than the theory of 
periosteal or connective-tissue origin of the osteoblasts.1_ No periosteum 
appears in the growing antler, the dermis lying immediately over the 
living bone. 

A definite form or type of cell is recognised in the mature osteoblast 
in the antler, and osteoblasts of bone from various other sources are 
stated to exhibit the same characteristic form. This constitutes an 
important advance upon the usual opinion that the osteoblast is definable 
by function only, and not by any special histological character. 

An account is given of the methods by which bone is formed by the 
osteoblasts. The two commonly recognised types of bone-formation— 
traditionally ‘‘intramembranous’’ and _  “ intracartilaginous ’’—are 
described respectively as “‘direct’’ and “indirect ’’ methods of ossifi- 
cation. In each case the origin of the osteoblast is apparently the same, 
but in the latter the development of the mature stage is delayed, and a 
matrix of cartilage formed. When ossification is about to commence, 
the osteoblast, which had temporarily assumed the role of “ cartilage- 
cell,’’ develops into the typical mature form, and commences the deposition 
of bony tissue. The cartilaginous matrix disintegrates, and the ground 
substance of bone, ossein, takes its place. Calcium salts are deposited, 
and the characteristic trabecular formation of growing “‘ cartilage-bone ”’ 
appears. In the direct method of ossification, the osteoblasts early attain 
their typical form, and at once commence the deposition of bone. Both 
methods are in operation simul.aneously in the antler, but the indirect 
method predominates. These facts all tend to support the view that 
the periosteum is not a bone-forming organ, as generally stated, but 


4 Cf, Rendle Short: ‘“‘ The New Physiology.” 1920. Chap. vii. 


70 The Irish Naturalist. June 


is merely of trophic function and probably also acts as a limiting membrane 
confining the osteoblasts to their proper sphere. 

Other interesting matters are referred to, such as the deformities 
and malformations of the antler due to injury or disease, the effects of 
castration, etc., which add to the value of the work. The book is 
copiously illustrated with excellent photographs, and the printing and 
binding are exceptionally good. A few obvious misprints occur, the most 
common being the use of ‘‘ phenomena ’’ for “‘ phenomenon,’’ and one 
or two misspellings of ‘“‘syncytium.”’ The generic names, on pp. ix., Xvi., 
and 59 among other places, would look better in capitals, which 
are correctly adopted in other parts of the book for this purpose. 
Altogether the book is a valuable and suggestive contribution to both 
zoological and histological literature. 

D. S. TORRENS. 


FOR LOCAL NATURALISTS. 


Faunistic Survey of Glamorgan. Instructions to Collectors. Cardiff 
Naturalists’ Society. 1920. Pp. 36. 6d. net. 


This useful pamphlet has been compiled by Dr. Jas J. Simpson, the 
Secretary and Recorder of the publishing Society, with the help of various 
specialists. It gives in brief form much of the information on zoological 
collecting contained in various pamphlets on special groups issued by 
the British Museum (Natural History). The immediate object is research 
into the county fauna, and incidentally the enrichment of the local 
collections in the National Museum of Wales at Cardiff. The instructions 
for collecting specimens of various groups are clear and trustworthy, 
and stress is wisely laid on the need of labelling with accurate notes as 
to locality, habit at, and date of capture. The public spirit of the 
Cardiff Naturalists’ Society is shown by the offer to supply copies of the 
pamphlet at 6d. each to other societies, and we heartily commend this 
generous action of our Welsh colleagues to the consideration of Irish 
naturalists. 


PLANT LORE FOR THE YOUNG. 


A Book about Plants and Trees: a simple guide to Natural Study 
for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. By R. and S. G. GuRNEyY. 8vo. Pp. 
xiv., 103. C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd. 1920. Is. 6d. net. 


This little book is designed to assist boys and girls to obtain the 
‘Naturalists’ Badge’’ in the scout fraternity. It consists of short 
chapters very simply written, introducing the juvenile reader to the 
whole range of naked-eye botany. It is field botany without a lens and 
without Latin names, and gives as goodan introduction to the subject 
as these severe restrictions allow. A proper breadth of view is main- 


Toot. - Reviews, gai 


tained throughout. Occasionally the authors seem to betray an absence 
of personal knowledge with the plants they deal with, as when they 
describe the Horned Poppy as anannual. And their very simple language 
sometimes verges on the inaccurate, as when they speak of the “ flower ’”’ 
(t.e., inflorescence) of the Arum and Yarrow, and write of the Oak: “ The 
female flower grows intc a hard cup in which the acorn is seated,’’ or 
of the Primrose :- ‘‘ In the middle of the flower at the bottom is a little 
round thing called the ovary, with a rod sticking up from it and ending 
in a round knob. This rod is called the pistil, and the ovary and the 
pistil are the female organs of the flower.”’ 
ie De: Pe: 


NOTES. 


ZOOLOGY. 


Physalia on the Co. Derry Coast. 


Dr. Scharff’s interesting paper (ante, pp. 29-30) on the occurrence of 
Turtles on the Irish coast reminds me that I met with a specimen of the 
“Portuguese Man-of-War’”’ at Castlerock, Co. Derry, in August, 1881. 
It had been washed up on the strand and was a very conspicuous object. 
At the same time and place I found a great number of Ianthina. They 
were there in dozens on the sand. I have found it also at Portnoo, but 
very sparingly. Velella I have met with at Castlerock, Portnoo and Cool- 
more. Last July at Portnoo there were great numbers of them on the 
sandy shore and many were alive and showing the beautiful blue colour 


W. F. JOHNSON. 
Poyntzpass. 


Whales and Dolphins stranded on the Irish Coast 
during 1919 and 1920. 


Reference was made in the Ivish Naturalist of Nov.-Dec., 1919, to 
Dr. Harmer’s Report on the Cetacea stranded on the British coasts during 
the year 1918. The distinguished author, who has since had the honour 
of becoming Sir Sidney Harmer, has just published a Report! on the same 
subject for the years r919 and 1920. 

The Irish records for these years are unfortunately very few in number, 
which is attributed by the author to the disturbed state of Ireland. In 
fact, he has heard of only four occurrences, whereas there must have 
been far more. 


1Sir S. F. Harmer; ‘‘ Report on the Cetacea stranded on the British 
coasts during 1919 and 1920. London; I921. British Museum. 


72 The Irish Naturalist. June, to92t. 


The four records belong to the following species :— 


LESSER RORQUAL (Balaenoptera acutorostvata)—Broadhaven, Co. Mayo, 
January 7th, 1919, 15ft. long. 

CUVIER’S WHALE ? (Ziphius cavirostris)—Gweebarra Bay, Co. Donegal, 
July 3rd, 1919, 18ft. long. The body of this animal was in a putrid 
condition and had been badly damaged, but from a sketch made by the 
coastguard of Portnso, Narin, Sir Sidney Harmer was of opinion that the 
specimen may have been a female or young male Cuvier’s Whale. The 
identification was necessarily doubtful. 


DoLPHIN (Delphinus delphis)—-Youghal, Co. Cork, August 4th, I919, 
8ft. 6in. long. 


PorRPOIsSE (Phocaena communis)—Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Nov. 
15th, 1919. 

No particulars seem to have been furnished as to the length of the 
specimen. 

While the Whale fisheries on the Irish coasts have been suspended 
they seem still to be carried on in Scotland, and Sir Sidney Harmer reports 
that at the Bunaresseader Whaling Station in 1920 there were captured 
1 Atlantic Right Whale, 135 Common Rorquals, 30 Blue Whales, 31 
Rudolphi’s Rorqual and 1 Humpback Whale. 


BOTANY. 


Ranunculus Auricomus and Chelidonium majus in Co. 
Wexford. 


I am glad to be able to add the Goldilocks to the flora of Co. Wexford, 
where it seems hitherto to have escaped discovery. During a recent visit 
to my sister at Mount Forest I found it growing in several spots about 
Ballycanew, on the Owenavorragh river. This district, though within 
a few miles of Gorey and of Courtown Harbour, appears to have been 
but little explored. Its flora, during three visits within the past 12 
months, struck me as singularly meagre, and among the plants I totally 
failed to find I may specially mention Scrophularia aquatica, which in 
other parts of Wexford seems scarcely less common (if not more so) than 
S. nodosa. Two local species observed near Ballycanew were Bidens 
tvipartita and Epipactis latifolia. 

As Wexford is one of the few counties for which the Greater Celandine 
apparently wants a record, I may mention having noticed it by a roadside 
not far from Camolin, between that town and the village of Ballyoughter. 
The inevitable farmhouse also occurs, but the plant seems well established. 


C. B..Morrart. 
Dublin. 


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AUG 17 1921 


July, 1921. The Irish Naturalist . 73 


THE METEORITE OF CRUMLIN, CO. ANTRIM, 
1902. 


BY “GRENVILEE Aw po CODE, . Tt aS. 


Tue death of Sir Lazarus Fletcher, F.R.s., on 6th January, 
1921, has removed one of the most kindly and stimulating, 
as well as one of the most eminent, of scientific workers in 
our islands. He left behind him the MS. of a description of 
the meteorite that fell visibly at Crosshill, near Crumlin in 
the county of Antrim, on 13th September, 1902, and this has 
now been published in the Mineralogical Magazine (Vol. xix., 
June, 1921, p. 149). The news of the fall spread somewhat 
slowly, the first notices being in the form of unsigned para- | 
graphs in the Belfast Evening Telegraph of 16th September, 
and the Northern Whig of the following day. Sir L. Fletcher 
properly gives to Mr. W. H. Milligan, of Belfast, the credit 
for being the first to examine the occurrence from a scientific 
point of view. A small personal note may perhaps here be 
allowed, lest it should be thought that no effort was made 
to secure the stone for Ireland. I was already on my way to 
Scotland when one of the newspaper paragraphs caught my 
eye. I wrote at once to the owner of the meteorite and to 
the authorities at our National Museum. Unfortunately 
the replies were addressed to me, not to Inverness, but to 
Inverary, where, as unclaimed correspondence, they waited 
their due postal month. Meanwhile, Fletcher had established 
communications, and on 26th September he descended, with 
the energy of a Viking, on the Irish coast. Paying a con- 
siderable sum by his personal cheque, he returned the same 
evening with his prize to England. A handsomely coloured 
model of the stone was subsequently presented to the 
National Museum in Dublin by the Trustees of the British 
Museum, and perhaps we ought not to regret that the central 


’ 1 Naturalists may like to know that No. 93 of the Mineralogical 
Magazine, containing this long-delayed scientific description, can be 
obtained from Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall & Co.. 31 Paternoster Row, 


London, E.C.4, price 5s. 
A 


74 The Irish Naturalist, | July 


institution was able to add so interesting a specimen to the 
finest collection cf meteorites in the world. Meteorites, 
after all, have no country, and Fletcher’s investigation now 
adds dignity to that received from outer space at Crumlin. 

By a characteristically friendly arrangement, Fletcher 
intended to present his paper to the Royal Irish Academy, 
and would have come over himself to read it. Year after 
year, when I visited him in the Natural History Museum at 
South Kensington, he would open the drawer containing his 
manuscript and specimens, and regret that his many 
official duties rendered the research still incomplete. His 
promotion to the Directorship of the Museum in Ig10 
established many further claims, and the work remained 
unfinished at his death. Dr. G. T. Prior, who succeeded 
him as Keeper of the Mineral Collections, has now added 
a chemical analysis and a microscopic investigation. He 
determines the stone as “a grey hypersthene-(to bronzite-) 
chondrite, containing about g per cent. of nickel-iron, in 
which the ratio of iron to nickel is about 7.” That is, the 
iron by weight is about seven times as much as the nickel. 
The chondrite type of meteorite, it may be remembered, 
takes its name from the globular aggregates of silicates 
known as “‘chondrules.”’ The nickel-iron, forming in this 
case nearly 9 per cent. by weight of the stone, occurs in 
these ‘‘ sporadosiderites ’’ of Daubrée as scattered blebs 
throughout a silicate ground, which, like the chondrules, 
consists mainly of pyroxene and olivine. Good photographs 
are given of two aspects of the stone. 

Fletcher’s admirable summary of the accounts of eye- 
witnesses of the fall is accompanied by a map. W. H. 
Milligan’s careful and prompt enquiries failed to elicit 
evidence of any other falls, though, from his investigation of 
the sound records, he believes that the mateorite ‘‘ entered 
the denser strata of the atmosphere apparently at a high 
angle over the centre of Co. Down.” 

The weight of the portion seen to fall, and dug up from 
the cornfield at Crosshill, is 4,329 grammes (nearly 94 Ibs.). 


Royal College of Science, Dublin. 


1921 CAMPBELL.—The Time of the Singing Birds. 75 


THE TIME*OF- THE SINGING OF yBIRDS., 


BY D.C. CAMPBELL. 


Mr. BuRKITT’s interesting article on “‘Songs and the 
Nesting of Birds,’’ in the Ivish Naturalist for January 
(p. I supra), brings up many points for investigation. But 
the questions he raises are, I feel, beset by many difficulties. 

For example, how is it possible to recognize and keep 
under observation individual birds unless they are captured 
and marked ; also how can one be sure that certain singing 
birds are nesting or not ? As to the question of mating and 
nesting putting a stopper on song, I always leant to the 
common belief that the fullest and most persistent singing 
was during the breeding season. Mr. Burkitt’s careful 
observations throw doubt on this. Still I am inclined to 
think that some of our Irish birds—like the case of American 
Warblers quoted by Mr. W. H. Workman in the April number 
(p. 52)—Sing over or near their nests. Without being 
positive, I would mention the Thrush, Robin, Chaffinch and 
Hedge-Sparrow. I have definitely noted the Goldcrest and 
Blackbird singing above their nests. 

If mating,and nesting put a stopper on song, we should 
find a falling off in song, but in my experience this is not so, 
in fact the reverse is true, March, April and May bring out 
the fullest volume of song; this is not to say that by any 
means all the singing birds are nesting, probably a fair 
number are not. It would not be easy to estimate the 
number of nests and the number of singing birds in a given 
area, but I think it could be done. 

I have looked up my books, and the following lists give 
details of my notes on the singing periods of some of our 
common species. The observations were mostly made during 
morning journeys of about three miles to town, along a 
varied country road. My notes on other species are not 
sufficiently complete to embody in the lists. 

The beginning and ending of the song periods approxi- 
mately agree with Mr. Burkitt’s records, also with Mr. 
Foster’s monthly records in the Irish Naturalist for Feb- 
ruary (p. 21 supra). 

A 2 


76 The Irish Naturalist, . a aly 


The dates in the first three months are days I noted the commencement 
of the song. . 
The figures are the number of days in each month when I heard the Lird 
singing. 
1893. 


January. | February. | March. | April. | May. | June 


Misse! Thrush 22nd, 3 6 12 18 | 5 —- . 
song -lhrush 7% 220h; 26 246 21 Ed Ad Rea 26 
Blackbird ee = — 2nd) 16 2i 29 22 
Hedge-sparrow — ard? [EG 20 15 14 12 
Chiffcha ff as ~ — 30th «& 17 16 17 
31st 
Willow Wren.. _ - - 3rd, 21 27 21 
Robin LY ha OLN 23 27 2 30 29 18 
Wien al ween 7 19 2: 30 30 27 
Great Tit os Vee Pa Bea, 10 9 18 $5 2 
Blue Tit A i clo 13 Tt 13 15 16 
Coal “Fit aH — 8th, 3 6 ie 2 5 
Chaffinch ‘'e| 2a 2O th ae 24 25 25 14 
&* 20th, 
Greenfinch r,s - 5th, 19th II 10 Opes 6 
. & 23nd: 
Yellowhammer - erst, aard 16 19 14 13 
& 23rd. 
Com. Bunting 12th rake 5 2 I 
1893. 


July. August. Sept..:| October. Novr. Det. 
Missel Thrush As. 2 rg 

Song Thrush .. 
Blackbird 
Hedge-sparrow 
Chiffcha ff 
Willow Wren. . 
Robin J 
Wren 

Great Tit 

Blue Tit 

Coal Tit 
Chaffinch 
Greenfinch 
Yellowhammer 
Com. Bunting 


~ I 9 


| 
| 
| 


| 
| 
| 


| 
| 
| 


~) 
iS) 


1) 

4 

ae) 
(seg, stds etary" 

= 

Nn 


NO 


WON |] eee eB ITN SES 
ae) 
Jn|jaat nn | 


nN 


1921, CAMPBELL.—The Time of the Singing Birds. 


. BEGINNING AND ENDING OF SONG, 


Missel Thrush 
Song Thrush 
Blackbird 
Hedge-sparrow 
Chiffchaff 
Willow Wren 
Robin. 

Wren 

Great Tit 

Blue Tit 

Coal “Tit 
Chaffinch 
Greenfinch 
Yellowhammer 
Common Bunting 


Missel Thrush 
Song Thrush 


Blackbird 


Hedge-sparrow 
Chiffcha ff 


Willow Wrea 

’ Robin 
Wren 
Great Tit 
Blue Tit 
Coal Tit 
Chaffinch 
Greenfinch 
Yellowhammer 


- Common Bunting ._ 


i rt rr rae Be Se 


Londonderry... 


1894. 


16th January 
Ist January 


17th February ae 
12th February .. 


25th March 
8th April 

Ist January 
2nd January 
17th January 
17th January 
7th February 
2nd February 
Ist April 
14th March 
1st April 


20th May 
22nd July 
25th June 
30th July 
19th July 
15th July 
to December 
to December 
early July 
i4th June 
16th July 
14th June 
roth July 
21st August 
2nd September 


1895. 


1oth January 
4th January 


4th March 


21st February 
6th April 


16th April 

4th January 
4th January 
7th January 
31st January 
31st January 
1st February 
4th March 


-| 25th March: 


2nd April 


——~—-.——_—_—-- - — + 


23rd May. 

22nd July. also in 
December. 

5th, roth & 18th 
July. 

3rd August 

18th July, also 
26th August. 

r2th July 

to December 

to December 

end June 

Ist June 
do. 

16th June - 

21st- July 


- 28th August 


19th August also in 
December. 


el 


77 


78 The Irish Naturalist. July, 


NOP Ess 
GEOLOGY. 


The Adare Meteorite. 


A shower of meteoric stones, the largest of which weighed 65 lbs. (29. 5 
kg.) fell near Adare, Co. Limerick, on September toth, 1813. Two samples 
are in the museum of Trinity College, Dublin (V. Ball, Journ. R. Geol. Soc. 
Iveland, vol. vi., p. 160, 1882), and there is one, weighing 134.9 grammes, 
in the National Museum. Dr. James Apjohn, in 1839, published an 
elaborate account of the material from a chemical point of view (‘‘ Analysis 
of a meteoric stone which fell near Adair, on September toth, 1813,” 
Trans. R. Irish Acad., vol. xvili., p. 17). In addition to the iron and nickel, 
he detected chromium and a little cobalt, and “‘ a trace of oxide of man- 
ganese’’ in the part undissolved in hydrochloric acid. From his final 
results (p. 29) he concluded, acutely enough, that the matrix of the stone 
consisted of a unisilicate, in which one atom of olivine was united with one 
atom of pyroxene. In 1874, Richard Apjohn, M.A., T.c.D., Praelector of 
Chemistry, Caius College, Cambridge, investigated one of the specimens 
in Trinity College, Dublin, in connexion with his researches on the occur- 
rence of vanadium (“‘ On the analysis of a meteoric stone and the detection 
of vanadium in it,” Jouvn. Chem. Soc., New Series, vol. xii., p. 104). He 
seems, curiously enough, to have been unaware of James Apjohn’s publica- 
tion thirty-five years before, though the veteran chemist was still living. 
V. Ball, on the other hand (op. cit., p. 159), ignores Richard Apjohn’s paper. 
R. Apjohn gives the iron to nickel proportion as 85,120 to 14, 275 per cent., 
that is,6:1. He finds 6, 26 per cent. of manganese oxide in the portion of 
the meteorite soluble in hydrochloric acid, and 8 . 84 in the insoluble portion. 
Dr. G. T. Prior, F.R.s. (Min. Mag., vol. xviii., p. 33, 1916), on the basis 
of R. Apjohn’s figures, found the Adare stone to be somewhat anomalous 
among chondrites, (which are the typical stony meteorites with diffused 
blebs of nickel-iron). He was inclined to question the uniform distribution 
in it of so high a percentage (19.07) of nickel-iron, and thought that its 
richness in nickel allied it to his Baroti group. He has now, however (Min. 
Mag., vol. xix., p. 167, 1921), analysed a fragment in the collection of the 
British Museum. He shows that the large percentage of manganese deter- 
mined by R. Apjohn should probably be referred to magnesia. He confirms 
the high percentage of nickel-iron, but raises the proportion of iron to nickel 
from 6to11. These results seem, then, to place the Adare meteorite within 
Prior’s Cronstad group. He gives the mineral composition, from his 
detailed analysis, as bronzite 33.83, olivine 32. 64, nickel-iron (Fe: Ni= 11) 
18,46, felspar (mainly albite) 7.52, troilite 5.60, chromite 0.87, and 
apatite 0.63 per cent. | 

G,, & afi Cons 
Royal College of Science, Dublin. 


1921. Notes. 79 


Spiranthes Romanzoffiana in County Kerry, 


Miss M. C. Knowles, of the National Museum has quite recently shown 
me a specimen of the above Orchid gathered in Kerry by Mr. P. Mac- 
Sweeney on the 30th July, r9i6; it is a welcome and long-expected 
addition to the county flora. In reply to enquiries by the present writer, 
Mr. MacSweeney states that he found the plant growing sparingly in a bog 
near Waterville ; not more than 4 or 5 specimens were seen. 

As the distribution of this North American Spiranthes makes it one of 
the most interesting plants in the British flora, a short note on its present 
known range may be of interest. Jt was first found in 1810 by J. Drum- 
mond in a rushy meadow at Castletown-Berehaven, in Co. Cork, which 
locality remained for over sixty years its only known station in Europe. 
In 1873 and 1874 two mere Co. Cork localities were added, both of these 
peing inland. In 1892 it was discovered in Co. Armagh, and it has sub- 
sequently been recorded from several other northern counties around 
Lough Neagh, occurring in some of these latter stations in great abundance. 
It is still, however, unknown in Europe, outside of Ireland. Elsewhere it 
occurs in British North America, the northern United States and Kamts- 
chatka. 

Whether the southern and northern plants should both be referred to 
Spiranthes Romanzoffiana is open to doubt. The respective plants differ 
in their appearance as well as in their manner of growth. Even allowing 
for the gap of well over 200 miles that separates the Cork and Kerry 
stations from those around Lough Neagh, their changed climatic con- 
ditions do not fully account for the differences secn. It is most desirable 


that a careful examination of fresh plants from both areas should be 
carried out. 


Roe We ScuULEY. 
Dundrum, Co. Dublin. 


Cnicus pratensis in Co. Dublin. 


While exploring Glenasmole for orchids at the end of May, I was sur- 
prised to find quite a large station for the very local Cnicus pratensis, about 
300 yards south of St. Anne’s churchyard, and about the same level. 
The plant is scattered over about an acre of a swampy meadow, in patches 
three or four yards across, and shows bud and blossom in abundance. 
This species appears to have been missing from the Co. Dublin flora since 


1833, and does not seem to have been previously recorded from Mr 
Colgan’s Dist. 7. 


J. P. BRUNKER. 
Dublin. 


80 The Irish Naturalist. July; 


The Mountain Pansy and its Time of Flowering. 


On May 18th Mr. Athole Harrison brought me some fine flowers of 
Viola lutea, which he had noticed in profuse bloom near Brittas a few days 
previously. The locality—a little east of Brittas tramway station—is 
not one of the seven that are noted for the plant in Mr. Colgan’s “ Flora 
of County Dublin,” though falling well within its known ambit in the 
southern part of Districts 6 and 7; and it seems probable that further 
research at the right time of the year might reveal the existence of a 
considerable number of additional stations. J remember many years ago 
seeing a single plant of this species on Kilmashogue Mountain, in Mr. 
Colgan’s District 8, but this may have been from an accidentally dropped 
seed. 

On looking up the plant’s distribution, both Mr. Harrison and myself 
were rather taken aback at finding its season of flowering set down as June 
and July. Babington’s Manual (latest edition), both editions of ““ Cybele 
Hibernica,’’ and the “ Flora of County Dublin,” are unanimous on this 
point. Bentham and Hooker’s “‘ Handbook” escapes the subject by 
treating the species as a mere variety of Viola tvicoloy. As Mr. Harrison’s 
plants were in full and copious bloom by the middle of May, I thought it 
best to take the blossoms to Mr. Praeger for inspection before feeling sure 
that our identification was correct. Mr. Praeger, however, not only 
confirms the species, but seems to regard May as quite a tisual month for 
finding it in flower. If so, the leading text-books want a little correction 
ou this important subject, and it is one that Dublin botanists have special 
opportunities for elucidating. Not only the time of coming into flower, 
but the length of continuance of the flowering season, should be carefully 
noted for several years. So beautiful a plant will well repay closer study 
than it seems yet to have received. 

C. B. Morrat. 
Dublin. 


Antrim Plants. 


In the course of a few days spent at Carnlough, at the end of May, a few 
interesting plants were seen, in spite of the early date and late spring. 
Sanguisorba officinalis was seen in what is evidently close to Adams’ 
station (/.N., 1899, 57) “‘ very abundantly in a meadow at Ardclinis, 
about a mile north of Carnlough,’’ namely, rough banks by the coast road 
at Bottle Point, extending for about a quarter of a mile, growing among 
gorse. Galium sylvestre was found in Cushenill Glen (where Meconopsis 
cambrica is still abundant), and also (with Planiago maritima) at 800 feet 
on the cliffs above the larch plantation south-east of Callisnagh Bridge in 
Glenariff, where a pair of Peregrines were breeding ; by the old mineral 
railway at the same place Equisetum umbrosum grew. - A good clump of 
Parsley Fern was seen at the base of a dry-built wall at 900 feet by the 


1921. ‘ Noles. 81 


Pollan Burn, with a tuft of Beech Fern within a foot of it. On the top of 
the plateau conditions were still very wintry,, but Carex ivrigua was seen 
in its station near Cranny Lough, only about two inches high but already 
past flowering. C. paucifora, on the other hand, showed as yet no trace 
of flower, but could be distinguished by its very slender yellowish filiform 
leaves, two or three ona stem. With them at Cranny Lough a single fine 
plant of Listera cordata was already in full flower, growing in soaking 
Sphagnum. Lobelia Dovimanna and Isoetes lacustris are still abundant in 
Craigfad Lough. Crepis biennis is very common; and Ophioglossum 
vulgatum frequent, about’ Carnlough. 


R. Litoyvyp PRAEGER. 
Dubhn. 


Mosses and Hepatics of Sligo and Leitrim. 


The Musci and Hepaticae enumerated below may be of interest. 
New v.c. records are indicated by anasterisk. Swarizia montana Lindb.— 
Knocknarea, v.c. 28, 1920. *Campylopus subulatus Schp.—Knocknarea, 
v.c. 28, 1920. Wetssia verticillata Brid. (Mollia verticillata (L.) Ldbg).— 
Wet shaley rocks, Cregg Connell, v.c. 28, 1920. Tvichostomum mutabile 
Bruch. (Mollia bvachydontia (Bruch) Ldbg. Wall.—Lakeside, Lough 
Gill, v.c. 28, 1920. Philonotis calcarvea Schp.—Knocknarea, v.c. 28, 1920. 
*Mnium vostvatum Schrd.—Dunes, Resses Point, v.c. 28, 1020. 
Pierygophyllum lucens Brid.—Ben Bulben and Knocknarea Glen, v.c. 28, 
1920. ._Abhain Buidhe near Kilmoney Abbey, v.c. 4, 1919. Brachvthecium 
salebrosum B. and S. (Hypnum plumosum Huds.) v.* palustve Schp.).— 
Abhain Buidhe near Kilmoney Abbey, v.c. 4, 1919. *Eurynchium 
Teesdalei Milde. (Hypnum Teesdalet Sm.).—Knocknarea, v.c. 28, 1920. 
Plagiothecitum elegans Schp. (lsopterygium elegans (Hook) Ldbg.).— 
Abhain Buidhe, Ballygarvan, v.c. 4, 1919. Hypnum commutatum Hedw. 
(Amblystegium glaucum (Lam) Ldbg.).—Cregg Connell, v.c. 28, 1920. 
Webera carnea Schp, (Pohlia carnea (L.) Ldbg.).—Under overhanging 
gravel, near Crosshaven, v.c. 4, 1919. Reboulia hemisphaerica (L.) 
Raddi.—Lahanagh and Drumceliffe Strand, v.c. 28, 1920. Aneura 
pinguis (L.) Dum.—Knocknarea, v.c. 28, 1920. Metzgeria furcata (L.) 
Dum.—Peat bog, Tormore, v.c. 28, 1920. Plagiochila asplenioides (L.) 
Dum.—Doonally, v.c. 28, 1920. Var. major, Nees.—Near Lough Gill, 
Wc. 25,2920; 


WILLIAM A. LEE. 
Rock Ferry, Cheshire, 


82 The Irish Naturalist, cee 


ZOOLOGY. 


Records of Irish Birds. 


, 


In his ‘“‘ Notes on some Irish Birds ”’ in the May number of the Jrish 
Naturalist (p. 64 supra), Mr. A. Harrison says that “‘ Ravens are very rarely 
observed in the Co. Wicklow.’’ That is not my experience; they are 
frequently seen about the Upper Lake, Glendalough, where they build ; 
also at Lough Nahanagan, close to Glendalough. 


Wm. H. HINDE. 
Selston, Greystones. 


In the May issue of the Ivish Naturalist Mr. A. Harrison’s “ Notes 
on some Irish Birds’ are, in my opinion, open to doubt. He evidently 
saw 100 Sanderling or Knots on the North Bull on March 13th. Phalaropes, 
when they do visit us, usually arrive singly or in pairs. The Yellow 
Wagtail I have never seen near a town or street, it is always in the open 
country. On such a date, Feb. 2oth, it could not be anything but a Grey 
Wagtail, a species which is quite common in the city. Ravens, instead of 
being ‘‘ rarely ’’ seen in Wicklow, breed there regularly, and have done so 
for years, at Luggala, Glendalough and Powerscourt. With regard to 
Mr. G. C. May’s record of Serins in Queen’s Co., no date is given when the 
two pairs were seen. In all probability Lord Castletown saw two pairs 
of Siskins, which closely resemble the very rare Serin. 


W. J. WILLIAMS. 
Rathgar, Dublin. 


Lesser Whitethroat in Co. Dublin. 


I send the following description of a bird which I saw here this morning, 
and heard singing several times since June Ist. I have identified it as the 
Lesser Whitethroat, but I would like an opinion following on my descrip- 
tion, which is as follows :— 

Length, about 5 or 5}inches. Upper parts dull brown ; breast greayish ; 
throat white or nearly so; head brown, with darker brown or black 
round the lores; legs and feet appear greenish grey. a 

Habits and behaviour.—Heard singing in garden shrubs bordering a 
grass walk near the Club. Shy of observation ; flight rather feeble, and 
with very marked wing “ beats ’’; occasionally took a short flight, in a 
manner resembling a Lark, but only for a few feet up, and then returned 
to the branch of a small birch tree ; this was done twice, the bird singing 
all the time, which it did with energy, and the feathers of the head erected, 


1921. Notes. 83 


so as to almost forma crest. Sat very closely, but always contrived to be 
more or less hidden from the observer, and when approached more closely 
took wing to another shrub or small tree. Song a repetition of warbling 
notes, distinct, rather rapid, but not as strong as that of the Blackcap. 
Alarm note not heard. | Only one bird seen. 


HELEN M. Rait KERR. 
Carrickmines, Co. Dublin. 


The description given accords very closely with that of the Lesser 
Whitethroat, except as regards the legs, which in that species are distinctly 
bluish-grey. The habit of continuing its song during an occasional short 
upward flight has also been noted of this species by Mr. T. A. Coward 
(“‘ Birds of the British Islands,”’ vol. i., p. 159). The Lesser Whitethroat 
is as yet only known as a rare straggler to Ireland, and it would be very 
satisfactory to be able to add it definitely to our list of the birds breeding in 
this country. 


C. B. Morrart, 
Dublin. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


May 4.—EXCURSION TO THE GOBBINS.—Upwards of fifty members 
visited the Gobbins, a neighbourhood always popular with the Club. At 
a spot halfway to the Gobbins Head the Conductor (Dr. A. R. Dwerry- 
house) gathered the party together and gave an interesting description of 
the principal geological points of the locality. Fortunately the tide was 
low, and the members were thus able to trace the Liassic beds (covered 
at high water), then the Greensand, Chloritic Chalk passing into true 
Chalk, capped in its turn by basalts, the latter covered by boulder clay. 
Several characteristic fossils having been obtained, the party moved on to 
the Gobbins Head, a natural feature which gives such a good example of 
the flow structure of the basalts. 

Rev. W. R. Megaw pointed out Carex divulsa growing by a roadside in 
considerable quantity—-an addition to the Antrim flora. 

At the business meeting held during the excursion eleven new members 
were elected, this bringing up the total new members elected since the 
session opened to eighty, a number testifying to the continued healthy 
growth of the Club. 

May 21.—ExXcURSION TO BELVOIR PaRK.—Upwards of 70 members 
assembled at the Ormeau Road tram terminus at three o’clock for the 
purpose of exploring Belvoir Park, permission to visit which having been 
very kindly granted by the Right Hon. Sir James Johnston, P.C., J.P. 
The park has always been a happy hunting ground for the Club botanists, 


Cae 


84 The Irish Naturalist. July, 1921. 


and on this occasion it is pleasant to record that all the plants which were 
known to grow in the demesne were found in flourishing condition. 
Amongst them may be noted the Water Bitter Cress and the Greater Pond 
Sedge. Two specimens of the Bird’s-nest Orchid were found, and the 
Adder’s-tongue was seen in profusion. The members greatly admired the 
profuse display of bloom in the rock and water garden. 

Tea was served at five o’clock, after which the election of new members 
was proceeded with. 

JUNE 18.—ExcuRSION TO ARDGLASS.—The members visited Ardglass © 
and neighbourhood, the route followed first leading round Phennick Point 
to St. Patrick’s Well. On the way the geologists noted many fine examples 
ot vertically-tilted strata of Silurian grits, the rocks running 1n some places 
well out to sea, their razor-back edges giving a picture of the terrible 
nature of this part of the Down coast in times of storm. An interesting 
cave was also observed, the roof tormed of calcreted glacial gravel, resting 
on very much inclined beds of grit. A halt was made at Ardtole Church. 
Here the conductor (S. A. Bennett, B.A., B.Sc.) gave an interesting 
account of the history of the structure and also of its restoration and 
repair, a work largely due to the initiative and energy of Mr. F. J. Bigger. 
Here the party was joined by Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Green, who very kindly 
placed their car at the disposal of the members, taking them in relays 
to Castle Shane, where Mr. Bigger had very hospitably prepared tea for 
the party, an attention greatly appreciated. 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


June 18.—AnNuAL Excursion.—By invitation of the Honorary 
Secretary, Sir Frederick Moore, the members visited the Royal Botanic 
Gardens. A party of twenty made their way to Glasnevin, where they 
were conducted round the various plant-houses and nurseries. The rich 
and well-kept collections of ferns, palms, orchids and other plants were 
examined with interest and pleasure. After their walk around the 
Gardens the members were hospitably entertained to tea by Lady Moore. 


NEWS GLEANINGS. 


Zoology in Dublin University. 


Following on the resignation of Professor H. W. Mackintosh, who has 
occupied the chair of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy in Trinity 
College since 1878, the University Council has appointed to the vacant 
professorship Dr._J. B. Gatenby of Magdalen College, Oxford and Uni- 
versity College, London, Dr. Gatenby is well-known to zoologists for a 
valuable series of memoirs on cell-structure, in which he has studied with 
minute care the nature and origin of the extra-nuclear inclusions in the 
germ-cells of animals of various groups. His advent to Dublin will be 
heartily welcomed by biological workers whether within or outside Trinity 
College. 


2 
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CONTENTS. 
. PAGE 
The Meteorite of Crumlin, Co. Antrim, 76025 PRE = 
GRENVILLE Ais Pf: COLE, FR.Stt eas ae ares 
The Time of the Singing of Birds——D. C. CAMPBELL 4. 


a8 te 


ea 
or 


NotEs : af ) rae 9x. 
The Adare Meteunite rom: G. A. J. CoLt, F.R.s. sm ark gitiing oe ‘ 
Spiranthes Romanzoffiana in Co, Kerry—R. W. ScULLY, RS... 99 


Cnicus pratensis in Co.:Dublin—J. P. BrunKER i 
The Mountain Pansy and its Time of Flowering—C. B. Morrat 


On 
Oo 0 
ra se were gvibae FY satiog 


Antrim Plants—R. LL. PRAEGER be: 80 
Mosses and Hepatics of Sligo and Leitrim—W. oR: LEE .. 3 81 
Records of:Irish Birds—W. H. HinpE; W. J. Witt1ams x 32 Se 
Lesser Whitethroat in Co. Dublin—Mrs Rar Kerr; C. B. oe 
MOFFAT 3 “3 a oa ane ee 82° Se 
‘IRISH SOCIETIES : eo 
Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club ae a: fins “a 83 
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August, 1921. The Irish Naturalist. 85 


THE POST-GLACIAL CLIMATIC OPTIMUM IN 
IRELAND. 


BY J. DE W. HINCH. 


WHEN it was decided to arrange the paleontological col- 
lections of the Geological Survey of Ireland on more modern 
museum lines, the Estuarine Clays of the north-east of: 
Ireland were among the first sections to be dealt with. Apart 
from the decision to give them a more definite representation 
in the succession of the geological deposits of Ireland, a 
representation to which they are undoubtedly entitled in 
the opinion of every geologist who has seriously studied 
them, it was thought desirable to bring out as clearly as 
possible the fact that the present distribution of the marine 
mollusca contained in the clays, points to a warmer climate 
at the time of their formation, than that existing in the same 
locality at the present day. The present paper is a pre- 
liminary and tentative effort in this direction. 

The shells from the Estuarine Clays have long been 
famous among conchologists on account of the very perfect 
condition in which they are found ; the material in which 
they are buried, a fine tenacious clay, having preserved the 
colour, glaze and sculpturing to such an extent that it is 
often almost impossible to distinguish many of the Estuarine 
Clay fossils from modern specimens collected on the sea- 
shore. These Estuarine Clays have been studied from time 
to time by conchologists, among others by Grainger, Thomp- 
son, Hyndman and Stewart, and more especially by Stewart, 
but the most definite contribution made regarding their 
geological importance occurs in two papers, written in 1892! 
and 1896? by R. LI. Praeger, better known to the scientific 
world as a botanist, the author of “ Irish Topographical 
Botany ’’ than as a geologist. 


1R. Ll. Praeger: The Estuarine Clays of N.E. of Ireland, Proc. Roy. 
Trish Acad., Series 3, vol. li, 1891-3. 

2R. Ll. Praeger: The Raised Beaches of N.E. of Ireland, with special 
reference to their fauna, Proc. Roy. Ivish Acad., Ser. 3, vol]. iv, 18c6-8. 


A 


86 The Ivish Naturalist. | Ale 


In these communications the writer brings out clearly, 
that the Estuarine Clays overlie in many places a bed of 
compressed peat which varies from one to two feet in thick- 
ness, that the present day distribution of many of the 
mollusca found in the Estuarine Clays indicates a warmer 
sea than that which surrounds the north-eastern coast of 
Ireland at the present day, and that in the Raised Beaches, 
which may be regarded as contemporaneous with the later 
series of the Estuarine Clays, occur large numbers of worked 
flints of undoubted human origin. This deduction of a 
warmer sea drawn from the presence of southern mollusca 
in these beds is the more striking as the writer was not 
acquainted with Scandinavian work and opinion on the 
subject, and indeed most of the more detailed investigations 
on the Climatic Optimum were undertaken after the dates 
of publication of the papers quoted. 


During the publication of these results the author 
ceased to reside in Ulster and later became specialized in 
botany and undertook no further research into their contents; 
and as the opportunities for the study of the deposits are 
practically dependent on the examination of the excavations » 
made for docks, harbour-works, bridges, etc., very. little 
work has since been done in connection with them.. In 
1900 a list of the marine mollusca of Ireland was published 
by A. R. Nichols and from their present day distribution 
it was possible to draw certain further conclusions regarding 
the greater warmth, as compared with the present day, of 
the climate of the Estuarine Clay period. When the Execu- 
tive Committee of the Geological Congress in 1gr0 published 
“Die Veranderungen des Klimas, seit dem Maximum der 
letzten Eiszeit’’ no mention was made of these notable 
contributions, which must be considered a most unfortunate 
oversight. | 


This large volume, which was prepared for the Eleventh 
International Geological Congress held at Stockholm in rgIo, 


1A. R. Nichols: A list of the Marine Mollusca of Ireland, Proc. Roy. 
jvish Acad., Series 3, vol. v, 1898-1900, ' 


1921. HincH—Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland. 87 


contains the results of the studies of European and American 
botanists and geologists on the post-Glacial fluctuations of 
climate, and the evidence derived from many divisions of 
the animal and plant world is there collected and discussed. 
In the British contribution on the subject the attitude is 
taken up that the evidence of fluctuation of climate since 
the close of the Ice Age is so confused and unequal in quality 
that an explanation may be found in local changes of 
physiography, and the effect of the strength and directions 
of the prevailing winds, rather than in a great secular © 
change effecting considerable areas of the world, and that 
on the whole the post-Glacial deposits have been accumulated 
during a progressing improvement of climate. The only 
works mentioned in the British contribution are those of 
James Geikie and F. J. Lewis on the forest-beds in Scotland 
and northern England, and as there appears to be consider- 
able difference of opinion as to the value to be assigned to 
this particular type of evidence, it is a very great pity that 
the marine mollusca of the Estuarine Clays of the north- 
east of Ireland were not also mentioned, and the reasonable 
deductions from the then more northern distribution of 
many southern species, of a post-Glacial improvement of 
climate, discussed. It will be desirable now to give in a 
very general way the results collected by the Executive 
Committee of the Eleventh Geological Congress regarding 
the post-Glacial rise in temperature, or, to use the more 
official phrase, the post-Glacial Climatic Optimum. 

In this work the most important investigations and 
contributions have been made by Scandinavian scientific 
men, and the predominent position occupied by the geolo- 
gists and botanists of Norway and Sweden, and to a lesser 
extent by those of Denmark, in the study of these post- 
Glacial phenomena is easily explained by a consideration 
of the geological formation of these countries. In Norway 
and Sweden especially, the attention of scientific students 
can only be directed to two considerable geological epochs-— 
the ancient floor formed of Archean and very early Palaeozoic 
rocks, and the over-lying cover of the Pleistocene series, 
consisting of boulder-clays, glacial sands, gravels, and silts, 


A 2 


88 The Irish Naturaltst. August, 


and the post-Glacial peat bogs, lake deposits, marginal 
marine muds, and the raised beaches. The intensive 
study of these very late formations has been carried on in 
Scandinavia in recent years with the result that as regards 
these beds we are now in a position to formulate a fairly 
reasonable scheme showing the succession of events since 
the decay of the great European glaciers of the Ice Age. 

A definition of the change of climate included in the 
phrase ‘“‘ post-Glacial climatic optimum ”’ is desirable and 
we cannot do better than to accept the one brought forward 
by Gunnar Andersson, the leading Swedish authority on 
the subject. His definition is as follows :—“At the end of 
the late-Glacial period, the warmth increased for a long 
stretch, so that the temperature of Scandinavia became 
not only as favourable as now, but even considerably 
warmer; following on that maximum, the temperature 
sank again.’’ It will be seen from this definition that we 
are dealing. with one of the later phases of the post-Glacial 
period and our attention will be mainly directed to the middle 
and later stages of the Ancylus period, and the early and 
middle stages of the Littorina period. 

The post-Glacial geological history of Scandinavia may 
be divided into three main periods and to these periods 
approximate geographical outlines and climates have been 
ascribed, and while much remains to be investigated in the 
geographical and climatic conditions of these periods, the 
following general statement may be taken as a sufficient 
account of the subject for our present purpose.? 

The decay of the latest ice-sheet found the Scandinavian 
peninsula isolated from the rest of Europe by a sea which 
stretched across the lower levels of Norway, Sweden, and 
Russia from the Atlantic Ocean to the White Sea. In 
the stratified marine deposits of this sea-shells of an arctic 
type have been found in abundance, and from its most 
characteristic mollusc, Portlandia (= Yoldia) arctica, it has 


ce 


1Gunnar Andersson: Swedish climate in the late-quaternary period, 
see pp. 247-300, Die Veraénderengen des Klimas, roto. 


“W. P. Wright: The Quaternary Ice Age. London, IQI4. | 


1921. HincH—Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland. 8g 


been named the Yoldia Sea. As regards climate all the 
evidence points to arctic conditions, and the presence of much 
floating ice. 

Towards the end of this Yoldia period a considerable 
elevation of western Europe set in and portion of the Yoldia 
Sea was converted into a great fresh-water lake, inhabited 
by animals and plants requiring a much greater degree of 
warmth than those which had existed in the preceding 
Yoldia period, and among which is the small fresh-water 
mollusc Ancylus fluviatilis, from which the name Ancylus 
Lake is derived. The elevatory movement which converted 
the Yoldia Sea into Lake Ancylus is considered to have been 
very extensive and to have effected the area of the British 
Isles, and probably the coast-line of Europe existed some- 
where near the present roo-fathom line. The climate of 
the period is regarded as a dry, fairly warm, continental or 
mainland one during which the Fir was the dominant forest 
tree and during the later part of which the Oak also was 
found. | 

At the end of the Ancylus period a considerable depression 
took place and when the Belt and the Sounds had been 
submerged the fresh-water Ancylus area was flooded by the 
warm and salt water of the Atlantic Ocean. The climate 
of this Littorina period, as it is called from its most charac- 
teristic mollusc in the Baltic, is considered to have been a 
warm damp insular one, with forests of Gak in which the 
Beech was already making its appearance. 

The Climatic Optimum may be considered to have 
occurred in this period, during the later stages of the Ancylus 
Age and the earlier stages of the Littorina Age, and it is not 
easy from the nature of the case to set definite limits to 
either its commencement or its ending. The land was then 
occupied to its fullest extent by the animal and plant life 
now found fossil in the peat-mosses and in the lacustrine 
deposits, while in the sea the marine fauna flourished in 
immense numbers and exuberant size. We may consider 
that the maximum was reached when the Hazel had reached 
its most northerly fossil boundary, and was not making any 
further progress as a fruit-producing tree. After a shorter or 


go The Ivish Naturalist. August, 


longer stationary period a retreat commenced and the 
plants and animals began to assume their present distri- 
bution. | 

Some of the more important evidence regarding the 
immigration of southern animals and plants into Scan- 
dinavia during the Climatic Optimum may be now referred 
to. The peat-bogs and mosses of those lands, with their 
abundant fossil remains of trees, herbs, and animals have 
long been known as important recent geological deposits 
and investigations into their fossil contents show definite 
changes of type as we leave the arctic conditions of the Ice 
Age and approach “he present day. 

The high-arctic egetation of the Yoldia Clays, charac- 
terized by Dryas octopetala and Salix polaris, gradually 
disappeared and was replaced in certain localities by a 
sub-arctic flora with Betula odorata and Juniperus com- 
munis. After the ice-sheet had melted, the temperature 
is considered to have risen rapidly and the plant life having 
responded to the rise, the flora of the wood-meadows soon 
replaced the arctic and sub-arctic vegetation. Then came 
the Birch, Poplar and Fir, the latter becoming the dominant 
forest tree until the Littorina period, when it began to be 
replaced by the Oak. This Oak period is considered to 
coincide in general with the Littorina period and the fact 
that most of the charcoal found in the kitchen-middens was 
derived from the Oak enables us to date its maximum 
distribution at about the time of the Neolithic period. It 
should be understood that this succession of forest types, 
Birch, Fir, Oak and Beech is not now considered as important 
and accurate as a time index as in the earlier studies of the 
peat-bogs and mosses of Scandinavia, and that while the 
general succession of Birch, Pine, Oak and Beech in post- 
Glacial time is a well proved fact, their use as definite 
evidence of a precise point in post-Glacial time is now 
regarded as somewhat obsolete. Among the trees and 
shrubs certain species have been selected for detailed 
investigation, two of which may be referred to. 

The most striking case is that of the Hazel (Corylus 
Avellana) concerning the post-Glacial distribution of which 


1921. HINncH—Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland, 91 


Gunnar Andersson has dealth with in a detailed monograph. 
This tree has been found in a fossil condition in 275 localities 
north of its carefully determined actual northern boundary at 
the present time, and it is estimated that it has been forced 
out of a territory of over 84,000 square kilometres since the 
time of its widest distribution during the Climatic Optimum. 
A very careful examination of occurrence of the Hazel in 
relation to the present climate, has led to the conclusions 
that the period of vegetation during the time of its widest 
distribution was 2.4° C. warmer than the present day, and 
that in the Climatic Optimum the autumn was warmer and 
longer than is the case now. With the Hazel may be placed 
a number of trees and shrubs which have been likewise 
pressed back from the northern limit they once reached, 
and among these may be mentioned the Oak (the charac- 
teristic forest tree of the Littorina period), the Linden, the 
Elm and the Beam-tree, while a very large number of 
southern species of trees and shrubs now only occur in 
specially warm and favourable localities; in fact we 
must regard them generally as relics of a bygone warmer 
period. 

Among the plants of this warmer time may be mentioned 
the Water-nut (Zvapa natans) a plant which belongs to the 
flora of the south of Europe and already rather rare in north 
Germany. The easily recognised nuts of this plant have 
been found fossil in Sweden in the peat-bogs as far north as 
the valley of the Malaren, and it has been found fossil also 
in many places in Denmark, West Prussia, Sweden and 
Finland. In the Swedish flora the Water-nut has only one 
relic station, in Lake Immeln in north-east Skane. As 
in the case of the trees and shrubs there are a large number 
of plants which only occur in warm and sheltered localities 
and must be considered as relics of a once wider distribution 
of the species. 

- In addition to the forest trees, shrubs and herbs, a number 
of animals—mammals, insects, fresh-water and land mollusca, 
also immigrated into Scandinavia during the Climatic 
Optimum, the most striking instance being the land tortoise 
Emys lutaria, at the present day confined to central and 


92 The Irish Naturalist. August, 


southern Europe, but found fossil in the post-Glacial 
deposits of Denmark and Sweden. 

From a general review of the evidence of the fossil ee 
and marine plants and animals, we can see that in Scandi- 
navia, in post-Glacial time, there is proof of a warmer 
period, during which the period of vegetation was much 
longer than sala and during which the mean temperature 
was about 2.5° C. ‘higher. 

As to the Bese time of occurrence in the post-Glacial 
period of the Climatic Optimum there are some differences 
of opinion among Scandinavian students on the subject, 
and to determine the time exactly is a matter of considerable 
difficulty, for while there is a general agreement that it 
occurred during the period which would include the late 
Ancylus stage and the early or middle Littorina stage, 
Gunnar Andersson is inclined to place it definitely in the 
late Ancylus stage, while Sernander leans to the Littorina 
stage. Since, however, Gunnar Andersson admits that the 
exact date of the flooding of the Ancylus Lake by the warm 
and salt Atlantic waters is extremely difficult to fix, and that 
the Climatic Optimum of very late Ancylus Age may reason- 
ably have extended into the Littorina Age, this difference 
of opinion need not be considered of essential importance, 
and its main interest for Irish students of post-Glacial 
fluctuations of climate is that in Scandinavian lands the 
Climate Optimum took place in late Ancylus-early Littorina 
times. As the evidence from the Estuarine Clays of north- 
east Ireland is almost wholly drawn from a fossil, alluvial 
marine molluscan fauna, it will be necessary to glance more 
closely at the western Scandinavian deposits of the Littorina 
Sea. The name Littorina as applied to the marine depres- 
sion which succeeded the Ancylus Lake is not wholly satis- 
factory, for while the expressions “‘ Littorina strata ’’ and 
“ Littorina period’ may be usefully applied to the Baltic 
region, these names are not equally satisfactory for the 
marine alluvial deposits of Denmark, west Sweden 
and Norway, characterized by the presence of the 
southerly warmth loving genera Tapes, Dosinia (Venus) 
and Ostrea. 3 


1921. HrincH —Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland. 93 


These western Scandinavian marine deposits of the 
Littorina Sea have been named Tapes beds and divided in 
two groups. The Older Tapes strata are characterized by 
the presence of Tapes decussatus and T. aureus, Ostrea edulis, 
and other species, and are considered to coincide with the 
period of maximum depression of the land, and also to 
coincide with the greatest temperature reached in post-Glacial 
times, the climate during this period being a temperate 
maritime one with the Oak as the predominent forest tree. 
The Younger Tapes strata (the Dosinia beds) have Dosinia 
(Venus) exoleta, [apes edulis (= Tapes virgineus of Jeffreys), 
Lutrania elliptica and Psammobia vespertina as characteristic 
mollusca and a climate not quite so warm as in the Older 
Tapes period, and with the Beech becoming predominent 
in the woodlands. 

As regards the position of the Tapes beds in the human 
history of Europe we can say that the Tapes fauna has been 
found in the kitchen-middens, a fact which would indicate 
the general contemporaneity of the Tapes fauna and 
Neolithic man, while the Younger Tapes or Dosinia beds 
are considered to have accumulated in the Bronze Age. 
Another point of interest, and one to which we will return 
when we come to deal with the Estuarine Clays of Ireland 
is the great exuberance of the fossil mollusca of the Tapes 
beds ; every writer on the subject pointing out the great 
abundance and large size of the shells, and this exuberance 
of life in the Tapes periodis the more remarkable when we 
remember that Tapes decussatus, Tapes aureus, Dosinia 
-exoleta, Tapes edulis, Lutrania elliptica and Psammobia 
vespertina have since disappeared from Denmark, while the 
Oyster, one of the most noted of the Tapes fauna for its 
great size and immense numbers, is now very restricted 
in its distribution around the Danish coast. 

The latest marine deposits to be recognised in Scandi- 
navia are the Mya beds, in which Mya arenana is the domi- 
nant species, with the genus Tapes only represented by 
Tapes pullastra. The climate was a temperate insular one, 
with the Beech as the most important woodland tree, and 


94 The Irish Naturalist. | August, 


the archeological date of the We deposits may be regarded 
as occurring in the Iron Age.' 

The general succession of the post- -Glacial deposits in 
north-east of Ireland may be described in descending order 
as follows :— 

Mya beds, 

Raised Beaches a 
Thracia (Later) EstuarineClays f 
Scrobicularia (Older) Estuarine Clay, 

Submerged Peat, 

Glacial and late-Glacial sands, gravels and clay, 
Boulder-clays. 

The Boulder-clay and the late-Glacial deposits call for 
no special comment here. The Submerged Peat is much 
compressed, and is full of trunks and boughs of Willow, 
Hazel, Alder and Pine, and contains also the remains of 
the Wild Boar and Red Deer, and all the evidence points 
to the vegetation which forms the peat having lived on 
the spot where it is now found. 3 

The Scrobicularia (Older) Estuarine Clay is a somewhat 
sandy littoral clay, characterized by the roots and leaves 
of the Grass-wrack (Zostera marina) and containing immense 
numbers of those mollusca which live between tide-marks. 
Among these may be mentioned Mytilus edulis, Cardium 
edule, Tapes decussatus, Tellina balthica, Scrobicularia 
piperata, Hydrobia ulvae. 

The Thracia (Later) Estuarine Clay is a fine fencer 
deposit characterized by such Mollusca belonging to the 
Laminarian or Coralline zone, as Montacuta bidentata, 
Cardium echinatum, Lucinopsis undata, Scrobicularia alba, 
Thracia convexa, Turritella terebra. 

The Raised Beaches areconsideredto be contemporaneous 
with the Thracia or later Estuarine Clay, and in many cases 
should be regarded as portions of the sea bed which have 
been deposited on the surface of the Scrobicularia (Older) 
Estuarine Clays. 


Contemporaneous 


'V. Nordmann: Post-glacial climatic changes in Denmark, see. pp.313- 
328, Die Veranderungen des Klimas, IgIo. 

V. Nordmann: On remains of Reindeer and Beaver . . (sia 
Denmark, Danmarks geologiske Undersgelse II. Rackke, Nr. 28, 191 . 


1921. HincH—Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland. 95 


In certain localities the most recent deposit is a blackish 
clay, with sandy layers characterized by the presence of 
Mya arenaria in beds of thousands. 

As this paper is only a tentative effort to elucidate the 
Climatic Optimum in Ireland, it is not proposed to deal with 
every available instance in which the present distribution 
of the mollusca of the Estuarine Clays does not coincide 
with that of late post-Glacial time. Much still remains 
to be done in the standardisation of present-day distribution, 
and it is felt that a general statement is all that is desirable 
now. The method which has been adopted was to exclude 
all species which have been classed as rare or rather rare in 
either the Scrobicularia or Thracia Clays, and only to deal 
with those which can safely be classed as frequent, abundant 
or in profusion in these late post-Glacial deposits. In this 
way we get rid of species based on the occurrence of one or 
a few specimens, and the mention of which might give an 
erroneous impression regarding the broad general movement 
of animal life since that time. Where there is any doubt 
as to the deposit from which a species has come that par- 
ticular species has also been excluded. As a result we find 
that in the Scrobicularia Clay there were present in abund- 
ance or in profusion the following five species, Tapes decus- 
satus, Scrobicularia prperata, Solen vagina, Rissoa albella, 
Jeffreysia opalina, and in the Thracia Clay the following 
eight species, Lima hians, Montacuia bidentata, Axinus 
flexuosus, Lucinopsis undata, Solen vagina, Thracia convexa, 
Odostomia minuta, Nassa pygmea. 

Now a comparison of the present-day habitat of these 
twelve species, which occur in the Estuarine Clays in abund- 
ance or in profusion, shows that a great general change of 
distribution has taken place since late post-Glacial time. A 
number of these species are now practically extinct in the 
older headquarters in the north-east of Ireland, being 
represented there at present-day only by occasional living 
specimens, by single valves, or as the result of dredging in 
considerable depths. The inclusion in present-day distri- 
bution of specimens obtained from the Turbot Bank, which 
is probably a fossil shell deposit, has tended to obscure 


96 The Irish Naturalist. August 


the general withdrawal to the south of the species named, 
but we are now dealing certainly with the partial collapse 
of a fauna, and the disappearance from a old habitat of 
many of its most abundant elements, as the result of a 
change of climate. It has to be borne in mind that the 
above list of species does not include any of the most striking 
instances of withdrawal to the south, such as Gastrochaena 
dubia, with its present distribution in Ireland limited between 
Tramore in Waterford and Roundstone in Connemara; it 
is a list of animals, which having flourished in immense 
numbers and exuberance of form in the late post-Glacial 
seas of north-east Ireland are now represented there only by 
a depauperated and sparsely distributed remnant. Among 
the species still inhabiting north-eastern waters, but dis- 
tinguished for their great size and immense numbers-.in the 
Estuarine Clays the examples of the Oyster and of Turritella 
terebva may be recalled. What change_of distribution took 
place as regards the fauna of the Raised Beaches is a much 
more difficult one as we have not the quantitative evidence 
available from the Estuarine Clays to build upon, but here 
also a number of instances are known which support the view 
of a considerable withdrawal of marine animal life to the 
southward since late post-Glacial time. It is not proposed, 
at present, to institute a comparison between the late post- 
Glacial deposits of Scandinavia and those of Ireland, but 
the general agreement is obvious, and while we cannot say 
whether the Estuarine Clay beds were laid down at the time 
of the Climatic Optimum, or at some later period, we are at 
least justified in saying that the abundant occurrence of 
the southern mollusca in these beds may be accepted as 
proof of a considerable improvement of climate since the 
Glacial Period, an improvement which has not been main- 
tained, judging bythe present-day more southern distribution 
of many marine animal forms. 


Geological Survey Office, Dublin. 


1g2t. Notes. 97 


NOTES. 
ZOOLOGY. 


The Wood White Butterfly in Co. Dublin. 


When spending the day in Glenasmole on 2nd June last with Mr. 
G. E. C. Maconchy, I suggested we should keep a sharp look-out for the 
Wood White (Leucophasia sinapis) as it had in recent years been taken in 
Co. Wicklow. Scarcely had I uttered the words when Mr. Maconchy 
drew my attention to a small white butterfly fluttering feebly in front of 
us along the path. This upon capture proved to be a Wood White: it 
was taken near the N.E. corner of the upper reservoir. On the roth June 
I captured another perfect specimen at the foot of Glenasmole (Boherna- 
breena), while on the 25th of same month Mr. Praeger and I obtained 
a much worn example along the eastern shore of the upper reservoir, not 
far from the ruined church, and later in the day captured one and saw 
several in the little glen below Ballynascorney gap, above Bohernabreena. 

It would appear probable, therefore, that the Wood White is common 
in this district, though an addition to the Co. Dublin fauna. Mr. Halbert 
informs me that the species is supposed to have been extending its area of 
distribution in Ireland in recent years and it may possibly be a newcomer 
to Glenasmole. It may at once be distinguished from the other Whites 
by its small size, weak flight, the black apex of the forewings, together 
with the absence of spots on the wings. It appears in May and June. 


A. W. STELFOX. 
National Museum, Dublin. 


Behaviour of a Fritillary. 


On July 8, on a grassy hilltop near Hilltown, Co. Down, the curious 
behaviour of a Fritillary, which I believe to have been a Silver-washed, 
Argynnis paphia (of which I saw many in the district), attracted attention. 
It had a regular beat up and down a curved loose stone wall about 100 
yards in length, flying Jow in the shelter of the wall, always crossing it at 
a certain point, turning at the top where a low cross-wall ran, and so back 
again. Occasionally a mate would appear, when the two would whirl up 
high in air and fly to windward till lost to sight ; but in a minute one— 
presumably the same—would return and resume its patrol. Presently 
it took to alighting at intervals on one or other frond of bracken about 
12 feet from where I sat. Wishing to see if it would resume its regular 
beat if disturbed, I threw a stone near it to alarm it. The butterfly at 
once darted upwards like an arrow at the stone, and followed it right down 


98 Notes. August, 


to the ground, so closely that it appeared to cling to it. I tried thirty or 
forty times with stones from half an ounce to a couple of pounds in weight, 
and each time the butterfly dashed from its perch at the stone and whirled 
down to the ground with it. Even when the stone passed the butterfly 
at a distance of 12 feet the insect saw it coming and sprang atit. Assuming 
that the movement was associated with the mating instinct, the butterfly 
had certainly very liberal ideas as to the possible variation in size and 
shape of other examples of its species. Had the passing object been an 
insect-eating bird, it might have been rough on the Fritillary. 


R. Litoyvp PRAEGER. 
Dublin. 


BOTANY. 


Acaena Sanguisorbae an Alien Colonist. 


I am indebted to Miss Knowles for kind identification of a plant that 
puzzled the members of the Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club on their recent 
excursion to Lucan, when it was seen growing profusely among the grass 
and other herbage in a part of Captain Colthurst’s demesne. It is Acaena 
Sanguisorbae Vahl, the Burnet-leaved Sheep’s Burr, a plant too familiar 
to sheep farmers in Australia and New Zealand under the names “ Bridgee- 
widgee’”’ and “ Bidi-bidi,” which are said to be corruptions of a Maori 
name, “ Piri-piri.”’ 

Though probably a garden-escape at Lucan (like Artemisia Stelleriana 
on the North Bull) this alien seems sufficiently strongly established to call 
for a record in the “ Irish Naturalist,’ especially when we learn that it has. 
already effected settlements in at least two districts in Great Britain— 
on Dartmoor (this is the only locality given by S. T. Dunn in his “ Alien 
Flora of Britain,’’ 1905) and on the banks of the Tweed (Hayward and 
Druce’s “‘ Adventive Flora of Tweedside,’’ 1919). The authors of both 
the works just quoted (which were kindly looked up and shown to me by 
Miss Knowles) believe the plant to have been carried alike to Dartmoor 
and to Melrose by the power of its clinging seeds, but certain information 
as to the mode of transport seems lacking in every case. 

The distinctive feature of this, otherwise very Burnet-like Australasian 
plant is the conspicuous burr formed by the globose fruit-head when 
flowering is over. Each calyx then develops two long sticky-tipped 
spines (Miss Knowles tells me that she found one or two cases of three, but 
two is certainly the usual number) ; and the burrs or “‘ cuckens ”’ (to give 
them their local name, in full use at Lucan) thus formed are sufficiently 
numerous and adhesive to explain readily why the plant is regarded as a 
serious pest by sheep-farmers in its native country. Judged by their 
tenacity in adhering to garments, I should say the burrs of Acaena Sanguts- 


1921. Ivrish Societies. 99 


orbae were decidedly more troublesome to human pedes rian; traversing 
their haunts than are those of the Wood Sanicle, and only less so than 
those of either of our Bur-Marigolds. 


Dublin. » C. B. MOFFAT. 


I lately saw Acaena Sanguisorbae running wild in the grounds of Sir 
John Ross of Bladensburg at Rostrevor. There is a large collection of 
exotic plants there, many of which sow themselves near the parent, but 
this species has spread far outside the rabbit-wire enclosure into dry rocky 
woods, where it forms apparently a permanent member of the flora, 
among Agrostis vulgaris, Teucrium Scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea and so 
on. Sir John says it is spreading rapidly, and is a bad weed. 


Dublin. R. Lroyp PRAEGER. 


Brachypodium pinnatum in Co. Dublin. 


During the month of June while in Howth, I found what I thought 
must be Brachypodium pinnatum. 

It was growing on both sides of the tram line, between Stella Maris 
station and the Summit, in gravelly soil, and varied considerably, some 
of the spikelets being branched. I do not know if it is naturalized or 
introduced. Having taken it to the Museum for verification, I found 
that it had not yet been recorded from Howth, so Miss Knowles suggested 
my sending a note to the “‘ Irish Naturalist ’’ as it might be of interest 
to some of its readers. 


Dublin. J. S. THomson. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


JuLy 2.—DownpatTrick.—A party of 54 members left town in motor 
chars-a-bancs for the Downpatrick area, driving direct to Inch abbey via 
Saintfield and Crossgar. The President (S. A. Bennett, who was acting 
as conductor), gave a short and very interesting account of the history 
of the picturesque ruins. 

From Inch Abbey the party drove to Raholp, via Quoile Castle, in 
order to visit the little church standing on a low mound, apparently origi- 
nally a rath, about 100 yards off the road. Here the members were met 
by Mr. F. J. Bigger, M.R.I,A., who rapidly sketched the history of the 
building. ae . 


100 The Irish Naturalist. August, 1921. 


The next halt was at Lough Money cromleac,.a structure which 
differs from the type, inasmuch as the cap-stone rests on two stones only, 
which stand parallel on edge, all the stones being of Silurian grit. From 
hence the motors took the members to Ballyalton stone circle, a much- 
ruined monument. From Ballyalton the members were driven rapidly 
into Downpatrick and to the Cathedral, where the courteous verger (Mr. 
M‘Williams) acted as a very efficient guide. 

Tea was served at Denvir’s Hotel, English Street, at 5.45 p.m., after 
which, at the business meeting following, the President made feeling 
reference to the loss the Club had sustained in the recent decease of Mr. 
W. J. C. Tomlinson, a member of 20 years standing, and a botanist of 
great repute. The President proposed that a vote of condolence be for- 
warded to Mr. Tomlinson’s family. This was seconded by Mr. N. Car- 
ruthers and passed in silence, the members standing. After three senior 
and one junior member had been elected the meeting terminated. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


JUNE 4.—PoRTRANE.—A party o thirteen members and visitors 
travelled thither, under the conductorship of J. de W. Hinch. The road 
across the fields to the southern martello tower was taken, and when the 
shore was reached, the volcanic origin of the andesites was explained and 
its relation to the intrusive porphyry discussed. From this point the 
party proceeded northwards and examined the glacial deposits of the 
district. The earth-movements were then brought under notice and the 
“ thrust-conglomerate ’’ of the Priests’ Chamber excited much interest. 
Mrs. Gregg was elected a member of the Club at a meeting held in the 
sand dunes during the excursion. 

JuLy 2.—Lucan.—Leaving Kingsbridge at 12.30, a party of eleven 
proceeded first (by kind permission of Captain Colthurst) to Lucan demesne, 
and were shown by the steward (Mr. Early) through the extensive gardens 
and grounds, special attention being called to some of the older and more 
interesting trees. An alien plant (Acaena Sanguisorbae) which was seen 
growing in some quantity in the demesne forms the subject of notice 
elsewhere (p. 98). The party afterwards visited Mr. Shackleton’s 
demesne, and were very kindly guided by the proprietor to the rath and 
subterranean chamber for which this demesne is celebrated. After 
tea at the Spa Hotel the party caught the 5.25 tram home. The best 
botanical find made—apart from Acaena Sanguisorbae—was a flourishing 
colony of Mimulu: gutiatus on the river Griffen, in Mr. Shackleton’s 
demesne. This would seem to be the first instance of its occurrence in 
District 6 of Mr. Colgan’s Flora of Dublin, where the range of the plant 
is given as 5, 7, 8, 


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Pp: PAGE ~ 

The Post-Glacial Climatic Optimum in Ireland— eee. 
J. DE W. HINCH ee ee ee ee ‘ 85 2 “s 

: ae 
Notes: es am Ss 
The Wood-White Butterfly in’ Co. Dublin—A..W. STELFOX ¥. 2.584 97. - 
Behaviour of a Fritillary—R. LitoypD PRAEGER ig . eee, Noy ae + 
Acaena Sanguisorbae an. Alien Colonist—C. B. Morrat, rT ae 

R. Lioyp PRAEGER a ca "3 eee Hoe 98 4 
Brachypodium pinnatum in Co. Dublin—J. S. THomson ie Be 99 4 

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» 31. Winter Egg Production. » 79. The Cultivation of Small Fruita 
» oa. Rearing and Fattening ‘of Turkeys 5, 80. Catch Crops. 
» 89. Profitable Breeds of Poultry. », 81. Potato Culture on Small Farms 
, 84. Out of Print. » 82. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes 
» 05. The Liming of Land. » 83. Cultivation of Osiers. 
» 36. Field Experiments—Barley. », 84. Ensilage. 
yo Ole x + Meadow Hay », &5 Some Injurious Orchard Insects. 
5 38 a on Potatoes. », 86. Dirty Milk. 
5. ou: ie Maugels. , 87 Barley Threshing 
», 40 99 ” Oats. , 88. The Home Bottling of Fruit 
rad mt 3 Turnips » 89 The Construction of Piggeries. 
» 42. Permanent Pasture Grasses . 96. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. 
», 43. The Rearing and Management of » 91. Black Scab in Potatoes 
Chickens » 92 Home Preservation of Eggs. 
» 44 * Husk’ or “ Hoose” in Calves » 93. Marketing of Wild Fruits. 
» 45. Ringworm on Cattle ‘ » 94. Out of Print. 
» 46 Haymaking. . 95. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and 
» 47. The Black Currant Mite. Eggs. - 
» 48 Foul Brood or Bee Pest. » 96. Packing Eggs for Hatching 
» 49. Poultry Fattening. » “97. Weeda. 
4 DO Portable Poultry Houses. , 98. Tuberculosis in Poultry. 
» ol. The Leather-Jacket Grub. ,», 99 Seaweed as Manure 
» D2. Flax Growing Experiments. 


SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 


8. Destruction of Farm Pests. 

12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 7 
18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 
19. Home Curing ot Bacon. 

21. Farmers and Income Tax. 
23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal, 


Note.—The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. 


Conies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the 
Secretary. Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, 
Dublin Letters application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked 
* Publications.” p 


SEP 27 1921 


September, 1921. The Irish Naturalist. IOI 


NOTES ON DOWN AND DUBLIN PLANTS. 
BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER. 


I.—Co. Down. 


Leontodon hirtus L.—This grows in rough grass in the 
grounds of Sir John Ross of Bladensburg. The place is 
famous for its collection of exotic shrubs and trees, and it 
is possible that the plant came with some of these; but 
the habitat resembles others for the same plant at Narrow- 
water and in the northern part of the county. It should 
be looked for in other stations about Rostrevor. 

Cnicus lanceolatus Willd.—A plant growing in a field 
on the western slope of Rathfriland Hill presented the 
finest example of fasciation I have seen. The main stem 
was strap-shaped, 4 ft. 6 in. high and 5 in. wide throughout 
its length. It terminated in an extraordinary convoluted 
flower-head 6 in. long and about 14 in. wide formed of 
four complete S-turns, and measuring 16 in. along the 
curve. The lateral stems, which in this species mostly 
far overtop the main stem, were few and only half the 
height of the latter, and normal in structure. Curiously 
enough, only twenty feet away grew a Cmicus palustris 
which displayed the same characters though in a lesser 
degree. The main stem was similarly fasciate, about 3 ft. 
high and 3 in. wide; the terminal heads were several, but 
normal, and the lateral branches normal. 

Matricaria discoidea DC.—Now frequent along roadsides 
in the Hilltown district. 

Digitalis purpurea L.—The propensity of Foxglove to 
colonize ground from which trees have been removed is 
well known, but I never saw such a colony as occupies an 
area of some I0 to 20 acres from which the timber was 
cut towards the end of the war high up on the shoulder 
of the hill north of Rostrevor waterworks. The Foxgloves 
at the end of June formed a solid sheet of purple over the 
whole area, making a bright purple patch even as seen 
from the railway near Goraghwood, ten miles away. Sir 
John Ross of Bladensburg tells me there are a good many 


white-flowered plants among them. 
A 


OZ The Irish Naturalist, September, 


Carex filiformis L_—Last year I drew attention (J. N., 
xxix., 93) to the occurrence of this lowland sedge in quantity 
among mountain plants on the Garron Plateau in Antrim. 
A similar habitat in Down may now be added. The plant 
grows thinly over several acres of flat very wet bog (probably 
the site of a glacial lake) at the head of the valley of the 
Rowan-tree River, a branch of the Rocky River, above 
Hilltown. The elevation is about 1,000 feet. None of the 
interesting concomitants of the plant in its Antrim stations, 
such as Carex pauciflora, C. irrigua, C. limosa, is present. 
In its Down station it is accompanied by Molinia coerulea, 
Menyanthes trifoliata, Carex rostrata, etc. 

Equisetum hyemale L.—In 1899 I recorded and figured 
7. N., vii., 117) a form of this Horsetail in which several 
alternate lateral cones were developed, one from each of 
the uppermost nodes, and I set down the abnormality as 
due to the destruction (by grazing animals) of the terminal 
cone, and consequent production of laterals as is se frequent 
in E. palustre. I refound the station, by the Rocky River 
near Hilltown (I had forgotten all about it) in June last 
and found a large colony with hundreds of stems, most of 
which bore lateral cones. Examination showed [ was wrong 
in attributing the abnormality to injury. Some stems of 
which the terminal cone was not yet mature lateral cones 
were already being produced ; other stems bore a withered 
terminal cone and mature laterals; in the majority the 
terminal cone had fallen off, apparently naturally, while 
the laterals were full-grown. It seems the usual course 
of events is that the terminal cone is produced first, and 
after it has faded, apparently frequently in the following 
season, the crop of laterals is produced. The lateral cones 
are mostly four or five in number, occupying the uppermost 
four or five nodes. They are mostly alternate, sometimes 
opposite, sometimes a pair springs from one point. They 
are all much smaller than the terminal cone, and are borne 
on very short slender stalks. 

Equisetum litorale Kiihlw.—A second Mourne station 
was found for this rare hybrid Horsetail—in and about 
the mill-dam by the Leitrim River half a mile S.E. of 
Hilltown. It was the form (var. elatius Milde) which I have 
already recorded (IJ.N., xxvi., 141) from Rocky River. 


1921, PRAEGER.—Noles on Down and Dublin Plants. 103 


II.—Co. DUBLIN: 


Cnicus pratensis Willd.—Seen in June growing with 
Enophorum latifolium in the second field below (S.W. of) 
Glenasmole National School (the old monastery in 
Glenasmole)—a large colony. This is an extension of 
Mr. Brunker’s recently recorded station (supra, p. 79), 
lying about two-third mile to the north of it. Mr. Brunker’s 
station is not new, Mr. W. B. Bruce having recorded the 
plant from the identically same spot eleven years ago 
fPavdy o SEX.. 155). 

Eriophorum latifolium Hoppe.—Mr-. Scully’s note (J. N., 
XXVill., 90) on the only Dublin station for this rare plant 
hardly does justice to its abundance there. In June Mr. 
Stelfox and I found six or seven large patches (the largest 
quarter to half acre in extent) between the line of the 
embankment of the upper reservoir in Glenasmole and 
St. Anne’s Church. In these spots the plant was the 
dominant species, its short yellowish leaves forming a 
feature almost as distinct as its forest of long-stemmed 
tassels of fruit, which formed white patches conspicuous 
from the opposite side of the valley, half a mile away. 

Carex pallescens L.—Abundant on the same area as the 
last. Clearly not so rare in this, its only Dublin station, 
as would appear from the records (see Colgan’s “‘ Flora ”’ 
and: Fe N;). Xxvint., -go). 

Orchis O’Kellyi Druce —Mr. T. A. Stephenson confirms 
this naming by Mr. Stelfox and myself of a Glenasmole 
orchis as the O. O’Kellyi of Druce, which occurs in Galway 
and Clare (and sparingly in England), but has not, I think, 
been recorded hitherto from eastern Ireland. The late 
Mr. Rolfe of Kew, a specialist in Orchids, thought it 
distinct at least in a segregate sense, and Mr. R. A. Phillips 
inclines to this opinion; but the Stephensons, the latest 
students of the group, look on it as a race of O. Fuchsi 
Druce, a segregate of O. maculata L. (Journ. of Bot., 
lix., 122, 1921). It is recognizable by its very graceful 
slender form and its. quite unspotted leaves and white 
flowers, 

A2 


104 The Irish Naturalist. September, 


m4 


IRISH ICHNEUMONIDAE AND BRACONIDAE IN 
1920. 


BY. REV. Wy, .F. JOHNSON,” MoA\, SP.2.5., tee 


THE cold wet summer of 1920 was no better for _[chneumon 
Flies than for other insects, and, as a consequence, my list 
is not as long as it might have been. I was very unfortunate 
in the weather while at Portnoo, and my captures were 
but few. In spite of all drawbacks, however, I have three 
species to bring forward as additions to the Britannic List, 
which are as follows :— 

1. MICROCRYPTUS FEMORALIS Thoms.—Poyntzpass, in 
July, at Hog Weed in my field. Dr. A. Roman 
who kindly determined this and other species 
for me, tells me he has since seen 1t from England. 

2. GLYPTA SCHNEIDERI Krieger.—Portnoo, in June, 
on cliff. Dr. Roman says it is “ probably ”’ 
this species, which was originally described from 
the island of Borkum in the North Sea and has 

| been taken in Sweden. 

3. MESOLEIUS FRATERNUS Holmgren. “Pevatanaee in 

my fields flying along the hedgerow. This 
species is near M. fallax Hlgr. but has no areolet 
(vide Holmgren ‘‘ Monographia Tryphonidum 
SUCCIAG, = pr 27316 


Sir C. Langham very kindly sent me a piece of wood 
bored by Szvex gigas in hopes that either Sirex or Rhyssa 
persuasoria might emerge ; Rhyssa alone emerged. A male 
was the first to appear on May 3rd; this was followed by 
a female on May 6th and a second on May oth. I 
unfortunately killed the male and first female, but I kept 
the second female alive and she lived till May 25th; 726); 
16 days. 

At Lenaderg on June 5th Mr. Davies and I spent a long 
time watching Rhyssa at work, but we did not obtain any 
additional observations to those already published.’ 


1 [vish Naturalist, xxviii, p. 115. 


192t. JOHNSON.—Ivish Ichnewmonidae and Braconidae. 105 


‘In October there were a few fine days, and in the 
afternoon about 4 p.m. I found quite a number of 
Ichneumons flying about laurels and resting on the leaves, 


Mention will be found of the species met with in the following 
list :— 
ICHNEUMONINAE. 


Stenichneumon ochropis Gmel.— Poyntzpass, field, August, a large male, 

Cratichneumon sicarius Gr. \ Poyntzpass, field, May. 

C. annulator Fab. 

Barichneumon gemellus Gr, var. opticus Gr. (the male variety with the 
scutellum entirely black) Poyntzpass, field, May. 

B, incubitor L— Poyntzpass a male with white scutellum, teste Dr. A. 
Roman, taken in my field in August; a female on hill, September. 

B. lepidus Gr.—-Poyntzpass, field, by sweeping, August, 

Iehneumon sarcitorius L.—Poyntzpass, field, July. Dr. Roman remarks 
that the bands.on the abdomen of the male which in our specimens 
are stramineous or flavous are in Sweden white. 

. suspiciosus Wesm.— Poyntzpass roadside at, Acton Wood in May. 

- terminatorius Gr. Poyntzpass, fields, August. 

. albiger Wesm 

I. insidiosus Wesm.—Poyntzpass, roadside, “May. 

Amblyteles armatorius Forst.— Poyntzpass, hill, September. 

Platylabus pedatorius I.—Poyntzpass, females in garden at Hedge. 
Parsley in May ; males in field at Hog-weed in July. Var. iridipennis 
Gr.— Poyntzpass, males, in field, in June, female in garden in August. 

Herpestomus brunnicornis Gr. ‘ 

Phaeogenes ophthalmicus Wesm. Poyntzpass, field, August. 

P. fulvitarsis Wesm, 

Dicaelotus pumilus Gr.—Portnoo, sandhills, July. 


— 


CRYPTINAE. 


Microcryptus nigrocinetus Gr—Poyntzpass, field August, a dark variety 
of the male, teste Dr. Roman. 

M. brachypterus Gr.— Poyntzpass, field, August. 

Orthopelma luteolator Gr—Poyntzpass, bred from Ihodites rosue L, 

Cecidonomus gallicola Bridg.—Poyntzpass, field, August. 

Pezomachus cursitans Gr.—Poyntzpass, hill, September. 

Stilpnus gagates Gr.—Poyntzpass, on laurels, October, 

Atractodes tenebricosus Gr.— Poyntzpass, field at Hog-weed, July, Kaci 

A. fatalis Forst. (compressus Thoms),—Portnoo, cliff, June. 

A. croceicornis Hal—Portnoo; I took three females of this rare species 
on the sandhills in June. 
Exolytus laevigatus Gr, ‘| Poyntzpass, at Hog-weed, in fields, :in- 

E. petiolaris Thoms. a9 August. 


106 The Irisk Naturalist. i September, 


Spilocryptus abbreviator F. var. Hopei Gr— Poyntzpass, roadside, Sep- 
tember. 
Cryptus albatorius Vill. var. titubator Thnb.—Poyntzpass, field, May. 


PIMPLINAE. 


Xylonomus pilicornis Gr— Poyntzpass, field at hawthorn, June, 

Rhyssa persuasoria L—Emerged May. Lenaderg, June. 

Perithous mediator Fab. ‘| Poyntzpass, field at Hog-weed, July. 

Pimpla maculator Fab. f[ 

Glypta fronticornis Gr—Poyntzpass, field sweeping, August. 

G. ceratites Gr. 

G. genalis Moll. 

G. haesitator Gr. Bese field at Hog-weed, August. 

G. vulnerator Gr. 

G. punctifrons Bridg. 

Lissonota nigridens Thoms.—Poyntzpass, window, April. 

Phytodiaetus coryphaeus Gr.—A dark form; Poyntzpass, garden, August 

P. obsecurus Desv.—Portnoo, cliff, June. 

Exetastes nigripes Gr. var. elusor Gr. —_) Poyntzpass,. field at Hog- 

E. guttatorius Gr. weed, August, the latter 
f plentiful. 


TRYPHONINAE. 


Exochus prosopius Gr.—Poyntzpass, field, August. 

E. flavomarginatus Hlgr.—Portnoo, cliff, July. | 

Orthocentrus marginatus Hlgr.— Poyntzpass, laurels, October, both sexes. 

Homocidus dimidiatus Schr.— Poyntzpass, field at Hog-weed, August. 

H. pictus Gr—Holmgren’s var. 1, with scutellum entirely black, 
Poyntzpass, field, at Hog-weed, July. | 

H. puleher Higr.—Portnoo, cliff, June. 

H. tarsatorius Gr. female (var. = Bassus insignis Gr., Hlgr., exactly 
‘apiceque scutelli et postscutelli pallide flavis 1), Poyntzpass, lane, 
July. 

Promethus albicoxis Thoms.—Poyntzpass, stable window, August. 

P. suleator Gr.—Poyntzpass, hill, September. 

P. cognatus Hlgr—Poyntzpass, field sweeping, August. 

P. latiearpus Thoms.—Male, variety with scutellum black, Poyntzpass, 
field, August. 

Tryphon signator Gr.—Portnoo, cliff, July. 

T. brunniventris Gr. var. ineestus Hlgr.—Portnoo, roadside, June. 

Exenterus flavilabris Higr. 

E. flavomaculatus Gr. var. hostilis Hlgr. 

E. mitigosus Gr, Poyntzpass, in fields, in 

Polyblastus variitarsus Gr. (dark var.) August. > 

P. pratensis Gr. 

P. rivalis Higr. 


aan oe 


tg2t.. JOHNSON —TIvish Ichneumonidae and Braconidae. 107 


Erromenus fasciatus Gn.—Portnoo, cliff, June. 


OPHIONINAE. 


Plectiscus eurystigma Thoms. ‘) 
Megastylus cruentatus Schiod. > Poyntzpass, at laurels, in October, 


Diaparsus geminus Hlgr. 

Campoplex terebrator Forst.—Poyntzpass, at Hog-weed, August. 

C. nitidulator Hlgr.—Poyntzpass, in garden, May. 

C. foveolatus Forst.—Poyntzpass, both sexes on roadside, in May; in 
field in August. 

C. erythrogaster Forst——Poyntzpass, field, in June. 

Sagaritis postica Bridg— Poyntzpass, garden, August. 

S. punectata Bridg— Poyntzpass, field, May. 

Cymodusa exilis Hlgr— Poyntzpass, field, August. 

Limnerium albidum Gmel.—Poyntzpass, two females emerged on July 
12th from Hyponomeuta padellus, | 

L. xanthostoma Gr.—Poyntzpass, field at Hog-weed, July and August. 

Omorga cursitans Hlgr.— Poyntzpass, field, August. 

O. fasciata Bridg—— Poyntzpass, field sweeping, October. 

Olesicampa fulviventris Gmel.—Poyntzpass, field, May and June, 

Meloboris crassicornis Gr. | Poyntzpass, field, August. 

Angitia rufipes Gr. 

A. cylindrica Bridg— Poyntzpass, hill, July. 

A. exaraleolata Ratz—Portnoo, cliff, June. 

Agrypon septentrionalis Hlgr—Poyntzpass, May and June. 

Mesochorus pictilis Hlgr.—Portnoo, cliff, June. 


BRACONIDAE. 
Bracon fulvipes Nees. ) 
B. erraticus Wesm., > Poyntzpass at Hog-weed, in fields, August. 


B. atrator Wesm. 

Rhogas irregularis Wesm.—Poyntzpass, fields, sweeping, August. 
R. geniculator Nees Portnoo, cliff, June. 

R. nigricornis Wesm.—Poyntzpass, stable window, August. 
Chelonus inanitus L. 

Apanteles faleatus Nees. | 

Microplitis Spinoliae Nees, Poyntzpass, fields, August. 
Microgaster globatus L, 
M. tibialis Nees. var. luectuosus Hal. ] 

'Agathis rufipalpis Nees——Poyntzpass, garden, May. 

Meteorus jaculator Hal——Poyntzpass, laurels, October. 
_Macroecentrus infirmus Nees—Poyntzpass, sweeping, September, 
Biosteres rusticus Hal—Portnoo, cliff, June. 

Alysia manduecator Panz.—Poyntzpass, field sweeping, August. 


Poyntzpass, | 


108 The Lrish Naturalist. - September - 


OBITUARY. 


W. J. C. TOMLINSON. 


The death of W. J. C. Tomlinson, which took place in Belfast at the 
end of June, removes yet another of the active group of workers who, 
since the demise of S. A. Stewart, have so well maintained the reputation 
of Belfast as a centre of botanical field work. It is eighteen years since 
Tomlinson made in this Journal his first contribution to botanical ~ 
literature—a note on the occurrence of Ranunculus circinatus in Co, 
Antrim. During the intervening time his free time was devoted mainly 
to local field work, and his position on the staff of the Midland Railway 
allowed him ready access to the greater part of Antrim and Londonderry. 
The contribution by which he will be most remembered was his working 
out of the distribution of that greatest prize of the Ulster flora, Spivanthes 
Romanzoffiana. He showed that in the portions of Co. Antrim adjoining 
Lough Neagh this rare Orchid was locally abundant, and his description 
of large areas of damp meadow all dotted over with the fragrant flower- 
spikes of this rarity was enough to have made the mouths water of many 
European botanists who have never seen the plant alive. He also, in 
conjunction with Mr. Lilly, established the wide range of Vicia Orobus | 
over the elevated moorlands lying between. Larne and Ballymena—a 
plant whose claim to inclusion in the north-eastern flora had for long 
years rested on the single clump discovered by S. A. Stewart at the Sallagh’ 
Braes. Many other interesting records remain to attest his love of 
exploration and his discriminating eye. Of recent years he suffered 
from an affection of the heart, which curtailed his activities. His death 
will be a serious loss to the Belfast Field Club, of which he was a leading 
member, and all Irish botanists will deplore the passing of yet another 
of their small band. 


NOTES, 
ZOOLOGY. 


_ The Humble Bees of Lambay. 


On the occasion of the visit of the Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club on 
27th July I made an attempt to add to the small list of species of 
Aculeate Hymenoptera recorded for Lambay. (See Ivish Nat., vol. v., 
p. 186, and vol. xvi., pp. 43 and 44)... The day. was dull and rain 
threatened so that a few Wasps and Humble Bees were the only species 
noted. In these groups Bombus terrestvis and Vespa sylvestris were the 
only species previously recorded, On this occasion I took Vespa rufa 


1921. Notes, 109 


and V. norvegica in the garden at the castle, and Mr. Moffat found a 
nest of the latter in a tree near by. Of the “ Bumbles,” I captured in 
the garden, Bombus Iucorum, B. agrorum, B. muscorum and along the 
northern cliffs of the island I noted these same three species, as well as 
B. jonellus, B. distinguendus (a single male) and B. terrestris (a single 
young queen). Of the inquiline genus Psithyrus I saw a single male of 
P. campestris in the latter locality. Mr. Moffat reported having seen 
one of the red-tailed bees on the other side of the island, but as it was not 
captured he was not sure whether it was B. lapidarius or B. derhamellus. 
The only ants noted by me were Myrmica scabrinodis, an already recorded 
species. 
A, W. STELEOX. 
National Museum, Dublin. 


Irish Birds. 


In the July Number (supra, p. 82) Mr. Williams and Mr. Hinde comment 
on my notes on Irish birds published in the May issue. 

To deal first with the Raven, my authority for the statement as to its 
rarity was Barrington’s List of Dublin and Wicklow birds in the British 
Association Handbook, 1908, where he says it is a “‘ Rare and decreasing 
species.”” As would appear from the letters, this is not now the case, a 
matter of congratulation to all bird-lovers. 

The birds seen on the North Bull on March 13th were not, I am certain, 
either Sanderlings or Knots. I observed them very closely, and the 
following extract from notes made at the time may be of interest :— 

“On the back of head ... is a dark greyish band, reaching almost 
from eye to eye. A dark patch is also to be seen on the flanks. The legs 
are dull yellow.’’ Neither Knots or Sanderlings have these markings, 
and their legs are not yellow, but black. | 

My record of a Yellow Wagtail on February 2oth is perhaps open to 
doubt, but, as I am well acquainted with the Grey Wagtail in Dublin, I 
am confident my identification was correct. The snowstorm I referred 
to might account for its presence in a suburban road. 


ATHOLE HARRISON. 
Terenure, Co, Dublin. 


Curious Behaviour of a Bat. 


One evening late in July last I observed a large Bat hawking amongst 
the Swifts, whose sweeping flights it closely imitated. I had been watching 
it for, perhaps, a minute when it suddenly turned its face to the wind 
and commenced to flutter vertically upwards, as if climbing an invisible 
rope. After ascending for, perhaps, a couple of hundred feet it swerved 
as if caught by a different current of wind, then resumed its ascent, this 
time exactly overhead, Being now thoroughly interested I continued 
to watch its upward flight until its apparent size had dwindled to that 
of the gnats flying about six feet above my head, At this height, when 


Iro The Irish Naturalist. September; 


it was still plainly visible to me owing to the clear evening, it vanished 
utterly and instantly just as if it had flown into the rather iow overhanging 
clouds, some of which rested against the Dublin Mountains at an altitude 
of about 1,800 feet. Except for a few cloudy patches the sky was clear 
and blue and the time few minutes to to p.m., summer time, 7.2., about 
8.30 p.m. “sun time.” Propably it was the fairly stiff westerly breeze 
that made the bat’s vertical ascent possible. I have never seen a bat 
behave in such a manner before; but, perhaps, this is due to want of 
observation, Can any one suggest what its objective was ? 


A. W. STELFox. 
Rathgar. 


As Mr. Stelfox has kindly shown me his interesting note, I think I 
should add that I have on three occasions been witness to a singular 
ascending flight on the part of the same species of bat—for it is quite 
obvious from Mr. Stelfox’s description that the subject of his note was 
the Hairy-armed Bat (Nyctalus Leisleri), our largest Irish species, which 
is generally the first to quit its retreat in the evening, and may often be 
observed flying in company with the swifts, as Mr. Stelfox describes. 

At Ballyhyland, where this bat is not nearly so plentiful as it is near 
Dublin, I was fortunate in having one of its sleeping places from which 
Hairy-armed Bats could be seen taking flight any summer evening I 
cared to watch for a period of twenty years (1900-1919 inclusive). During 
a part of every summer the bats lived gregariously in this retreat (an old 
ash-tree), and their custom on leaving it was'to fly away for some distance 
at a fairly low level ; but on all occasions on which I saw the ascending 
flight it was performed by a solitary bat, living in a retreat of its own 
after the summer assemblage had broken up. 

As the notes I took are from 15 to 17 years old, I think I am safest 
in quoting them as taken down at the time. 

(1) September 15th, 1904.—Hairy-armed Bat flew from the old ash 
this evening at 6.17 (minute of sunset), and went very high in the air, 
almost like a Lark. The evening was dark and damp, with a drizzling 
rain. 

(2) September 16th, 1904.—The Hairy-armed Bat flew this evening 
at 6.5 p.m., 10 minutes before sunset. Again went up very high. and 
was kept in sight for 1} minutes after quitting ash. The a like 
yesterday, was wet with thick drizzling rain. 

(3) October 4th, 1906.—The first Hairy-armed Bat came out at 5.42, 

9 minutes after sunset, and went zig-zagging up into the air till out of 
sight—this occupied 1} minutes. (See notes for September 15th and 
16th, 1904, when bat went up exactly the same wal and on all three 
occasions the evening was thick with drizzling rain). 

As it is pas in the last of these three notes that I use the expression 
‘ zig-zagging,’ I have to trust my memory on the question whether the 
ascents seen in September, 1904, were spiral, zigzag, or perpendicular, 


1921. Notes. FEI 


but I think zigzag is nearest to the mark for all three. My impression 
clearly was that the bats hoped to find clearer air and more insects on 
the -wing by mounting above the wet mist. It should be remembered 
that owing to its early and short period of flight the Hairy-armed Bat 
must live largely on day-flying insects that have not yet retired to rest 
when it comes out. 

The sudden invisibility assumed by Mr. Stelfox’s bat I am unable to 
explain, but I think the cause must have been meteoric rather than 
zoological. My own carried itself out of view by a quite gradual ascent, 
and took, when timed, go seconds to perform the task. 


C. B. Morrat. 
Dublin. 


The Breeding of Squirrels. 


According to some of our best known naturalists, the Squirrel, in 
England, brings forth its young about June, naked and blind, three 
or four at a birth. And it is also stated that the female is smaller 
than the male. 

A very great number of Squirrels has passed through my hands for 
preservation. I have often found, upon examination, that they were in 
breeding condition in December, while females received later in the winter 
were pregnant. Iam sorry I did not keep a record of the dates; but 
one female received on the 11th January, 1912, contained three well 
developed young. It appeared to me that these would soon have been 
born, unless, indeed, the Squirrel’s gestation is delayed like that ot the 
Roebuck and the Badger. I have also found that the adult female is 
as large as the male, in fact the finest and largest specimen I have ever 
received was.a female It weighed 114 ozs. and its total length was 
172 inches, which is almost 2 inches longer than the measurement given 
by naturalists for the male. The above is just my experience and I hope 
it may be of some interest. 

ALF. SHEALS. 

130 Cliftonpark Avenue, Belfast. 


From notes that have already appeared in the Ivish Naturalisi (vols. 
i., p. 127, X., p. 148, and xi, p. 188) it can be seen to be well established 
that young Squirrels are often born in April and sometimes in March, 
or even sooner ; while there is reason for believing that the young tamilies 
produced about midsummer or later are second broods. The late Major 
Barrett-Hamilton had collected a vast amount of information on this 
subject, which, but for his untimely death, would ere now have been 
given to the public in his stiJl uncompleted ‘‘ History of British Mammals ’”’ ; 
but his general conclusions were quite in accord with those suggested 
by Mr. Sheals. 

C. B. Morrat. 


1&7 The Irish Naturalist. September, 1921. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


Recent gifts include a young female Mandrill from Sir Frederick Moore, 
a White-crowned Mangabey and a Civet Cat from Mr. T. A. Finch, a pair 
of Blue. Rabbits from Dr, R. R. Leeper, a Rabbit from Mr. R. Atock, 
a pair of Rabbits and a Guinea-pig from Miss Costello, nine Guinea- 
pigs from Mr. and Miss Byrne, Guinea-pigs from Miss Collard 
and Mr. J. W. Roberts, two Toggenburg Goats from Miss Vize, 
a Peba Armadillo from Col. J. Forrest, a pair of Bullfinches from 
Mr. W. W. Despard, a Blue and Yellow Macaw from Mrs Perceval, a pair 
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Cuckoos from Mr. H. E. Rogers, a Peacock from Mr. C. V. Deane-Drake, 
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Morgan, a Tortoise from Mr. E. Boler, three Tortoises, four green Lizards 
and four Slow-worms from Prof. A. F. Dixon, Loach and Crayfish from 
Mr. A. W. Bretland, and Crayfish from Mrs. O’Callaghan. 


A young male Chimpanzee, two Mona Monkeys, two Hussar Monkeys, - 


a Green and a Hocheur Monkey, a Macacque and a Bonnet Monkey, two 
Sooty Mangabeys, a Guinea Baboon, a pair of Pacas, twelve Rabbits. 
eight Quaker Parrakeets, a Spotted Eagle Owl, and three Toucanettes 
have been purchased. A Lesser White-nose Monkey, two Marmos 4s, and 
a Grey Parrot have been received on deposit. A Zebu Calf has been born 
and ten Canadian Geese hatched in the Gardens. The newly acquired 
young Chimpanzee, named “ Roger,” is a most attractive li tle creature, 
very playful and gentle. 


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Notes on Down and Dublin Plants—R. Lroyp PRAEGER 
Irish Ichneumonidae. ‘and Braconidae in | 1920-—REV. WwW. 
F. JOHNSON, Wes MARCA Ss ee rae eee ee 


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NOTES 


The Humble Bees of Lambay—A. W. STELFOx .. ta 
Irish Birds—-ATHOLE HARRISON by o* . 
Curious Behaviour of a: Bat—A, W. STELFOx. C, B. Morrat 
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October, 1921. The Irish Naturalist, 113 
THE RELATION OF SONG TO NESTING IN BIRDS. 
BY J. P. BURKITT. 


THIS paper is a study in continuation of my article in the 
January issue of this magazine.1 To observe accurately 
is hard, to deduce correctly is harder. But the result of 
about a thousand notes during the past year, combined 
with previous records ought to be of help in this subject. 

Since the publication of “‘ Territory in Bird Life ’”’ by 
Mr. H. E. Howard any new studies and ideas on the 
rationale of bird habits will, I conceive, be, for a long time 
to come, compared with the theories and data in that 
book. Abstracting my notes has been such a considerable 
labour that I have not attempted to consider “‘ survival ”’ 
or other values. 

CHAFFINCH.—I shall begin with the Chaffinch, our most 
numerous bird. I dealt with ten nests altogether and more 
or less with fourteen males in an area around my house. 
Seven of the nests were from 20 to 50 yards from the next ; 
one later nest came within 14 yards. But most of the time 
there was no difficulty whatever in allocating the singer to 
the territory. One mateless bird had an_ interesting 
corroboration in the peculiarity of a double song. The 
general song of the country was also not omitted from 
observation. Of the ten nests eight followed a normal 
course, six of these being laid up between April 20th and 
26th two of them being rather late mating and were not 
laid up till May 3rd. The others were not normal, being 
as follows :—One pair after beginning a nest about April 
20th must have had some disturbance, and the second 
nest was not laid up till May 6th. Another bird lost his 
first female (found dead) and was for a long time mateless, 
and the ultimate nest was not laid up till May 18th. 
Another pair disappeared after choosing a site for their 
nest. Three other males apparently remained mateless all 
through, though one of them at least had a temporary 
female once or twice. 


1 Ivish Nat., vol. xxx., 1921, pp. I-10. 


114 The Lrish Naturalist. - October, 


Earliest song is always foreshadowed by the well-known 
chirps in sets of three or two. The first song was January 
26th ; it was generally incomplete. By February 11th song 
was general. The routine is to sing, then go clean away 
to feed, then back to territory to sing. By March 5th 
some early pairs could be noted. Nothing can be plainer 
than that the arrival of a female puts a brake on the 
song. Even if the female be only a very temporary 
companion this can often be noticed, but when she is a 
settled companion it is still more definite. The very earliest 
pairs seem to cease song quicker after pairing than the later 
ones. But song continues more or less strongly in the 
presence of a female when the mateship is not fully settled. 
And when the female is-still a free lance and on the 
boundaries of a territory, the male seems to leave her and 
go to the centre of his territory to sing, as if to test her 
attitude to him in that way; or it may just be more 
evidence of the strong impulse to sing at ‘‘ headquarters.” 
Of course under such circumstances he fights with neigh- 
bouring cocks who would be rivals for her. Song while 
reduced may not be entirely off till the nest is begun. 
All normal nests were begun in the first twelve days of 
April, hence there was no general song after then till June 
(see below), but nevertheless there was strong particular 
song from those males who remained longer or shorter 
unmated. I have suggested that song entirely ceases 
on nest building, but I do not think it is a hard and 
fast rule in all cases, or debars an occasional few mutes 
of song in some cases, especially at sunset. Such 
apparently exceptional song requires further clearing 
up than my notes afford. But the quantity of such 
song seems vague and small, while the song from still 
unmated males was absolutely clear and outstanding. 
There is no vestige of song after the young are hatched. 

As the unmated males got mates there was by the middle 
of May hardly any song at all: But in the last- days of 
May and first days of June there was an extraordinary 
revival of song (noted in previous years also). Some, if 
not all, of these new singers seemed to correspond in territory 
and perches with the earlier spring nesters, and would 


1921. Burxitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 115 


therefore appear to be the same males. The young left 
the normal nests at the middle of May, which would just 
give the male parents time after feeding the young to be 
free again for this revival. This new song becomes very 
strong, but, strange to say, is absent at sunset, which, in 
the previous two months was far the best time to find song ; 
it corresponded to the early spring song before mating. 
By the 11th June this rush of song was largely off and the 
song itself was beginning to be incomplete, and one heard 
instead the chirps of threes and twos which preceded ‘the 
spring song. Also this June song I noticed was often made 
on the ground, which one never saw previously. On June 
22nd was the last song heard in the country. The birds 
were more or less flocked by then. There is no evidence 
at all in this district of the existence of second broods such 
as the books suggest are normal. 

Now as to hours of song. Up to the end of February 
the song was all in the morning, practically none in the 
-afternoon or evening. During March there is more day 
song, but by the end of March and beginning of April the 
certain time to find all singers, including decadent ones, is 
just before sunset. One could nearly set one’s watch by 
it; it only lasts for about Io or 15 minutes. Unlike the 
Blackbirds, Thrushes, Robins and Wrens, there is never 
any later song. In regard to early morning the Chaffinches 
are never in the great dusk chorus of Blackbird and Thrush. 
They do not start till an hour or more later, that is to say 
about half an hour after sunrise. The same set of birds 
are heard at morning as evening. 

In regard to fighting, no animosity was seen between 
pairs when out of their territory in neutral ground like a 
fowl yard. I have no note of any actual fighting later 
than April 7th (at that time all normal pairs would be 
settled). But where there was a still mateless male he 
continued to oust from his territory any male looking for 
food, but not any female doing. the same. I did not, 
however, see any evident animosity by any male who. had 
a mate and had got as far as a nest, thus giving the 
_ impression that he feared no risk of her abduction. | When 
the time of feeding young arrives, the pairs do not appear 


A2 


IIo The Irish Naturalist. October, 


to me to be confined to their territories by any means, 
but to vary their search without any distinct opposition 
except from a mateless bird as above. An extraordinary 
onset could suddenly be observed on food which appeared 
connected with the beech buds just bursting into leaf. 
This was on the 29th April. ‘Tree feeding before that was 
not pronounced. This was just a day or two before the 
hatching of the earliest young and it seemed as if the 
incubation were arranged just in time for this food. By 
the 22nd May ground feeding had displaced the former, 
-but by this date the normal nests would have the young 
fledged. 

The courtship of the Chaffinch generally takes the form 
of the male doggedly following the female from branch to 
branch and then an occasional flight when they click bill 
to bill. Mr. Howard has fully described courtship. 


BLACKBIRD.—A few Blackbirds appear to be paired 
and others courting for several weeks before song begins. 
I have some reason from three or four cases to think that 
those very early pairs do not join in the subsequent song. 
The earliest song is in the third or fourth week of February. 
Song implies perching up, more or less in the open, contrary 
to the usual habits of the bird. The well-known noisy calls 
in the winter dusk, as the birds proceed to favourite roosting 
colonies, diminish at the commencement of song. Fewer 
birds congregate, that is to say, they are beginning to 
roost in their own territories. At any time in the season 
the amount of Blackbird song between an hour after sunrise 
and an hour before sunset seems never more than trifling. 
The really great chorus is always confined to Io or I5 
minutes in the dark dusk of morning and evening. And 
it is not until April that earlier evening song becomes 
noticeable, that is about an hour before sunset. Those 
few birds which are heard in any degree during the day 
appear to be either birds which are a long time getting 
mates or birds which late in the season are for some reason 
(possibly “‘ residual song,’’ see below) much more inclined 
than the average to warble in the day time. By the middle 
of March the chorus is in full swing at the two dusks. 


a 


1921. Burkitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds, 117 


From then to the end of March there was a fast waning of 
song. By the end of the third week in April there was 
practically neither evening nor dusk song. (It is all done 
by Thrushes). Some areas are completely silent, and any 
later song about me was a gentle occasional day warble 
from an odd bird. I ceased taking notes of such on May 
21st and do not know when they ceased, but I know that 
there was no song whatever after June 6th. I know little 
about moulting but I saw a couple in moult between 12th 
and end of June. 

Twelve pairs were more or less studied by me, five of 
them in greater detail. At least three of the twelve had 
disasters in nesting. The earliest nest was laid up on 
March 29th. The next four between the oth and 13th 
April, which corresponds to the normal early nests here 
over many years. The latest was laid up about the 12th 
May. I was unable to satisfy myself about any definite 
relation of song to nesting. At least two of the pairs never 
sang at all as far as I could note, unless a few times a 
month before eggs, even though one was near my front 
door. Two pairs sang a little before being laid up. Two 
others sang five and eleven days respectively before being 
laid up, and while little during incubation, their song 
continued more or less, even when feeding the young after 
leaving the nest. One was very evident as a mateless bird 
and the best singer round me, singing from March 5th to 
April 11th when he was paired. He made no subsequent 
song, but disaster happened to the nest on _ hatching, 
therefore the song relation is incomplete. The relation of 
song to nesting would be better studied where Blackbirds 
are scarcer than around me. 

I have no evidence at all, in this or previous. years, 
of second broods except where the first nest was destroyed. 
The English books say several broods are hatched. Howard 
Saunders says first broods are often hatched by end of 
March; ours would be fully three weeks later. 


SonGc THRusH.—As a rule an odd Thrush can be heard 
any time from the beginning of the year. By February 
4th song was very generally distributed, but judging by a 


118 The Irish Naturalist. October, | 


census of my own area, corroborated by general observation, 
the number of singers at this time of year is only one-third 
of those at the beginning of May (see below). The January 
song is mainly before 10 a.m. During the first three weeks 
of February the song changed from day song to be altogether 
evening song, but by the end of that time even this song 
had gone off as well as any early morning song. There 
were plenty of Blackbirds singing in the dark dusk of 
evening now but no Thrushes. All those Thrushes which 
used to sing and had ceased were now easily recognisable 
in pairs settled in their respective territories. I was dealing 
at that time with half a dozen such, and their subsequent 
nests, in my own area, and one or two elsewhere. There 
was no Thrush song inside my area from February 26th 
to the beginning of April. At the beginning of March 
however, a few new birds began to sing in the country 
round me, but this only lasted a few days. Thus there 
was practically no song anywhere to the end of March. 
In February the song in decadence seems to change first to 
evening, then to a few notes: at dark dusk, and then 
ceases. 

My observation of the individual pairs of that period 
is that their song entirely ceases very shortly after pairing. 
The normal early nests here are laid up in the last days of 
March. Song had ceased at least a month before. At the 
end of March there was also little Blackbird song (see 
above) and general Chaffinch song had waned, so that 
altogether there was a remarkable dearth of song then. 

During the first week of April new singers are noted, 
in new sites, but in no considerable quantity till after the 
middle of April. From the latter time song seems to be 
confined entirely to evening (7.e. say from three hours to 
two hours before sunset) or to the two dusk choruses of 
morning and night. Such song is now all Thrushes’ as 
compared with the middle of March, when these choruses 
were in full swing but all Blackbirds’. There is a regular 
gap between the evening and dusk song, and the latter 
has the more singers, while at davk dusk there is a sudden 
further increase of singers. This is a regular routine. 

Eight new birds had started in my own area between 


mh ds ae a ey oa 
PTY hen PETTY T ~% Noe ne pee rrye ot eed 


1921. BurRKITT.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 11g 


the 11th and 24th April, and by the first days of May the 
greatly increased number of Thrushes which sang either 
at dusk or dark dusk, made the singers so close together 
that one could not hope to tell with certainty to which 
territory or nest each singer might belong. I had therefore 
to regretfully conclude that further observations in such an 
area on the relation of song to nesting were futile. 

I took therefore no more notes till June 5th when I 
found there was no dusk song whatever around me. I do 
not know when it ceased. There were still a few songs in 
the day and a few in the evening. June 22nd was the last 
date I heard a single song in the country. (I noticed a 
Thrush badly moulted on June 28th). | 

The early song of January and of three weeks of 
February, followed by the comparative silence of March 
and part of April, and the rising again to a high volume 
and great numbers towards the beginning of May seems to 
indicate (as one feels at the time) that there must be a great 
immigration in the latter period. I had not been aware 
of such immigration, but I have since been told that it is 
probable. The normal early nesters would be free to start 
new nests early in May and therefore, perhaps, to join in 
this May song, but this is only guess work. A certain amount 
of second brooding is evident. 

The relation of song to nesting in the May birds may 
be different to that of the early birds, but I have to leave 
the solution of this to observers who have much fewer 
Thrushes than I. Some very late Thrushes which had 
young hatched out about June 8th had certainly. not 
sung for a long time before that and did not sing after- 
wards ; what then was the meaning of the singing birds 
who continued to the 22nd, unless they were mateless ? 
The time of day in which these birds sang would be 
parallel to the early unmated birds. Therefore probably 
this June song, like the Chaffinch’s, is of the type I call 
“residual” below. I have not referred to mateless birds 
much, because the early birds seemed to be all mated 
except a couple of males within half a mile radius of 
me who remained singing and apparently mateless. and 
maintained their day song for from 15 to 28 days—quite 


120 The Irish Naturalist. October, 


unlike the normal. And whether mateless birds had any- 


thing to do with the volume of May song I was unable 
to tell. But it is highly probable many of them did not 
breed, as otherwise I should have come across much more 
of subsequent breeding operations. 


MISTLE THRUsSH.—These birds shew signs of pairing 
in the beginning of January. The normal early nesters 
have the clutch laid up in the first days of April, but such 
birds had not sung for a long time previously—I am not 
sure how long. The 14th April was the last song I heard 
anywhere. There was thus no song connected with all the 
later nests, or second broods, which may not be laid up 
till say May 8th. 


With reference to ending of summer song of Blackbird, 
Thrush and Missel Thrush, my dates above are—before 
June 6th, June 22nd, April 14th. Messrs. Alexander, as 
quoted in my previous article, give for S.E. England— 
fourth week of July and occasionally into October, third 
week of July and occasionally into early August, fourth 
week of May and occasionally into early August. I think 
my Blackbird and Song Thrush dates are normal here, 
but Mr. D. C. Campbell, writing from Londonderry, (50 
miles north of us), in the July issue, 1921, gives his records 
for these birds in 1893 and 1894 as ending—for Blackbird 
25th June and 18th July, for Song Thrush 22nd July, for 
Missel Thrush 2oth and 23rd May. These were all about 
a month later than I have given. These are the more 
puzzling as his other birds of those years fairly correspond 
with mine of recent years. 


Before passing on to song in general I may jot down 
a few somewhat irrelevant points about some other birds. 


Ropin.—No song here in at least three weeks of June 
and all July. Moutlting can be seen in these months but 
chiefly in July. 


WREN.—Complete song is as follows :—one beat, 5 quick 
double beats, 5 beats, twirl, 3 double beats. It is seldom 
finished complete I think out of the breeding season, 


i ete Nitin ee F 


1921. Burxkitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. I2I 


WILLOW WREN.—I have referred to mateless singers of 
this species before. I had one this year from April 27th 
to June 30th. Doubts have been expressed about knowing 
a mateless bird ; but apart from other signs, surely failure 
to find him in any day of any month with any companion 
or feeding young proclaims his state. 


RinG Dove.—That this bird has a perfectly regular 
song is, I suppose, well known, but I have never seen it 
even hinted at. It is in sets of “‘coos”’ 4, 5, 5, I, as 
follows 1234, 12345, 12345, Tet a BRE song is often 
incomplete. There is also the low double courting (?) note. 


CORNCRAKE.—This bird seems to cease to sing when 
the brood is hatched. I have not precise data. Why does 
this bird when singing move the whole upper part of its 
head, instead of the lower mandible? Each bird round 
me seemed to require about 5 acres of suitable territory. 


The overwhelming impression conveyed to me about 
song is—(a) the will to mate; (0) in a certain territory. 
By the will to mate, I would cover an interpretation, 
not necessarily confined to a mateless bird. Another 
important point which I would emphasize, as it has already 
been brought out by Mr. Howard, is that the control of 
breeding seems exercised by the female. It seems to me 
that it is mainly due to the discretion (speaking humanly) 
of the female and not of the male that the young are 
produced at suitable seasons, that some species have more 
broods than others, that in different parts of the kingdom 
the same species may vary in the number of broods. The 
males appear to desire to mate at many times but are 
not accepted by the female. This is mainly to my mind 
evinced by what I will term veszdual song but also by the 
attempts at courting or keeping in female company (out 
of the season) and by animosity between the males. This 
residual song means song that is not followed by breeding, 
and is made in greater or less quantity varying with the 
species, and with the season (summer, autumn or winter) 


122 The Irish Naturalist. October, 


and with the geographical position. Thus residual summer 
song here may be normal song in S.E. England. 

My propositions may be incorrect or at any rate very 
incomplete, but we are more likely to get at the truth by 
putting up some theory for criticism. 

Taking residual summer song first, the first of what I 
may call abnormal song that we meet with is the lengthening 
of ‘the normal period of spring song in the case of such 
males as find it difficult to get a mate. This song, as I 
have previously shewn, is a big thing (with us at least). 
It dwindles off as mates may be obtained, but some still 
may remain to be synchronous with the males of early 
broods re-starting to sing. This new song may be residual 
in one species and not in another, as in the Chaffinch and 
Greenfinch respectively ; or it may be residual here but 
not so in south-eastern England where another brood is 
normal, as is apparently the case with Blackbirds and 
Thrushes, and Hedge Sparrows. I have above described 
our Chaffinch residual song at the beginning of June. 
South-eastern England seems to last a month longer and 
to have another brood. With the Greenfinch there is a 
new very large quantity of song here from mid-June through 
most of July followed by a lot of new nests in the beginning 
of July, and though a great many singers must remain 
mateless yet this song may in general be called normal. 
England has later song and more broods. Of the multitude 
of Yellowhammers singing here in July and lessening in 
the first half of August, very few appear to nest. Their 
summer song is therefore mainly residual. | While the 
female Whitethroat is finishing the final feeding of its 
young in the hedges, the male may re-start to sing and court- 
her, but she pays no attention. And as I have shewn in 
a previous article some of the long mateless males may be 
still singing up to now(and thus become synchronous with 
the former) and get a mate at the end of June, but such 
broods are few. The same exactly applies to the Willow 
Wrens at the end of June, but there is, as far as I know, 
no fresh breeding here, though there seems some temporary 
‘pairing. In England there is earlier Ena and later 
song and second brooding. 


£921. Burkitt.—Song and Nesting of Birds. 123 


The Sedge Warblers have a very marked amount of 
residual song in the first 12 days of July; there are very 
few second broods. There is a considerable amount of 
Hedge Sparrow song here through June, perhaps more 
than at any other time, but as far as I know no fresh 
breeding results. There is a general renewal of Skylark 
song in June which corresponds with the time parents 
would be done with first broods, but I never knew ‘of 
any nests at or after this. England seems a month longer 
and to have another brood. Fresh Grasshopper Warbler 
song can be heard regularly after rearing the first brood, 
but the supposed second broods have not yet been found 
by me, and Mr. Howard admits the same. I am not much 
in the way of Starlings, but I heard none sing after 28th 
March, implying that the song ceased before breeding, 
but in the last week of May I saw an odd bird sing near 
a breeding hole, but no notice was taken by a female. 

- As to autumn and winter residual song we also do not 
appear to have anything like as much as in the south of 
England, yet we have some. I would also draw attention 
to the evidences of a certain amount of pairing which is 
maintained right through the winter; also in non-singing 
birds, eé.g., some of the Dabchick, Mallard, Widgeon, 
_ Jackdaws, and doubtless others. The more-one looks 
- through any available bird-records the more one sees 
evidences of a continuity of sexual feeling (to use a loose 
term) throughout the autumn and winter. Thus—Thrush 
nesting in November, Blackbird eggs in December and 
January. | . 

My few autumn results are as follows :—Chaffinch song 
was heard three times in September and once in October, 
along with some of the triple chirps as in early spring. 
Some of these chirp also in early December. At the end 
of December I noticed a male and female Chaffinch regularly 
roosting together. Some call. note is heard from the Hedge 
Sparrow in October, November, December, but it never 
develops into song as compared with the regular winter 
song recorded from south-eastern England ; and Howard 
Saunders says it may be heard in the south of Europe 
all through the winter. Many Yellowhammer seem paired 
and taking a sexual interest from November onwards 


524 The Irish Naturalist. October, 


though there is none of the proper song, only some of the 
single note. I heard Starling song at the end of September 
and frequently in early December. The song both then 
and in early spring seems invariably for attracting a mate 
by a single bird or by a bird separating himself from a 
flock. He generally stops when the female comes to him. 
I have seen attempted coition on such occasions several 
times in December and January. All through the winter 
many of the Wrens can be seen in pairs, but especially at 
roosting time (which is a regular song time for this bird 
as well as of the Robin). The proximity of the female 
seems at all seasons to tend to produce Wren’s song, though 
there is plenty apart irom her. Some Goldcrests appear 
to keep in pairs. I noticed much of their song at the end 
of October and end of December. At the latter time the 
song was regular at roosting. 

I would conclude these notes by mentioning a very 
interesting bit of information I had from Mr. A. Holte 
Macpherson in reference to Willow Wrens in the west end 
of inner London. ‘‘ Willow Wrens pass through this district 
in spring in fairly large numbers, but with the exception 
of a pair or two they do not stay with us more than a day 
or two, and are not to be seen or heard during the summer. 
About the middle of July they become quite common in 
London—more numerous than during the spring migration— 
and their song is oiten heard from then till end of August. 
This song is, however, weaker than that heard in spring. 
A good many but by no means all of the birds which invade 
London in July are young, distinguishable by their yellower 
plumage.’”’ Now my later Willow Wren singers cease song 
in the first days of July, and the following questions arise 
from this letter :— 


1. Is the return journey started from here so early ? 

2. Do migrants returning south sing on their way ? 
(The general evidence seems to be that they do not sing on 
their way north to us). 

3. If so, song and territory would seem detachable, at 
least in reference to residual song. Perhaps it is not 
residual in this case; perhaps breeding results ? 


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NESTS OF THE ANT STENAMMA WESTWOODI, 
DISCOVERED IN IRELAND. 


BY) Re A. PHEBieS | MIRAIA. 


ACCORDING to Mr. H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe, author of 
“ British Ants, their Life History and Classification,” a 
standard work in which is summarized all that has hitherto 
been known of the habits and distribution of these insects, 
Stenamma Westwood1 (Steph.) West., is a rare species of 
obscure habits. It occurs in south and central Europe, 
the south and midlands of England, ranging from Cornwall 
to Norfolk, and a single specimen was taken at Kenmare 
River, Co. Kerry, by Mr. J. N. Halbert in 1808. 

All the records for this ant in England and the majority 
of those for the Continent, refer to stray workers taken in 
or near the nests of other ants and among moss and leaves 
in woods and a few examples of the “ sexes ’’ mostly taken 
on the wing. Nests have been very rarely found. Donis- 
thorpe in his book (p. 142), mentions only two. He says 
“Von Hagens once found an independent colony at 
Elberfeld, consisting of a deaélated female and workers, and 
Wasmann another, situated under a stone in a wood at 
Laacher See (Rheinische Vordereifel) in August, 1889, some 
eighty workers being present, no female however being 
found.” In neither of those colonies, it will be noticed, 
were the three “sexes ’’ seen and no mention is made of 
larvae or pupae being present. 

- Donisthorpe also quotes André as writing (in Sfec. 
Hym. Europe, i., 312, 1881)—‘ It (Stenamma) occurs in 
shady places in woods and forests, nesting in the earth 
under moss and dead leaves, the nest being difficult to 
detect.’’ No description or particulars are given of nests, 
if actually seen, in such situations. 

The frequent occurrence of Stenamma Westwoodi in the 
nests of other ants has caused a diversity of opinion among 
myrmecologists as to its habits, some regarding these 
occurrences as accidental, others referring to the species 
as a guest-ant, and it has also been looked on as a myr- 
mecophilous species ; thus, F. Smith writing in Ent. Ann. 
1863, 59, says :—‘‘ I am inclined to believe that M. lippula 

A 


126 ; The Irish Naturalist. November, 


(—S. Westwood1) never constructs its own nest, but resides 
constantly with species of Formicidae.” 

The observations here recorded should therefore be of 
interest as proving conclusively, that in Ireland at any rate, 
Stenamma Westwoodt makes its own home, founds its 
colonies and raises its young quite independently of any 
other species. 

On the 2oth of May last I discovered two colonies of a 
small ant, each under a large flat stone in Mount Garret 
Wood near New Ross, Co. Wexford. The first consisted of 
about a dozen workers walking on the underside of the 
stone which rested on a loose layer of dead twigs and leaves. 
The second was a small nest in which about twenty workers 
and some larvae were seen. Specimens were sent to Mr. 
A. W. Stelfox of the National Museum, Dublin, who at 
once recognized it as Slenamma Westwood1 and its identity 
was subsequently verified by Mr. Donisthorpe. 

Since then, in September, 1921, I took a worker and 
one male on the ground close to a nest of Formica fusca 
and another worker in moss shakings in the wood at Camlin, 
two miles south of New Ross. In the same month, in 
Killoughrim Forest, Co. Wexford, I discovered one nest 
with numerous workers and larvae, and another with a 
few workers only. All these habitats are old oak woods 
with a plentiful undergrowth of holly and brambles. 

On September 17th Mr. Stelfox and I visited Mount 
Garret Wood together and in the space of a few hours 
examined over forty nests, most of which contained larvae, 
pupae, workers and one or more females (7.e., “‘ queens’). 
Males, varying in numbers from one to eight were also 
present in some nests. All the females seen were dealated, 
that is, having been fertilized, they had got rid of their 
wings. The number of adults in each nest varied between 
twenty and one hundred. 

A few colonies, which may be regarded as riekbica, 
were also found, one, for instance, consisting of five males 
and one worker, another of one male and two workers ; 
there were no larvae in either of these, and a third had six 
dealated females, two workers and some larvae. | 

Every nest we saw was situated under a_ stone, so 
tightly embedded as to preclude light and moisture ; 


1921. PHILLIPS.—Nests of the Ant Stenamma Westwoodi. 127 


usually in the centre when the stone was flat; or in the 
most inaccessible place when the stone was angular. The 
structure of the nest was similar in all cases; a central 
chamber roughly circular or oblong, usually about one 
inch across-and a quarter of an inch in depth, with a few 
short side-galleries leading into subterranean passages, the 
whole roofed by the stone and covering a space of not 
more than two and a half inches square. 

The central chamber, in which the young brood lies 
and is tended by the workers, is very carefully prepared, 
its floor being clean and level and coated with a _ thin 
bluish-grey material which, seen through a lens, has the 
appearance of a minute web-like fungus. We failed to 
trace any means of communication between the nest and 
the outside world, but it seems certain that the exit and 
ventilation are through one or more of the narrow under- 
ground tunnels. 

When a nest is disturbed the workers wander slowly 
around, some seizing the larvae and carrying them singly 
or in bunches underground in a leisurely deliberate fashion. 

No myrmecophiles were seen in the nests, but in a 
side-chamber in one we found three seeds of the Wood 
Sorrel (Oxalis Acetosella), and three eggs each of a different 
small snail,! neatly placed in a row. In another we found 
the remains of a beetle-larva that had probably been 
devoured by the ants, which apparently are carnivorous, as 
Mr. Donisthorpe, who now has a colony under observation 
in an artificial nest, writes, “ they do not seem to care for 
honey, but eat dead flies, dragging them into the inner 
chambers of the nest.’”’ The only other ants seen in the 
wood were one colony of Myrmica ruginodis and a single 
stray specimen of Domnitsthorpea mixta, but these were not 
close to the nests of Stenamma. That the nesting habits 
of Stenamma Westwocdi differ in many ways from those of 
other British ants is evident from these noies, but?mach 
further and more detailed observation is necessary to 
elucidate the full life-history of the species. 

Gardiner’s Hill, Cork. 


1Possibly belonging to Vitvina pellucida, Hyalinta alliarta and 
Helix votundata. 
A2 


128 The Lrish Naturalist. November. 


THE. EARLIEST IRISH ZOOLOGIST. 
BY R. F. SCHARFF. 


WE possess only a few fragmentary notes on the animals 
that inhabited Ireland in ancient historical times. From 
these no idea can be formed of the composition of our 
fauna as a whole at that period, although the cave researches 
have yielded some clues as to the larger animals which 
existed in this country along with the old inhabitants. 
The two earliest references to Irish animals both date from 
the gth century. By far the most interesting of these is 
what may almost be called a zoological poem written in 
Irish, which was translated by Mr. Eugene Curry and 
incorporated in a paper by Sir William Wilde.’ This poem 
contains the names of dozens of animals, some of which 
have never been identified. The second reference is rather 
vague and negative. St. Donatus, who died in the year 
840, asserts that the bear, lion, snake and “noisy frog ”’ 
did not exist in Ireland. Still even this meagre information 
is of some value. ; 

About 300 years later (in the 12th century) Giraldus 
Cambrensis visited Ireland and describes several animals 
which he saw. It is interesting to note that he does not 
mention the bear, which we know must have been extremely 
abundant at the time when the Reindeer and Irish Elk 
lived in this country. We may assume therefore that it 
had already died out in the 12th century. 

A much older note on the Irish fauna—like the others 
it is very fragmentary—does not appear to have been 
noticed before by Irish zoologists. It is a short reference 
by an Irish monk called Augustine dating from the 7th 
century. Nothing is known of his life or abode except his 
being of Irish origin. The value of his essay from a 
zoological point of view far exceeds anything written in 
the course of many centuries after his death for he attempted 
to solve problems which were not revived until about a 
hundred years ago. 


1 Wilde, W.: ‘‘ Upon the unmanufactured Animal Remains belonging 
to the Academy.’’—Pyroc. R. Irish Acad., vol. vii., 1860. 


1921. ScCHARFF.—The Earliest Irish Zoologist. 129 


The writings of this remarkable Irish monk were 
published as an appendix to the third volume of the collected 
works of Saint Augustine, because they were formerly 
ascribed to that eminent divine. The volumes made their 
appearance in Paris in 1837 and the appendix is entitled 
“De mirabtlibus sacrae scripturae libri tres.” The 
manuscript is known to have been written by “ Augustinus 
hibernus ”’ as he is sometimes called, in the year 655.! 

In the first part or book the author comments on the 
creation of heaven and earth, of the beasts, birds and fishes, 
and of man. MHe then dwells on the nature of the flood 
and on the accommodation provided for the beasts and 
birds in the ark. His acute observations tend to show 
that he was a keen naturalist who carefully pondered over 
all the difficulties connected with the biblical account of 
the origin of our fauna. I may be excused for quoting the 
exact Latin words of the author as in some cases I may 
have mistaken their correct rendering in English. On 
page 2726 the discussion is continued as follows :— 

“ De animalibus quoque quae nec in terra tantum, nec in aqua tantum 
vivere possunt, quaestio vertitur, quomodo diluvium evaserunt, quales 
sunt lutri, vituli marini, et multum avium genera, quae in aquis escarum 
suarum. victum requirunt, sed in arena dormiunt et nutriuntur, et 
requiescunt. Si ergo arca includerentur sine aquarum adjumento vivere 
non possent: et si extra arcam remanerant, aquis universa tegentibus, 
ubi requiescerent quomodo haberent ? ”’ 

In other words Augustine was puzzled how such animals 
as the otter and the seal fared during the flood. Ifa pair 
of each had been taken into the ark they could not have 
lived, he thinks, without an ample supply of water. If 
they remained outside where and in what manner did they 
survive the flood ? 

. What next follows constitutes the most interesting part 
of Augustine’s speculations, for it directly concerns the 
Irish fauna and its origin. Many pages of the Irish 
Naturalist contain discussions on this subject, and it has 
been the principal aim of the writers to show that many 
of the animals now existing in Ireland could only have 
reached this country by means of a former land connection 


1] am indebted to Mr. de Burgh of the Trinity College Library for 
permission to study this valuable work. 


130 The Irish Naturalist. November, 


with Great Britain. It is assumed also that the latter 
country was united by land with the continent. The two 
islands would then have formed together a great promontory 
of the continent. These ideas were considered as altogether 
modern, and it was never dreamt of that an Irish monk 
could have held those views more than a thousand years 
ago. Yet such is the fact. 


Augustine continues on page 2730 :— 


‘““ Unde etiam insulas quae ab initio conditi orbis ut multi affirmant 
non fuerant, processu temporis faciunt, dum propinqua promontoria 
marini finibus a continenti terra dividunt.’’ 


I would take this sentence to mean that although many 
writers asserted that islands did not originally exist they 
no doubt were formed by promontories becoming detached 
from the mainland through marine action. In this manner 
he explains how animals which were originally members of 
a continental fauna came to be found on islands. 

‘Per quod intelligitur, quod illae ferae quae insularum orbibus 
includuntur non’ humana diligentia devectae, sed in illa divisione 
insularum a continenti terra repertae esse probantur. Quis enim, verbi 


gratia, lupos, cervos et sylvaticos porcos, et vulpes, taxones et lepusculos 
et sesquivolos in Hiberniam deveheret ? ” 


I believe I am right in translating these two sentences 
as follows :—It must therefore be assumed that the wild 
animals now found on islands have not been conveyed 
there by human agency. Who indeed could have brought 
wolves, deer, wild swine, foxes, badgers and little hares to 
Ireland? Augustine was evidently not in favour of the 
view, maintained by some writers until quite recently, that 
the Irish fauna was introduced by man. Fortunately he 
had heard nothing about the Glacial Period which, according 
to some geologists, completely wiped out the previously 
existing animals of Ireland. The passage in Augustine’s 
writings is of importance as a contribution to Irish natural 
history in showing that six kinds of large animals inhabited 
Ireland when he wrote this account in the year 655. Wolves 
and wild swine are now extinct in Ireland. Deer no longer 
roam about the country, although it is believed that some 
of the descendants of the old wild stock still live in the 


1921, ScHARFF.—The Earliest Irish Zoologist. 131 


large demesnes near Killarney. Only foxes, badgers and 
hares are still with us. If the term “ lepusculus”’ refers 
to the rabbit it would indicate that this animal is probably 
indigenous. I cannot imagine why the author should 
have used this word if he meant “ hare,” as the ordinary 
Latin word is “lepus’”’ not “‘ lepusculus ”’ which stands for 
leveret or little hare. What Augustine wished to convey 
by the word “ sesquivolos”’ is not clear to me. ‘‘ More than 
half-flying ’’ animals might be the correct rendering of this 
word, which I cannot find in any dictionary. As I was 
writing this review of Augustine’s essays Prof. Henry 
pointed out to me that the late Bishop Reeves had published 
an account of this eminent Irish monk.' On consulting 
this paper I find that the Bishop had alluded to the sentence 
just referred to and had translated “‘ lepusculus ’’ by hare 
and ‘“‘sesquivolos’’ by rabbits or weasels. In a footnote 
Bishop Reeves acknowledges that the last word occurs 
nowhere else, and while translating it as above he submits 
the suggestion that it might have been “squirolus ”’ 
denoting a squirrel. Indeed it is quite possible that the 
original. word in Augustine's manuscript was wrongly 
transcribed. In any case I scarcely think we are justified 
in translating the word by either rabbit or weasel. Bishop 
Reeves treated Augustine’s essays from a standpoint rather 
different from my own. He was more concerned with the 
writer’s originality of thought and intimate acquaintance 
with sacred literature and expressed the opinion that from 
a theological point of view Augustine’s essay is the most 
interesting relique of Irish learning. 

A Swedish author, Mr. Nils von Hofsten,! refers to the 
writings of the Irish Augustinus, as he calls him, in the 
most glowing terms and speaks of him as having been the 
first to explain the discontinuous distribution of animals 
by the assumption of a former land connection between 
territories that are at present separated. 


1 Reeves, Rev. William: ‘‘On Augustin, an Irish writer of the 
seventh century.”—Proc. Royal Irish Academy, vol. vii, 1861. 


Nils von Hofsten: ‘‘ Zur alteren Geschichte des Diskontinuitits- 
problems in der Biogeographie.’’——Zoologische Annalen, vol. Vii., 1916, 


132 The Irish Naturalist. November, 


A man of the type of Augustine might have told us a 
great deal more about the Irish fauna. It is unfortunate 
he did not do so. He does not mention the Bear as still 
existing in Ireland in the year 655. The Deer he alludes 
to were presumably Red Deer, for it is probable that both 
the Reindeer and Irish Elk had already been exterminated. 
It would be interesting to know what the wild swine were 
like. It is certain that fierce wild boars inhabited the 
ancient Irish forests, and we are told also that small 
so-called wild swine abounded in the woods in the 12th 
century. The latter I believe were not truly wild swine 
but the feral descendants of an old domesticated stock. 
All these and many other zoological questions might have 
been answered by Augustine, who had a rare capacity for 
observation and was endowed with a surprising amount of 
learning and knowledge. 


Knockranny, Bray. 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


JuLy 27.—ExcuRsION TO Lampay.—Leaving Howth Pier soon after 
I2, a party of 33 members and visitors reached Lambay in a little less 
than an hour, and spent a delightful afternoon among the interesting 
birds and plants of that too rarely visited island. It was not, of course, 
to be expected that important discoveries would be made, considering 
how careful a survey had been made in the years 1905 and 1906 of nearly 
every branch of the island’s fauna and flora; but it is clear from the 
captures made on this excursion by Mr. Stelfox of various species of 
humble bees and wasps (already recorded in this Journal, pp. 108-9) 
that plenty of work still remains to be done among even the most easily 
explored orders of the insects. Among the more interesting birds 
observed were the Raven, which is now known to be once more a regular 
breeder in this old but long abandoned resort, and the Peregrine Falcon, 
of which an example was noted in apparently immature plumage. The 
huge breeding colonies of Kittiwakes, Guillemots, and Puffins naturally 
attracted the largest share of attention; but the fact that a Spotted 
Flycatcher was seen near Lambay Castle may be worth noting, as this 
species is marked with a query in Mr. Patterson’s list (J. N., vol. xvi., 
p. 26). Some curiosity was aroused by the finding of a number of acorns 
dropped on wild ground, as if by birds, on the higher part of the island : 


1921 Irish Soctettes. 133 


for as no oaks were seen of acorn-bearing age, the question suggested 
itself whether these acorns must not have been carried by birds from 
the mainland. The excursion concluded with a visit to the Castle, where 
the large party was most hospitably entertained by Mr. Baring and his 
family. The return to Howth was effected by about 8 p.m. 
SEPTEMBER 10.—EXCURSION TO GLENASMOLE.—For this excursion 43 
members and friends assembled at Terenure tramway terminus at 
11.15 a.m., favoured by a remarkably fine morning after a night of heavy 
rain. The majority then proceeded in three good-sized brakes (others 
preferring to cycle), to the entrance to the Rathmines waterworks, 
dismounting at Mrs. Hely’s, whence the walk round the lakes was begun. 
The lateness of the date was unfavourable for chances of seeing many 
of the rare plants for which the glen is so remarkable, but Galium 
uliginosum was seen in flower, and among those plants of interest that 
had passed the flowering stage both Eviophorum latifolium and Carex 
aquatilis were pointed out to the party while the Sweet-briar called 
attention to itself by its remarkable fragrance after some showers of 
rather heavy rain had descended. Mr. Stelfox, who conducted, also 
drew attention to two remarkable hybrid roses, of which it would appear 
that the parents are in one case Rosa spinosissima and R. tomentosa, 
and in the other R. spinosissima and Fk. rubiginosa—the latter, as he 
pointed out, being of special interest as indicating that the Sweet-briar 
has been for some time in possession of this habitat, where it also looks 
quite wild. Several interesting water birds—Wild Duck, Heron, Little 
Grebe, and one Cormorant—were seen during this walk. The party 
returned to Mrs. Hely’s for tea at 4.30, and reached Dublin a little 


before 7, 
* 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


AUGUST 27.—EXCURSION TO MONLOUGH.—A party of 39 drove from 
town in motor char-a-banc and taxis as far as Carryduff, thence walking 
to Monlough. On reaching the lake side the botanists dispersed, meeting 
with a considerable amount of success. Among the birds noted may be 
mentioned the following :—Swan, Wild Duck, Heron, Coot, Grebe, Stone- 
chat. The party reached the house of Mr. M‘Williams at the foot of 
the lake about 4.30 p.m., glad to take shelter there from the persistent 
rain which had first met them on their arrival at the lake side. Mr. 
M‘Williams and family had made every arrangement for their comfort, 
and the members of the party were appreciative of their kindness. After 
tea the usual business meeting was held, when six new members were 
elected. Reference was also made to the recent losses the Club had 
sustained in the deaths of Mr. Joseph Galloway, a member for 30 years ; 
and Mr. Barton Sefton, a member for 18 years. The route to Ballygowan 
was resumed about 5.30 p.m., the programme being somewhat altered on 
account of the heavy rain, and in due time the members reached town 
again. 


134 The Irish Naturalist. November 


SEPTEMBER 10.—EXCURSION TO THE KnocKaGH.—The seventh 
excursion was attended by forty-eight members and friends, who entrained 
for Greenisland at 2.15 p.m. The approach to Knockagh, the ancient 
name of which was Knocksciagh—1.e., “‘ The Hill of the White Thorn ’’— 
was over the links of. the Greenisland Golf Club, thence by paths to the 
base of the mountain. Here R. Bell delivered a short, instructive address 
on the geology of the hill and district, in which he pointed out the irregular 
strata of basalt superimposed on the friable amygdaloid, which rests on 
another stratum of basalt, underneath which appears the chalk. The 
botanical section of the members found the flora of the hill interesting. 
Among the plants observed were the wood vetch (Vicia sylvatica) and the 
spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus). 

From the summit, 903 feet above sea level, a magnificent bird’s-eye 
view was obtained of Belfast Lough, its shores and surrounding hills, the 
Mourne Mountains, and Coast of Scotland. After tea a brief business 
meeting was held, at which, in the absence of the President (S. A. 
Bennett, B.A., B.Sc.) the chair was occupied by F. Adens Heron, J.P. 
The election of seven new members terminated the proceedings, after 
which a start was made for Greenisland Station. 

SEPTEMBER 24.—EXCURSION TO DROMORE.—The ninth excursion took 
place, when 47 members visited Dromore. At the Cathedral they were 
welcomed by the rector of Dromore (Canon J. W. Cooke), who gave a 
most interesting description of the history of the Cathedral from the 
time of St. Colman, early in the 6th century, down to the present day. 

The next halt was at the restored cross erected on the abutment of 
the bridge over the Lagan. This memorial is mentioned as standing 
in the reign of James I., and still bears traces of very beautiful Celtic 
interlaced ornament. After many vicissitudes it was finally re-erected 
on its present site by the exertions of the Naturalists’ Field Club. 

The Club was also responsible for the re-erection in the Market Place 
of the old town stocks, the next object visited. The stocks having been 
opened one of the bolder members voluntarily allowed himself to be 
incarcerated therein, this being considered the psychical moment for a 
photograph. 

Passing the old castle, said to have been built about 1607, the party 
proceeded to the great Mount of Dromore, where the Conductor (Canon 
W. P. Carmody, M.A.) gave an interesting address on raths and earth 
mounds. 

From the mount an adjournment was made to the church school- 
house, where, after tea, the usual business meeting was held. One 
junior and nine senior members were elected. The President (S. A. 
Bennett, B.A., B.Sc.) having suitably voiced the appreciation of the 
members of the party for the kindness shown by Canon Cooke on this 
the ninth and last excursion of the summer session, and having outlined 
the programme of the forthcoming winter session, the proceedings 
terminated, the members returning to Belfast by the 6.0 p.m. train. 


1921. Irish Societies. 135 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


OcTOBER 12.—The Club met at Leinster House. 

J. G. RHYNEHART showed preparations of the head and jaws 
of the larva of Triochcera relegationis which he had found feeding in rotten 
turnip. He demonstrated the characteristic structure of the mandibles 
and maxillae, and pointed out the presence, in association with the 
conspicuous hypopharynx, of a pair of spinose lobes that might be 
regarded as maxillulae. 

Prof. G. H. CARPENTER showed preparations of the thoracic air-tubes 
of Irish Hive-bees, in which adults, eggs, and nymphs of the small mite 
Tarsonemus Woodi were present. This mite has been recently described 
by Dr. Rennic (Tvans. R. Soc. Edinb. vol. lii., 1920, pt. 4), as the causal 
organism of “‘ Isle of Wight ’’ disease in Hive-bees. 


NOTES, 
ZOOLOGY. 


Gymnetron squamicolle Reitter, a Beetle new to the 
Britannic List. 


On June 16th, 1g02, I swept up in a damp spot at Glencar, Co. Kerry 
a red Gymnetron unknown to me, but which I was subsequently told was 
a red torm of G. beccabungae. I accordingly recorded it as such (Ivish 
Nat. xii., 1903, p. 65), but have always regarded this identification with 
considerable doubt, and have kept the insect in a space to itself in my 
cabinet. Recently I sent it with some other beetles to my friend Major 
Sainte Claire Deville, and he has returned it, stating that it is Gymnetron 
squamicolle Reitter. 

Reitter described the species from Berlin Verh. Naturf. Ver. Briinn 
xlv., 31 (1907); it occurs in the south of Norway, and Major Deville 
takes it in France. He tells me he is not surprised that it has been 
taken in our Islands, and thinks it will be found in England, as well 
as Ireland. However this may be, the species has not been recorded from 
the British Isles heretofore. 

G. squamicolle is a very pretty insect, the thorax is thickly clothed 
with yellow scales, the elytra are red with the base ,suture and sides 
narrowly black, and the legs are red with black tarsi. I shall be in- 
terested to hear if this species is taken in any other part of Ireland. 

i Horace DOoNISTHORPE. 


Acherontia atropos on Lambay. 


On the 11th instant a Death’s head moth flew into the room of Miss 
Linehan, the housekeeper at Lambay, and was caught by her. 


Bishopsgate, London CECIL BARING. 


136 The Irish Naturalist. November, 1921. 


Ravens on Howth. 


In September 2oth I saw a pair of Ravens on the southern cliffs of 
Howth and have seen and heard them about the same locality several 
times since. On enquiry I find they have been about Howth, probably 
since March last, but I have not been able to find out if they nested here. 

In the Ivish Nat. for 1907 (p. 27) it is stated that the Raven nested 
on Lambay Island until 1883, and in the Handbook of Dublin and 
District prepared for the British Association in Septem*er, 1908, Mr. 
Rk. M. Barrington wrote of the Raven: ‘‘ Rare and decreasing species. 
Used to breed at Howth (Hart) and on Lambay. A few pairs still nest 
in the Wicklow Mountains.”’ 


The Tansey, Baily. Denis R. PAcCK-BERESFORD. 


The Song and Nesting of Birds. 


Since my article in the October issue of the Ivish Naturalist (supra, 
p. 113-124) went to press I have this September heard a great deal more 
Chaffinch residual autumn song, amidst a general chirping, chiefly in the 
second half of the month, on fine mornings and ceasing about Io a.m. 
as in earliest spring. The song was sluggish and never made a proper 
twirl at the end. I did not give sufficient attention to be sure whether 
such singers had each a “ headquarters’’ or incipient territory. Of 
course this song implied a break from the flocking, temporary or 
permanent. As I have indicated, some members of flocking species 
seem paired through the winter and then are more or less definitely 
separated from the flocks. 

It is worth noting that in several species the stronger the mating 
impulse or the more it is unsatisfied, the more the song encroaches into 
the daytime. Hence there is a strong connection between mateless 
birds and much day song. 

In reference to the occasion of song, I have elsewhere said that song 
may be. made in alarm. Mr. G. C. S. Ingram writing on the Blackcap 
in British Birds, September, 1921, instances song when brooding on 11-day 
old chicks, and when fear of his presence prevented the male from 
feeding the young in nest, and when escorting a fledgeling in the bushes. 
I might assert that the first and third of these occasions shewed the will 
to re-brood as I have referred to in Whitethroat and Willow Wren, and 
that the second occasion was alarm, but would I be right ? Can we 
learn anything from caged birds ? Do they sing to an unnatural extent ? 
And if so, is it because they cannot fulfil their mating destiny ? 


Enniskillen, : JAMES P. BuRKITT. 


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Vol. xxx., No. 11. oS eee 


CONTENTS. 


November, 1 1921. oe 


> ty , ee Ve oe aS eae) 
‘igi tae eddy} |< lene 


‘: PAGE 
Nest dk The Ant Siehanme Westincetii discovered in os ae ae 
land—R. \A.’: PHILLIPS, MRL As @ 5: waa eo Sea 
The Earliest Irish Zoologist—R. F. ScuaRrr sae 5 ee 
fe eK, 
IRISH SocIeTIES : : aore Se 
Dublin..Naturalists’ Field Cluh .. 0 ie gee SAE 132 : 
Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club’ > LE Rae eas I Oe 133 te 
Dublin Microscopical Club | ee Bey “e 
Notes : 2 * rs : 
Gymnetron squamicolle Reitter, a Beetle new to the Beianae 5 8 
List—Horacr DONISTHORPE, F.Z.S. ” Nite Da Ge 
Acherontia atropos on Lambay—How, CEIcr BarInc LESH. 
Ravens on Howth—DeEnis R. PACK-BERESFORD, M.R.J.A, , 136 


The Song and Nesting of Birds—J.P. Burxkinta, B.E. 


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December, 1921 The Irish Naturalist, - [37 


THE ESKERS OF IRELAND. 
BY J. DE W. HINCH. 


THE Eskers of Ireland have always attracted attention 
on account of their singular appearance in the great central 
plain, and the suggestions recently put forward by Prof. 
Gregory of Glasgow' to account for their origin have aroused 
considerable interest among those geologists who are con- 
versant with the subject. 

A satisfactory definition of an Esker is difficult to agree 
upon, as deposits which are merely irregular mounds of 
angular rocky material have been included in the term, 
and many of the older geologists applied the word Esker 
to any ridge of postglacial sand and gravel which showed 
signs of stratification. It is, however, in Ireland, usual 
to restrict the term to the winding steep-sloped ridges of 
water-worn sand and gravel which stretch for such con- 
siderable distances across the central plain, the most noted 
being the Esker Riada, the old boundary line between 
northern and southern Ireland. In form and linear disiri- 
bution the Eskers vary greatly, and while some of the 
Eskers having the Esker Riada structure can be traced 
across country for considerable distances in a fairly straight 
line, there are on the other hand many hundreds of small 
Eskers with very little claim to definite form at all and whose 
longer axes show no connected general trend. 

The Eskers are related to the great glacial deposits of 
siratiied sands and gravels and must be regarded as the 
very latest of the late glacial series ; in fact the formation 
of the Eskers must be considered as the closing episode 
of the Great Ice Age. Concerning the origin of Eskers 
there has been much discussion, and it must be said that 
the question still remains unsolved, and especially as regard 
the details. G. H. Kinahan regarded them as shoals and 
sindbanks formed by the tides and currents of the sea 
resulting from a postglacial submergence of the central 
plain, and showed much ingenuity in separating them into 
Fringe Eskers, Barrier Eskers, and Shoal Eskers, but his 
most enduring contribution to the subject is his recognition 


“Grecory, J. W. “‘ The Irish Eskers,’’ Phil. Trans. Roy, Soc. 
Section B.. vok ccx:, 1920-2. 
A 


138 | The Irish Naturalist. December, 


of the fact that all the material encountered in the field 
was glacial drift which had been converted by degrees into 
sand and gravel, whether the sand and gravel occurred as 
the low undulating hills of the Curragh of Kildare or as - 
the narrow sinuous mounds of the Esker Riada type. 

As our knowledge of the glacial deposits of Ireland 
became more accurate the submergence theories connected 
with the Ice Age became untenable and the high-pitched 
gravel mounds of the Esker Riada type came to be regarded - 
as casts of the subglacial or englacial tunnels which. had 
been excavated in the ice sheet by percolating water. This 
theory which is usually connected with the name of Dr. 
Hummel, the Swedish geologist, who has made a special 
study of Eskers or Osar in Sweden, has been regarded with 
favour, both in Europe and America, as affording a satis- 
factory solution of the problem. In recent years an 
important modification of Hummel’s theory was proposed 
by De Geer, who, while retaining the subglacial or englacial 
tunnel for the supply of the necessary water-worn material, 
considered that the stream issuing from the glacier should 
deposit its load under water in a lake or stretch of stationary 
water existing along the front of the ice sheet. 

The possible or probable existence of these lakes or 
stretches of water in Ireland in late glacial times has 
been the subject of much discussion among Irish geologists, 
and various proposals for a lake in the central plain has 
been brought forward, whether as consequent on differential 
movement of the land at the close of the Ice Age or as the 
result of possible ice barriers closing the outlets of the 
central depression. No definite decision had been arrived 
at when Prof. Gregory in the paper under review proposed 
a return to a postglacial submergence, in order to obtain 
the necessary sheet of water required by De Geer’s theory, 
evidence for which he considered to exist in the presence 
of the shelly deposits which occur in various localities and 
at various elevations in Ireland. 

The proposal put forward by Prof. Gregory of a post- 
glacial submergence of the central plain of Ireland in order 
to explain the origin of the Eskers must be regarded as 
revolutionary, and one which could only be accepted by 
Irish geologists after very deliberate consideration. Its 


1921, Hincu.—The Eskers of Ireland. 139 


acceptance means that the principles and methods adopted 
in the investigation into glacial and late glacial deposits 
during the past generation will have to be abandoned, and 
a great deal of the work already accomplished by the 
Geological Survey of Ireland and other workers must be 
regarded as obsolete if this return to antique views Is agreed 
to. Under these circumstances the evidence of submergence 
which Prof. Gregory proposes to rely upon will have to 
bear the strictest investigation as to its accuracy and as to 
its bearing on the immediate point under discussion. 

It may be said at once that no such submergence can be 
imagined with our present knowledge of the surface deposits 
of Ireland, and that much of the evidence brought forward 
by Prof. Gregory has long been regarded by Irish geologists 
as proof that the districts in which they are found had been 
traversed by the ice sheets which deposited the marine 
shells in their present position. Most of the evidence 
produced by Prof. Gregory was collected before the true 
nature of the glacial deposits was understood, and some of 
it is merely inaccurate interpretation of the facts observed 
in the field, such as the confusion of attributing the kitchen- 
midden deposits of Tarmon Hill in the Mullet to a recent 
marine submergence. It is to be regretted that Prof. 
Gregory has not seen fit to examine any of the modern 
work done in glacial geology in Ireland, or if he has examined 
it, that he has ignored it so pointedly. 

It can be stated with confidence that there are five areas 
in Ireland where marine shells and shell fragments have 
been found in abundance or in sufficient numbers to remove 
any doubt on the subject, in both the boulder clay and the 
overlying sands and gravels—Clare Island, North Mayo, 
Antrim and Down, the Counties of Louth, Meath, and 
Dublin ; and Wexford, Waterford and Cork. As the shelly 
drifts of Mayo, north-east Ulster, and south-east Leinster 
have no direct bearing on the proposed postglacial sub- 
mergence of the central plain we need not examine them at 
great length ; they represent in each case the advance inland 
of an ice sheet which has crossed an inlet or strait of the sea 
either from the adjoining mainland or from another country, 
and the shelly deposits laid down are in all cases definitely 
limited in extent and do not point to submergence. 

A2 


140 The Irish Naturalist. December, 


With regard to the shelly deposits of the ice sheet which 
invaded the eastern margin of the central plain, and which 
are usually quoted in support of the submergence theory 
we are in possession of a considerable amount of accurate 
information, as this area has been under observation for 
many years and includes the famous high level shelly drifts 
of Kilmashogue at 1,200 feet above sea-level, the equivalent 
in Ireland of the Moel Tryfaen deposits in North Wales 
on the other side of the Irish Sea. 

If we examine the shelly drifts of Leinster we find 
that shell-fragments have been collected im situ, and 
undoubtedly 7 situ, in various localities east of a line drawn 
from Clogher Head in Louth, to Castlecomer in Kilkenny, 
and that in sheltered and favoured places it is possible 
with diligent and persistent collecting over long periods 
to find many specimens in a sufficiently good state of 
preservation for purposes of identification. The most 
noted of the collections made in this province are those 
made by Maxwell Close at Ballyedmonduff and Kilmas- 
hogue, by R. Ll. Praeger and’ Prof. Sollas at Kill-of-the- 
Grange near Kingstown (now Dunleary), and by the present 
writer at Larch Hill in the Dublin Mountains and at the 
Ford of Fine in the Naul Hills, the latter investigation 
being made with the assistance of a research grant from 
the Royal Society of London. About 45 species of mollusca 
have been identified in these collections, and include the 
usual percentage of arctic and northern forms, but it is 
essential to bear in mind that the number of shell frag- 
ments which have to be collected before even.a short list 
of species becomes possible is very great indeed ; that as a 
typical instance, over four thousand shell fragments had 
to be gathered at Larch Hill in order to make possible a 
list of 42 species, and in other localities a similar proportion 
obtains. 

What is the paleontological value to be assigned to these 
many thousands of shell fragments found on the eastern edge 
of the central plain? Are they sufficient evidence of the 
postglacial submergence which Prof. Gregory proposes for 
the formation of the Eskers? The paleontological value 
of these shell fragments is as follows: they are valuable 


1921. Hincu.—The Eskers of Ireland. I4I 


just before the advance of the Irish Sea glacier,from the 
north, and they are also of value in distinguishing the 
glacial drifts in certain of the coastal areas from the 
Neolithic Raised Beaches, otherwise they must be classed 
among the erratics brought from the north by the Irish 
Sea Glacier, and are in no way different from the Ailsa 
Craig riebeckite, the Antrim flints and chalk, and the 
Lias fossils found along with them. The are in no sense 
palaeontological evidence for the ‘proposed submergence, 
and, in addition, it has to be stated that many of the records 
of mollusca alleged to have been found in the glacial deposits 
westward of the line drawn from Clogher Head to Castle- 
comer must be regarded with a very active scepticism. 
Every case cited’by Prof. Gregory has been gone into care- 
fully and each case has been found to belong either to the 
area traversed by the Irish Sea glacier, or to rest on evidence 
of a very vague kind. 

A postglacial submergence of the central plain having 
been excluded as being outside the limit of probability, 
can any alternative proposal for the necessary stretch or 
stretches of water be substituted ? The facts which must 
be remembered in any discussion of the origin of the Eskers 
are :—--that they are the final product of the decaying ice- 
sheet, that in this stage of decay the original direction of 
the ice-movement would have ceased to count, that the 
average height of the Eskers above the surface of the land 
is only from 40 to 60 feet, and that their structure is such 
that they may have been deposited in a comparatively 
short space of time. The causes required to produce them 
need, therefore, not be of any considerable geological 
importance. At the stage of the Esker period all the ground 
in Ireland over 350 feet would be ice-free and the extent 
of this ice-free ground would continue to extend as the ice 
sank lower and lower in the plain. The ice-sheet would 
then be in the final stages of dissolution and in thickness 
probably under 60 feet, except in Galway Bay, South 
Dublin anda few other lowland localities. In these dis- 
tricts the motionless ice would have melted much more 
slowly than the ice in contact with the warmer ice-free 
inlands and at the time of the formation of the Eskers 


a 


142 The Irish Naturalist. December. 


would probably stand so high over the level of the land as 
to block the drainage outlets of the central plain sufficiently 
to allow of the formation of lakes at suitable levels. The 
formation. of this central plain lake is quite feasible and 
probably played a certain small part, but we are without 
knowledge of the lake terraces which should be formed 
under these conditions, and this proposal of a great lake 
must be regarded as a rather extravagant geological demand 
in order to account for the formation of such relatively 
small surface features as the Eskers. The remnant of the 
ice sheet lying in the central plain just before and during 
the formation of the Eskers must have been in a state 
of extreme decay, and it is probable that the stagnant ice 
would be traversed in many directions by tunnels and 
channels which might become filled with sand and gravel 
carried by the subglacial streams flowing through it. It is 
also possible that some of these many channels and tunnels, 
if empty at the time, might be filled from above when the 
upper level of the ice had sunk so near the level of the land 
as to break through the roof of the tunnel. In certain 
cases, and especially where the slope of the land surface 
was downhill it is probable that the edge of the local ice 
sheet ended in a stretch of locally ponded water giving rise 
to the type of Esker which requires this method of for- 
mation. 

It is probable that no general method of formation was 
in operation during the whole period, that purely local 
and transitory factors produced many of the Eskers, and 
that it would be wise to remember that Eskers have been 
formed in other lands under conditions very different from 
those obtaining in central Ireland. A great literature: on 
the subject has arisen in Sweden, Finland, and North 
America, and the student will find in Giles’ recent paper, ' 
to which my attention was called by Prof. Cole, F.R.S., 
Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, an exhaustive 
series of arguments and an extensive bibliography on this 
very fascinating geological problem. | 


1 GirEs, A. W. ‘ Eskers in the vicinity of Rochester, Name York.’?: 


Proc, Rochester Acad. Sci., vol. v., pp. 161-240, r918. 


Geological Survey Office, Dublia, 


1921. Irish Socteties, 143 


IRISH SOCIETIES. 


DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 


NOVEMBER 9.—The Club met at Leinster House. Paurt A. MurpPuy 
demonstrated the presence of a perennial mycelium in Peronospora 
Scheideni, Unger, the Onion Mildew fungus. This fungus which causes 
the well-known mildew of onions, is known to form its sexually-produced, 
thick-walled resting spores in the leaves of its host. These spores find 
their way into the soil with the decaying leaves, and it has always. been 
assumed that the re-appearance of the disease in spring is due to the. 
products of the germination of the resting spores, It has recently been 
shown by the exhibitor (Nature, Nov. 3, 1921, p. 304) that the parasite 
can also hibernate in the vegetative condition, that is, as mycelium,:in 
onion bulbs. If such bulbs are planted and produce leaves, the Jatter 
may be permeated from the beginning with the mildew fungus. The 
internal parasite may show little or no sign of its presence until moist: 
weather ensues about May, when it suddenly appears in the form of the 
well-known mildew all over the leaves. This method of hibernation has 
been observed in all the commonly-grown forms of onion—the common 
onion, the potato or underground onion and the shallot. The exhibit 
consisted of (1) the mycelium of P. Schleident in the bulb during the 
winter period ; (2) the same mycelium as it grows up with the developing 
leaf; (3) the conidiophores and conidia, or summer spores, which this 
mycelium produces in time on the surface of the leaves. : 

H. A. LarFEerRTY exhibited preparations 6éf Thielavia basicola as 
found growing naturally on Flax-roots in the field. Affected plants, 
when not killed outright in their seedling stage, remain small and. 
stunted in appearance. 

D. McARDLE showed a rare liverwort, Blepharostoma trichophylla in 
fruit; it is a remarkable plant, with the leaves divided to the base into 
three or four segments, each segment hair-like, erect, composed of from 
eight to twelve cells, stipules smaller than the leaves, tripartite. Perianth 
ekserted white, composed of one layer of cells, mouth furnished with 
three or four teeth-like cilia. Capsule cylindrical, spores small, reddish 
brown, elaters long, narrow bispiral. This distinct species cannot be 
confounded with any other British one. The specimens were collected in 
Co. Kerry sparingly on decayed wood. It is also found in Co. Cork ; ‘it 
is rare in the north, as in Co. Galway, Co. Mayo, and on the east side at 
Lough Bray, Co. Wicklow, always found in small quantities not common 
in any known station ; found also on the Continent and in North America. 


BELFAST NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


OcTroBER 26.—The President (S. A. BENNETT, B.A., B.Sc.) gave his 
inaugural address, taking as his subject ‘‘ The Comber Estuary,’ a district;. 
he said, which had been often visited by the club. The area is entirély 
covered by glacial gravel deposited in late glacial times. This spreads out - 


144 The lvish Naturalist. December, 


from Comber covering dan area of about two square miles, mostly on the 
north side of the estuary of the present river. It represents the delta 
at the mouth of an overflow channel from the old glacial ‘‘ Lake Belfast ”’ 
otf the Geological Survey memoir, and is to be correlated in time with the 
Lisburn esker, the Malone sands and clays, and the “‘ dry gap”’ of Holy- 
wood. Haw Hill and Island Hill are to be regarded as the summits of 
arumlins ’’ of the earlier typical boulder clay of the district protruding 
through this later glacial deposit which is banked up against their sides. 
Narrowing the investigation to the area lying between the levels of the 
highest and lowest tides, he traced the effect of the estuarine conditions 
on the vegetation of that limited area which is occupied by typical salt 
marsh vegetation. The salt marsh plants, owing to the conditions of 
life under which they exist, exhibit a desert facies, and adaptations to 
these conditions, profoundly modify the root and leaf systems of the plants. 
The pioneer plant in the Comber estuary is the Glasswort (Salicornia), 


ae 


of which two species were described. As the level of the land rises other _ 


plants make their appearance, notably the grass Gly ceria maritima, which 
forms a compact sward in which many of our most beautiful seaside 
plants find a congenial home. A short account was given of the for- 
mation of a salt marsh with its accompanying drainage channels and 
‘““saltpans.’’ The Festuca meadow in the Comber estuary is replaced 
at higher levels by closed associations of Juncus maritimus or Sciypus 
maritimus. Where the water becomes fresher owing to drainage from 
the glacial gravels by which the estuary is surrounded, the reed grass 
(Arundo Phragmites) makes its appearance, and the lecture closed with 
a comparison of the Comber salt marsh with other salt marshes in the 


north-east of Ireland. The lecture was illustrated by a series of lantern’ 


slides, maps, and specimens of the plants discussed. 


After a few remarks by the Hon. Secretary (A. M‘I. Cleland), I. A. S._ 


Stendall, M.B.O.U., and the Rev W R. Megaw, B.A., the proceedings 
terminated with the election of twelve new membets. 


DUBLIN NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. 


-NovEMBER 10.—The Vice-President in the chair. P, B. Roperts gave 
a paper with lantern illustrations on “ Protective Devices in Butterflies 
and Moths.” The paper opened with a brief outline of the life history 
of lepidoptera, emphasising the degree of activity, and other qualities 
affecting the preservation, and the dangers of each stage. The young, 
it was pointed out, were in high numerical ratio to the mature individuals, 
and, therefore, late stages needed most careful protection. Protective 
devices were discussed under the heads of devices with obliterative or 
hiding, and aggressive purpose. Stress was laid on the application of the 
methods under field conditions, and also on such points as the breaking 
up of outline, and prevention of a flat appearance, in obliterative methods. 


Finally a briet survey of habits, in connection with self-protection was | 
given, and an attempt was made to compare the relative values of various _ 


means of protection. 


= = 
 : 


1921. Notes. 145 


NOTES. 
BOTANY. 


Equisetum litorale Kuhlw. 


In a previous issue (J.N., xxix., 102), I referred to an unpublished 
station for this plant, when dealing with its occurrence in Co. Antrim. 
This third Irish station for the plant in Woodstock demesne, Co. Kilkenny. 
The plant grew in wet mud on the edge of the riverside avenue not 
far north of where the stream which forms the richly wooded glen joins 
the Nore. It was of the same form (var. elatius Milde), as I have al- 
ready recorded from Antrim and Down. 

. R. Ltoyp PRAEGER, 

Dublin. 


Prunus Padus in Wicklow and Kildare. 


During last June, in the Devil’s Glen, about a mile below the waterfall, 
I saw some large trees of P. Padus (the Bird Cherry) in full flower, and 
subsequently observed that it was plentiful in this part of the glen, and 
so far as I could judge, native. The Bird Cherry does not appear to have 
been recorded for this part of Ireland. Miss Knowles when verifying 
my specimen drew my attention to another in the National Herbarium 
collected in Co. Kildare by Mr. W. B. Bruce: the label reads: ‘‘ Wood, 
Castletown Estate, near Celbridge, Co. Kildare. W. B. Bruce. 23 /5 /1908. 
A tree 25 ft. high.’’ Mr. Bruce evidently thought it native in Kildare 
also. 

A. W. STELFOX. 
National Museum, Dublin. 


Carex axillaris in Co. Dublin. 


During the last two years I have seen this rare (hybrid ) sedge in both 
stations referred to by the late Mr. Colgan in his Flora. At Malahide, 
though the new siding on the railway south of the station has destroyed 
almost the whole of the plant’s former habitat, I found one plant of 
C. axillaris, after repeated failures, in May last. The Castle Bagot station 
is difficult to describe. About a quarter mile east of Milltown the road 
to Castle Bagot turns to the south, and just before the turn the main 
road crosses the stream flowing north from Castle Bagot. At the back 
of a wet ditch (along the main road) (leading from a cattle-pond in the 
angle of the two roads to the stream) and under the over-arching hedge, 
there is an abundant growth of Cavex vemota, and amongst this Mr. G. E. C. 
Maconchy discovered first one, then several plants of C. axillaris. Thedate 
of our visit was August, 1920, As Mr, Colgan points out, the Malahide 


.146 The Irish Naturalist. — December. 


plant is more typical, having large robust compound spikelets at the base 
of the flower spike, while in the Castle Bagot plant the lowermost spikelet 
is alone compound and is much nearer C. remota. A root from this 
latter station in my garden produced two flower spikes this year, but 
set no seed, which supports the supposed hybrid origin of the plant, 
though at this place no C. vulpina was seen within a mile of the spot. 
At Malahide, the two parents (%) C. vemota and C. vulpina grow inter- 
mixed ! 
A. W. STELFOX. 
National Museum, Dublin. 


ZOOLOGY, 


Abundance of Red Admiral Butterflies. 


1 am sure everyone has noticed the extraordinary numbers of this 
handsome butterfly (Pyvameis atalanta) which appeared in October of this 
year. I have been accustomed to see a few, generally in September, 
‘but never have I seen such a crowd of them. They were everywhere, 
but resorted especially to Michaelmas Daisies and Ivy blossom. It was 
a glorious sight to see half a dozen or more of these lovely creatures, 
‘expanding their wings in the sunshine as they sucked honey from the 
' flowers. With them were a few, very few, Small Tortoiseshells and 
numbers of the Speckled Wood. I saw on October 9th a Small White 
butterfly (Pieris rapae), sitting on a stone on the roadside, looking very 
much as if it had just emerged from its chrysalis, and could not quite 
understand the position. I was not able to observe it further, but I expect 
it soon found the use of its wings in the strong sunshine. 

I was told of a single Painted Lady butterfly (Pyvameis cardui) being 
seen on some Michaelmas Daisies with the Red Admirals, but I did not 
see any myself. One would have expected an invasion of these along 
with the Red Admirals, but I have not heard of any number being seen. 
Where all these Red Admirals came from I cannot conjecture. They 
were fresh and unbattered, not at all like immigrants, so I suppose they 
were natives brought on by the wonderful summer, 3 


. W. F. JOHNSON. 
Poyntzpass. 


Two Aculeate Hymenoptera new to Ireland. 


In connection with my work in the Museum I have paid considerable 
attention to this group of the Hymenoptera in the field during the past 
summer. In this work I have been assisted by a small grant from the 
Fauna and Flora Committee of the Royal Irish Academy. Amongst 
my captures are two species new to the Irish Fauna—Agenia variegata L., 
and Osmia aurulenta Panzer, The former belongs to the Fossores or 


T921. Notes. 147 


Digging Wasps and a single specimen was caught running over one of 
the large blocks of fallen calcrete in Glenasmole, not far from the entrance 
to the Rathmines Water Works, the date being the 13th of July. The 
latter belongs to a genus of bees hitherto unrepresented in Ireland, though 
numerous species occur in Great Britain. A single male was captured 
onthe “ Island,’’ Malahide, on 21st May. The day was windy and un- 
favourable ; but on the 24th of the month I had the pleasure of capturing 
both males and females in the same locality—about a dozen specimens 
in all. Besides its beauty, this bee is extremely interesting owing to the 
fact that it makes use of the empty snail-shells lying about the sand- 
hills, instead of digging burrows in the earth, wherein to rear its young. 
The shells of Helix nemoralis, are apparently the most popular, but 
I captured one female laden with pollen entering an empty shell of 
Helicella itala. In the latter shell the cells of the bee would of necessity 
be placed end to end. Unlike ordinary bees the Osmiae do not carry 
pollen on their legs, but they store it all on the under side of the abdomen. 


National Museum, Dublin., A. W. STELFOXx. 


Donisthorpea mixta and D. umbrata’, two Ants new to 
Ireland. 


On May 26th, 1921, I discovered under a stone in a wood at Graigue- 
namanagh, Co. Kilkenny, a small colony of yellow ants which from their 
movements and large size seemed to me to be distinct from the common 
yellow ant (D. flava). On my sending specimens to Mr. A. W. Stelfox, 
he recognized the species as Donisthorpea mixta (Nylander). 

Since then workers of the same species has been found near New Ross, 
Co. Wexford, and again at Graiguenamanagh (A.W.S. and R.A.P.); and 
a detlated female under a stone near Maryborough, Queen’s Co. (R.A.P.). 

In September, on the sandhills at Rosslare, Co. Wexford, I met with 
two large colonies of another ant of the “ yellow’ group, one containing 
numerous workers and a single winged female and the other, numerous 
workers and males evidently preparing for a marriage flight. Specimens 
from each were identified by Mr. Stelfox as D. umbrata (Nylander). 

These two ants are widely distributed on the continent, and in 
England, extending their range into southern Scotland, but neither has 
hitherto been known to exist in Ireland. Mr. Steltox’s identification of 
each species has been verified by Mr. H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe, F.Z.S. 


Cork. R. A. PHILLIPS. 


1 Lasius mixtus and L umbratus of most authors. 


a 


148 The Irish Naturalist. December, 1925. 
OBITUARY. 


REV. CANON W. W. FLEMYNG, M.A. 


In the death of Canon Flemyng, which took place at Coolfin, Portlaw, 
Co. Waterford, on 6th September last, in his seventy-second year, Irish 
naturalists have sustained a loss which will be difficult to replace. William 
Westropp Flemyng was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he 
took his degree of B.A. in 1871, and M.A.in 1874. He entered the ministry 
in 1880 for the curacy of Clonegam, and on the incumbency becoming 
vacant in 1883, he was appointed rector, so that his connection with the 
parish extended over a period of forty years. 

At an early age he took a keen interest in natural history, ad during 
his college days in Dublin explored the surrounding country for birds’ 
eggs, butterflies ‘and moths, and plants. On his appointment to Portlaw 
the new curate cannot but have been dehghted with his surroundings, 
for the rectory adjoined the vast demesne of Curraghmore, the seat of 
the Marquesses of Waterford for many generations, and an ideal hunting- 
ground for all kinds of animal and plant life. Before long he had explored 
the woods, the heaths, and the fields of this delectable country and was. 
able to record therefrom for the first time several rare creatures. Soon 
after setthng down in his new home he made the acquaintance of tht 
late R. J. Ussher, and accompanied him many a time in his excursions 
Thus the Saltee Islands, off the Wexford coast, and the Islands of i Kane 
off the coast of Waterford, were visited more than once, and a rich harvese 
of sea-birds’ eggs secured. But Canon Flemyng aspired to be more 
than a mere collector. He acquired a library on the subjects dear to 
his heart, and kept his knowledge up to date by subscribing to the various 
journals of natural history. He contributed short notes to these magazines 
from time to time, and corresponded with some of the leading English ~ 
entomologists, notably the late J. W. Tutt, for whose monumental work 
‘A Natural History of the British Lepidoptera,’’ ke supplied a list of 
Waterford species. It is to be regretted that a man so accomplished and 
well versedin natural history, and having so many oppurtunities and such 
a rich tract of country at his door to explore, did not do still more to 
advance science. Perhaps it may have been for the want of a kindred 
spirit, or the sympathy that incites to great deeds. 

It was in the nineties that the writer, then a youth, had the pleasure 
of first meeting with this charming country parson, and the friendship 
tnen formed was kept up through the years. Many happy hours were 
spent looking through his exquisitely arianged collcctions or hunting 
for rare lepidoptera in the woods of Curraghmore. 

It was to Flemyng’s guidance and encouragement that the writer of 
this notice was prevailed upon to take up the study of entomology in 
earnest, a study which has been to him a source of perennial enjoyment. 
The Bishop of Cashel, Dr. Miller, in a truly worthy funeral tribute, summed 
up Flemyng’s life as ‘“‘ one of beauty, goodness, and truth.” 

L. “Bik. .B.-W- 


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Vol. xxx., No. 12. : Wecember,, 1921. 

CON TENTS. 
PAGE 

The Eskers of cane DE W. HINCH Me? oo. 21374 
IrIsH SOCIETIES : Buf . 
Dublin Microscopical Club i av wien ea 143. 
Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club .. + st an Cs > | 
Dublin Naturalists’ Field Cluh .. i Re f 144, 
a 
ys S| 
NOTEs : i ey 
Equisetum litorale Kuhlw—R. Ll, PRAEGER oe oo, ae : 
Prunus Padus in Wicklow and Kildare—A. W. STELFOx » oe 145 
Carex axillaris in Co, Dublin—A. W. STELFOx o* ot 145. 
Abundance of Red Admiral Butterflies—REv. W. F. JoHNSON,-M.A. 146 — 
Two Aculeate Hymenoptera new to Ireland—A. W. STELFOX, .. 146 
Donisthorpea mixta and D, umbrata, two Ants new to Ireland— - . 
Ry Ai PRILLIPS, ).2 - he La es 147 ¥ 
OBITUARY ; «SS ae et 
Rev. Canon W. W. Flemyng (L. H. B.-W.) .. ée oe) 148 ; 


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