.: THE IRISH NATURALIST TA 5ltontl)lY Journal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY ORGAN OF THE Royal Zoological Society of Ireland ; Dublin Microscopical Club Belfast Naturalists' Field Club; Dublin Naturalists' Field Club EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc M.R.LA. C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I A. AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.Sc M.R.LA VOL XXXII. DUBLIN: EASON & SON, LIMITED, 80 MIDDLE ABBEY STREET. BELFAST: 17 DONEGALL STREET. LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL. HAMILTON. KENT & CO.. LTD. 1923. CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PRESENT VOLUME Abbott, W. M., Fermuy. Armstrong, Edward A., Belfast Berry, Basil and Patrick, Newcastle, Co. Down. Blackwood. G. G., Dundee. Campbell, D. C, Londondevrv. Carpenter George H., d.sc, Manchester. Chase, Corrie D., Belfast. Dixon, H. N., f.l.s., Northainptoi'. Dovetox-Dunlop, H. W., Blackrock, Co. Dubliu. Farran, G. p., B.A., Du))lin. Foster, Nevin H., f.l.s., HilJsborongh. Greer, Thomas, Stewart«to.vn. H albert, J. N., Dublin. HiKCH, J. de W., Dublin. Huggard, Leslie, Wexford. Humphreys. George E., Dublin. Irish Naturalist, An. Janson, Oliver E., London. Jeffei^s, F. W., Dublin. .Johnson. Prof. T., d.sc.. Dublin. Johnson, Rev. W. F., m.a., Rostrevor. Kennedy. A. J., Tearaght T.ighthouse, Co^ Keiry. Lee, William A., m.d., Rock Ferry, Cheshire. Lilly, C. J., Limavady. Massy, Annie L., Eaily, Co. Dublin. Megaw, Rev. W. R., Belfist. Moffat, C. B., b.a., Dublin. Morrison, Robert N., Ballynahinch. Mullin, W. J., Cookslown. Pack-Beresford. Denis R., Feuagh, Co. Carlow. Pack-Beresford, R. J., Athlone. Palmer, John A S., DubUn. Phillips, K. C. Joyce, Cambridge. Phillips, R. A., Cork. Praeger, R. Lloyd, d.sc-, Dublin. SciiARFF. R F., PH.D., Bray. Smiles, Aileen. Belfast. Stelfox. a. W., Dublin. SwANSTON. W.. Belfast ToRRENS. D S., Dublin. Watt, Hugh Boyd, London. Wheldon, J. A. Wyse, L. H. Bonaparte, London. ILLUSTKATIONS. Sleeping-hole of Tree Creeper (Plate I.) . . To face page 1 Ja^eph Wright, F.G.S. . . . . „ page 53 Larva of Megasteruum boletophagum . . . page 110 INDEX. Abbott, W. M. : Homing Instinct in Swift, 76; Migration of Swallows in. South-east Wexford, 40; Sand- Avich Terns at Rosslare, Co. Wex- ford, 30. Algal Discoloration of Lough Xeagh and River Barm, 89. Alpine Flora. Irish, 117. Armstrong, Edward A. : Shake- .speare's " Scamel," 19; Squirrel in Ireland, 50. Aster laeyis at Lougli Neagh, Co. Tyrone, 107. Beech Fern in Co. Cavan, 107. Beetle, Hydruphihd, Larva of. lUO. Belfast Natural History and Philoso- phical Society, 4, 127. Belfast Natural History Museum and Art Gallery. 18. lielfast Naturahsts' Field Club. 5. 29, 49, 64, 82, 103, 128. Berry, Basil and Patrick : Curious Sites for Robins' Nests, 62. Birds : Arrival of Spring Migrants in 1923, 95; At Tearaght Lighthouse, 7; British, 127; Irish Breeding. 51; Recent Irish Records, 31. Blackwood, G. G. : Beech Fern in Co. Cavan, 107. Bonde, C. von. (and J. D. F. Gil- christ) : " Practical Zoology for Medical and Junior Students " (re- viewed), 18. Botany: Contrast, Ireland and Switz- erland, 97; Notes from Cos. Down and Armagh, 96. Bryology, Plea for Moss Study, 114. Campbell, D. C. : Early Flowers, 52 ; Stock-Dove breeding in Co. Derry, 7. Carpenter, George H. : To Readers of the " Irish Naturalist," 3. Cattle, Irish, Origin of, 65. Chase, Corrie D. : Down and Antrim Plants. 96. Chiffchaff, Early Arrival in Co. Down, 51. Christen, Sydney Mary, nee Thomp- son, (Obituary), 108. Cole, Grenville A. : " Memoir and Map of Minerals and Mines in Ire- laud " (reviewed), 38. Colour-Variation in Cowslip aii November, light. Himera pennaria, J COLEOPTERA. Geotrupes sylvatlcus Panz. — July, in wood. Grammoptera ruficornis F. — August. DIPTERA. Sargus bipunctatus Scop. Melanostoma ambignum, Fallen. Syrphus ribesii, L. S. umbellatarum, Fat. Xanthogramma ornatum Meigen. Eristalis intricarius, L. Sericorayia borealis, Fallen. Chrysotoxum bicinctum, L. — July. >■ August. HYMENOPTERA. ACULEATA. August, in study window. ^August. Pompilus gibbus, F. Pemphredon lugubris, Latr. Passaloecus monilicornis Dhlb. Vespa sylvestris Scop. Sphecodes niger V. Hag. Siaffinis V. Hag. Hallctus rubicundus Chr. H. albipes K. Andrena denticulata K. A. saundersella Perkins Bombus hortorum L. — Taken in window. Tenthredinidae. Sirex gigas L. — In street, \ Pachynematus trisignatus Foerst,— Hogweed, J July. P. clitellatus Lep.— Hogweed, August. Athalia lineolata Lep.— On mountain, July ; at Hogweed, August. Allantus arcuatus Foerst.— Hogweed, July, August. Var. nitidior Knw.— August. 38 The Irish Naturalist. Apnl, ICHNEUMONIDAE. Ichneumon sarcitorius L. — July, August. I. latrator F, \july, I. caloscelis Wesm. J garden. ^• Spilichneumon occisorius Gr. — September. Amblyteles armatorius Foerst. — August. Colpognathus divisus Thorns. — In window, July. Microcryptus nigrocinctus Gr. — Road to Warrenpoint on grass, Septem- ber. Glyphichnemis vagabunda Gr. — July. G. brevis Gr. "j Goniocryptus titillator L. > August. Glypta genalis jMoll. G. biforveolata Gr. Lissonota bellator Gr. "^ j^Augi L. variipes Desv., July. ^August. L. variabilis Hlgr. J Polyclistus mansuetor Gr. — August, September, in window. Tryphon vulgaris Hlgr. — July. Polyblastus variitarsus Gr. — September. Sagaritis punctata Bridg. — The Lodge demesne, July. Ophion calcaratura Morley \To light jn house, October. Paniscus gracllipes Thorns. ^To ligl Braconidae. Apanteles falcator Nees. — Field, ^July. Microgaster tibialis Nees. f Rostrevor. REVIEW. Memoir and Map of Localities of Minerals of Economic Importance and Metalliferous Mines in Ireland. (Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Ireland). By Grenville A. J. Cole, F.R.S., M.R.I. A. 8vo. pp. 155. Dublin : Stationery Office, 1922. Price 7s. 6d. net. This is a plain unvarnished enumeration and description of all Irish mines, etc., which have produced minerals and metalliferous ores. A mine has been defined somewhere as a hole in the ground, often owned by a liar ; and in view of the frequent exaggeration v/hich has been often indulged in concerning Irish mineral resources, whether prompted by enthusiasm, ignorance or cupidity, this judicial treatment of the subject considerably enhances the value of the work. A chaptei is devoted to each of the more important minerals, arranged alphabetically, and under each mineral the mines or quarries where it has been at any tirre obtained are set down with much historical detail, commencing in the case of gold with a reference 1923. Reviews. 3g which dates back to 1436. The literature of the subject has been con- sulted very fully, and authority is given for all quoted statements. In addition, geological and niineralogical information is added a- required ^o make the matters dealt with CviTiprehcnsiblc to the layman, and references to the Ordnance Maps make it easy to locate places dealt with. A short Introduction deals with the progress and knowledge of Irish mines and minerals from early times to the present. A large map, excellently printed as regards detail, accompanies tlie Memoir. On it the areas covered by bog, whether mountain or low-level, arc coloured in pale red, giving a very marked character to tlie map. The few coal areas are shaded black, and the various mines are shown by bright red dots, follov.'cd by their name and an indication by chemical signs of the nature of the minerals which they yield. All railways and canals are also clearly shown. Now when the development of Irish industries is coming so much to the fore, this Memoir and Map should be invaluable as indicating both the possibilities and limitations of our mineral resources. R. LI. P. NOTES, BOTANY. A Hybrid Sedge new to Co. Dublin. Owing to the prevalence of the two sedges Carex flava and C. Hornschuchiana in Glenasmole I have frequently looked for their hybrid, known as C. xanthocarpa Degl., but unsuccessfully. In June, 1922, however, I found a nice patch growing with both the parents in the meadow between the steam-tram line and the S.E. corner of the lower Brittas pond. When dried C. xanthocarpa is very like a starved specimen of C. Hornschuchiana, but Miss Knowles, v.'ho has verified my specimen, pointed out that the female spikelets are pointed in the former and blunt in the latter. In the field, on the other hand, C. xanthocarpa had all the appearance of a hybnd, rUfifering completely in its general colouring from r. ITornschitchiana, and in its taller spikes and more distant spikelets from C. tiaua. As in other hybrid sedges the fruits were all abortive : one which looked to contain a mature seed wps found to shelter instead a small insect larva . A. W. Stelfox. Rathgar, Dublin. 40 The Irish Naturalist. April, ZOOLOGY. Raven in Co. Wexford. About three months ago two birds made their appearance on the sand- hills here at the mouth of the harbour. The writer's attention was first attracted by the " croak " which they uttered, which is quite unlike the cry of the Hoodie, a very common bird here. Further observation showed them to be Ravens. They are very shy and wary, but their large size and " social aloofness " are very noticeable. When flying in a wind they seem to let themselves go with an abandon quite unlike their ordinary mode of progression and are then a delight to watch. Just before sunset they fly inland, but I have no idea hew for tlieir roosting-place lies from their daily beat. Leslie Huggard. Wexford. Migration of Swallows in South-east Wexford. The following observations were made last autumn on a part of the coast of south-east Wexford extending from Blackw^ater Harbour on the north to Ballytrent, about half way between Greenore and Carnsore Points, on the south. I spent August 19 and 20 at Curracloe, a small place on the coast, north of Wexford Harbour. On both days I found parties of Swallows, ranging from about 20 to 50 birds in each, flying steadily along in a southerly direction. These parties were not closely packed, that is to say the individuals were scattered, but each party was well defined and an interval, sometimes of only a few minutes, but generally somewhat longer, lapsed between the parties. All these birds flew along the shore, between the cliffs or sandhills, as the case might be, and the tide-line ; a few occasionally being just beyond the latter. When I climbed the cliffs the stream of birds was passing below me and I could see the local birds flying around as usual inland. Indeed I watched several of the parties pass through a colony of Sand-Martins, whose nesting holes were visible in the cliff-face, but neither seemed to pay any attention to the other. It must be understood that this was not a continuous, but rather an intermittent, stream of birds. On the 19th inst. it was in full swing at 5 p.m. (summer time) when I arrived on the shore, but ceased about an hour and a half later. On. the following day it commenced about II a.m., and I saw no migrating birds after 3 p.m., but between those hours the passage of parties was constant. I noticed also that longer intervals elapsed between the parties at the commencement and nearing the termination of the flight, so that the stream was at its greatest density from about 12.30 to 1.30 p.m. On perhaps half a dozen occasions I saw birds drop on the sand to rest, and when this occurred the birds following on would swoop down close to their tired compan,ions, at the same time twittering gently as if to encourage them. After resting a few seconds 1923- S'oies. 41 the birds would rise and follow their mates. I was rathi^r surprised to find such numbers migrating at this early date, but I see [British Birds. xvi. p. 134) that Dr. N. H. Joy had a somewhat similar experience earlier in the month at Selsey Bill. Exactly a month later, on September 20, I was at Ballygeary (Rosslare Harbour) and at noon started to walk along the shore towards Greenore Point. I at once noticed parties of Swallows, passing along between the cliffs and the tide-line, but now they were going north. About a quarter of a mile south-east of the pier, I found the stream, which was now con- tinuous and not intermittent, coming from inland and striking the coast at an acute angle. I climbed the cliff at that point and found the birds coming overland from about south-south-west. For about fifteen or twenty minutes the air was alive with birds and over the land the stream, about 20 yards wide, was just as well defined as when the birds v/eie flying along the shore. At this time, about i p.m., the stream was at its greatest density and was continuous, but then it began to be divided up into distinct parties and gradually died off about 2.30 p.m., after which I saw no birds coming up from the south. Up to 1.30 p.m. all birds were going north, but then I noticed a few birds coming along, outside the main stream and going south. These were the van of a new stream flying from north to south, and for about half an hour I watched the two streams passing one another along the shore. This new stream, however, never attained the same dimensions as the northward-bound one, and instead of turning inland where the other was emerging, it continued along shore, so after a time I followed it up and found the birds gathering at Greenore Point. On the north side of this point the birds were flying around in more or less circles, and kept on increasing in numbers, but when I turned the point to the southward not a bird was visible. After a time I noticed some birds, but still comparatively few, launching themselves off over the sea in the direction of, but slightly north of the Tuskar. A few of these birds, when a little way out to sea, returned to land, but the others kept on out of sight. Having watched them for some time and seeing no sign of an immediate departure, for the birds that did go only formed a very small percentage of those flying about, I decided to walk on to Ballytrent to see if I could find any birds along that part of the coast, but I did not see a single Swallow the whole way. So I returned to Greenore Point and found to my great disappointment that all the birds had gone during my absence, not a single Swallow to be seen anywhere, nor did I see any further movement of birds that evening, but there were a few " locals " flying around in Ballygeary later. Of course I cannot say definitely that these birds, numbering several hundreds when I left Greenore, set out on their cross-channel journey from that point, as I did not actually see them go, though I did see some. They may have gone north again, but they certainly did not come south, and I think it is a fair inference to make that they used Greenore Point that afternoon as a " jumping off " place, and they must have left it between 3.15 p.m. and 4 p.m. On September 28, I walked from Rosslare Strand to Ballygeary along the shore. Most of the way I saw no Swallows, but when nearing the latter 42 The Irish Naturalist. April, place, small parties suddenly appeared, flying north, the flight as usual being between the cliffs and the tide-line. These parties continued to pass, and when I got to Ballygeary I went to the point where I had seen the birds strike the coast on the 20th inst. and again the flight came up overland to that point from practically the same direction. On this occasion the stream was always intermittent and consisted of Swallows, House-Martins, and a few Sand-Martins, but the numbers were nothing like those seen a week earlier. I found no birds between that point and Greenore, nor did I see a return flight from the north that evening. I have records of both Swallows and House-Martins in some numbers about Wexford town, up to and including the 30 th October. In two sheltered valleys close to the towm I found them almost every day that month, but saw none after the date mentioned. \\. M. Abbott. Fermoy. Some of our readers may remember that two very interesting articles on the autumnal movement of Swallows on the same part of the Irish coast v/ere contributed to this journal in 191 2, by Mr. A. H. Delap (vol. xxi., pp. 65-71) and Mr. H. F Witherby (pp. 143-4). The three sets of observations should be read together and carefully compared. ■ — ^Eds. The Macrolepidoptera of County Tyrone.^ Mr. Greer is to be congratulated on the completion of his local list of Tyrone Lepidoptera ; it is undoubtedly the most interesting report of this kind that has appeared since the publication of ?vlr. Wm, de Vismes Kane's " Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland " more than twenty years ago. When Mr. Greer began the study of Tyrone Lepidoptera the county had been but little explored. Mr. Kane had collected in the old Favour Royal demesne and at Altadiawan Glen on the slope of Slieve Beagh in the southern part of the county. Mr. Greer also acknowledges the valuable results of Professor J. W. Heslop Harrison's hoi i lay visits to the district in the seasons of 1909 and 19 10, The present lijt includes records of 331 species, as well as many varieties, and about 90 are not recorded from Tyrone in Mr. Kane's " Catalogue." A pleasing feature is the large number of interesting notes concerning the actual occurrence of the species, accompanied in many cases by notes on their larvse, evidence of painstaking field-v/ork carried out during many years in various parts of the county. The butterflies number twenty-two species ; amongst the more interesting are Vanessa io " abundant of late in the district " ; Envanessa antiopa once seen near Trillick, as mentioned by Kane, and one in a collection taken near Cookstown in August, 1904 ; needless to say it is 1 " The Entomologist," Vol. liii., October and December, 1920, and Vol. liv., February, May, September, November and December, 192 1. 1923' Notes. 43 not a native species. Dyyas paphia : in Mr. Greer's, district the larva feeds on Rubus Idceiis and not on its usual food-plant Viola canina ; a variety of this butterfly with greenish-white spots on the wings occurs in one of the glens where the typical form is abundant. A few of the rarer moths may be referred to — Pheosia tremula, larva locally abundant on poplars. Pterostoma palpina, rare. Polyploca flavicornis, Dasychira fascelina and Acronycta leporina ; the. larvae of these three occurred on the Lough Neagh border, Diaphora mendica var. yustica common, the males ranging from white, through buff, to a pale smoke colour, the female often with only the dot at base of fore wings. Demas coryli locally abundant. Agroiis cortice:i and Agrotis cinerea at light. Eumichtis protea, a single specimen at sugar. Panolis pinipevda, not very abundant. Tcsniocampa opima, at Lough Neagh, where the variety brunnea occurs. Dyschorista suspecta, locally common at heather blossom and on ragweed. Cirrhoedia xerampelina, at rest on ash trunks and at street lamps. Amathes helvola, very rare at sugar. Geometra veniaria, in some numbers near Coalisland and probably introduced with Clematis Vitalba which is common in gardens in the same locality. Chesias spartiata common among broom {Cytisiis scoparius). Euzosmia undulata. Eurymene dolobraria very local, larva on hazel and beech. Pachys strataria, one at rest on sallow trunk, and another bred from a larva beaten from wild cherry in April. The larva of the common Abraxa grossulariata in certain localities feeds on ling, the imago is small and dark. Evidently Mr. Greer believes there is still useful work to be done on the lepidopterous fauna of Tyrone. He remarks "a large area in the centre of the county, consisting of wide moorlands, studded with numerous lakes ; fertile valleys, many glens clothed with native scrubby woods, dominated by the isolated mountain Mullaghcarn, 1,778 feet in elevation ; and in the north a mountain range rising to over 2,000 feet, is all practically unknown so far as the Lepidoptera are concerned ". So we may look forward to further discoveries in this interesting district. J. N. H. Dublin. Early Breeding of Wood Pigeons. A neighbour of mine informed me a day or two ago that on the morning of the 6th February following a gale of wind, he found under a tree near his house, two young pigeons which had evidently been blown out of their nest. He described these young birds as being nearly ready to fly, and on the day of disaster and the follov/ing the youngsters were fed on the ground by their parents. Unfortunately a dog terminated their earthly career. From the description given to me, these young birds must have been hatched about the middle of January, and this surely constitutes a record even for a Wood Pigeon. R. J. Pack-Beresford. Auburn House, Athlone. ^14 The Irish Naturalist, April, 1923. An Enemy of the Wireworm. In the August number of " The Entomologist," 1922, pp. 185-6, Mr. Claude Morley, F.E.S., records the parasitism of the wireworm (Agriotes sp. ?) by the Hymenopteron Paracodrus apterogynus Halida5^ His statement is as follows : — •" Nothing has hitherto appeared respecting its economy. The Irish National Museum in the autumn of 1919 sent me an apterous female of this species for determination, with the intimation that it had recently been bred along with identical specimens from a larva of the Coleopterous genu^ Agriotes, found at Bangor, in Devon "(sic). As the finder of the larva I think it may be as well to record the whole facts. On several occasions in the years 1 915-19 I found in my garden at Ballymagee, Bangor, Co. Down (not Devon) wireworms from which protruded the pupae of a parasite. In 191 8 va.Y curiosity was sufficiently aroused to send one to Mr. J. A. S'dney Stendall of the museum at Belfast. The insects hatched out but escaped ; but in the following year Mr. Stendall was successful in rearing three or four females from another wireworm which I had sent him. These eventually reached Mr. Morley, through Mr. J. N. Halbert, and were named as above. Paracodrus is a genus belonging to the Proctotrypidae, a division of the Hymenoptera. In the National Museum are two specimens of wireworm from Valencia, Co. Kerrv, sent by Miss Delap, some years ago. From one protrude many pupae, from the other numerous " still born " imagines of what appear to me to be the same species of Paracodrus referred to above. So far as I can s^e, all are wingless and all are females. Mr. Morley [loc. cit.) states that the female is sometimes winged like the male, and adds that the latter is by far the rarer sex. Mr. Morley also quotes three old records in which wireworms had been found parasitised by " a Proctotrypes," a generic name which in those days included Paracodrus. The question arises, how does the female Paracodrus gain access to the wireworm (which is, of course, the larva of one of the so-called Click Beetles) ? Wireworms are often found at a considerable depth in the soil and are most common in old grass-land ; but I have often found them in my garden at Ballymagee, basking, as it were, in the sun, just below the surface of the soil, when the latter was very finely worked, as in a seed or onion bed. A rake drawn over the surface of such a bed would expose sometimes as many as five or six surprised and struggling wire- worms. This only occurred in very hot dry weather, and possibly it is under such conditions that the female Paracodrus carries out her egg-laying, Paracodrus apterogynus is about a quarter of an inch in length from tip of the long antennae to apex of the abdomen, exceedingly slender, blackish-brown with paler legs and antennae ; the whole head and body are very glossy and the head is curiously spherical. A. W. Stelfox. National Museum. May, 1923. The Irish Naturalist. as^ POROTRICHUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM IN IRELAND. BY H. N. DIXON, F.L.S. Porotrichiun angustifolium Dixon {Thamnium angusti- folium Holt) is one of the few mosses with a genuine claim to be endemic in the British Isles. Its characters are marked and well defined ; while the fact that it grows intermixed with P. alopecurum, each keeping its own characters, precludes any idea of its being a form due to local conditions. And more than that, it has hitherto been known from one sole station in Derbyshire, where it is indeed confined to a single and rather limited rock- surface. It is therefore of special interest that it appears to be also an Irish plant. Two records have come under my notice, which must be dealt with separately. 1. It is recorded by the late Canon Lett from Co. Kerry in his " Census Report on the Mosses of Ireland " (Proc. Roy. Irish Acad, xxxii., 162 (1915). The record reads " 2 Derrycunnihy 1906 — H. W. L." Unhappily the record is incorrect. I have been allowed, by the courtesy of the Acting Director, to examine the specimen of the original plant collected by Lett, in the National Museum at Dublin. There is only one specimen. It is a form of P. alopecurum, slightly different from the normal forms ; one peculiar to rocky sides and boulders of mountain streams ; growing in similar situations to, and not unlike Eurhynchium myosuroides var. riviilare Holt. 2. The second record rests on a much firmer basis, the information for which I owe to Mr. H. C. Broome. Mr. Broome has in his possession the herbarium of the late Mr. Levi Tetlow, an ardent Lancashire naturalist, and a keen moss collector. Among the mosses in the collection are two from Ireland, both labelled in Tetlow's hand as being collected by Jas. Shepley (of Oldham) in Ireland, in 1898. One is labelled " Dicranum undulatiim, Glenariff, Ireland, 1898 c[olL] J. Shepley." This, however, is not D. undulatum, but a very rugose-leaved form of D. Bonjeani referable probably to var. rugifolium Boswell. A 46 The Irish Nakirahst. May, The other is labelled " Porotrichum angustifolium Dixon, Glen — — , Ireland, 1898 c[oll.] J. Shepley." Most unfor- tunately the name of the locality is illegible, which may be due to Tetlow's hand, or possibly to his having been unable to decipher Shepley's writing. It looks like Glenlive. Mr. Broome suggests Glenaline (a mountain in Fermanagh) as being the nearest to the word as written. But I must confess to a difficulty in accepting this solution. The word might be Glenaline, but I think it might quite as well be something else ; and there is no reason whatever to suppose that Shepley was ever in Fermanagh. The fact that these two mosses are, as I understand, the only two Irish specimens of Shepley's collecting in the herbarium, and both collected at the same date, suggests very strongly that they were both collected somewhere at least in the same district, i.e., near Glenariff, in Antrim. Glenarm, Glendun and Glenaan are the only names of this type with which I am acquainted in that neighbourhood, and none of these fits the script. It is possible that it may be a name of only local importance, but I am inclined to think that the word as written may quite probably be considerably altered from the original, whatever it was. The plant is perfectly correct ; there is only a single stem, but it is in quite good condition, and characteristic. It occurred to me as a possibility that the specimen might be a Derbyshire one given to Tetlow by \Vhitehead, and attributed to Shepley by an error ; but Mr. Broome thinks this most improbable ; there are no other specimens of the Derbyshire plant in Tetlow's collection from which it might have been taken ; and there is every evidence of care in the herbarium of labelling, &c. I may add to this that the habit of vShepley's plant is slightly different from any of the gatherings I have seen from Derbyshire, being in fact somewhat better developed and more dendroid in habit, with a firmer -main stem. All things considered, I think the evidence is strongly in favour of an Irish origin for the specimen ; probably in Antrim in the neighbourhood of Glenariff. The Derbyshire station is a distinctly calcareous one, but as P. alopecitrum is found on both calcareous and non-calcareous rocks, it 1923' Review. 47 must not be too hastily assumed that P. angiistifolium is a purely calciphilous moss. Any information or suggestion as to the possible name that is hidden under the dubious " Glenlive " would be very welcome, while a search for the moss in the neighbour- hood of Glenariff would be highly desirable. It should be looked for on rocks that are, at times at least, moist, and has the appearance of a slender, small-leaved form of P. alopecunim. The narrow branch-leaves with very broad nerve would enable it to be recognized with the lens. Northampton. REVIEW. The Elasmobranch Fishes. By J. Frank Daniel. Berkeley, California ; University of California Press, 1922. Pp. 334, mth 260 plates and figures. Price, cloth §5.50. The term " elasmobranch " is applied, to those fishes whose gills are plate-like in structure and whose skeleton is cartilaginous. All the sharks, dog-fishes and their relations, the skates and rays belong to this group. The author, who is Professor of Zoology in the University of California, justly dwells on the importance of the elasmobranch fishes for the study of the fundamental plan of the vertebrate body. For many years past the Common Dog-fish {Scyllium catulus) which is a species of the shark tribe, has been carefully examined and dissected by students undergoing a course of zoology in British universities and colleges. This practice does not seem to be carried out to the same extent in the United States, and Prof. Daniel endeavours by the publication of this book to rouse a more general interest in the study of elasmobranch fishes. There can be no doubt about their being a very primitive group of fishes. Comparatively few species are still hving. But in bygone ages there existed many more, and some of them attained gigantic proportions. Many of the extinct forms are only known from their teeth which have been preserved to us in various geological deposits. One of the most interesting types of Elasmobranchs is Heptanchus, a shark possessing no less than seven gill-shts and the same number of gill-arches. Together with Hexanchus, to which it is very closely related and which occurs in Irish waters, it has often been placed in the genus Notidanus. It is this genus Heptanchus which, on account of its special generahzation, has been chosen by Prof. Daniel as a type with which to compare in general other elasmobranch fishes. It inherits more than any other shark the main features of its remote ancestors. The author has also collected and combined the work done by many investigators on the various types. 48 The Irish Naturalist. May, The treatment of the subject chosen by Prof. Daniel has been carried out with great care and success. The eleven chapters dealing with the external characters and the internal structure are copiously illustrated, many of the drawings being original. Special attention may be directed to the chapters on the arterial and venous blood systems for the wealth and beauty of the illustrations. And what will assist the student considerably is that at the end of each chapter there is an exhaustive bibliography. To both students and teachers this book will be of the greatest use as a valuable guide on the structure of Elasmobranchs, and it can be warmly recommended. R. F. S. OBITUARY. WILLIAM H. PHILLIPS. W, H. Phillips was born in 1830, and died at Holy wood, Co. Down, on 13th March last, in his 93rd year. For over half a century he was an enthusiastic student and collector of British ferns, and particularly of the numerous sports which form so remarkable a feature of these plants. When the writer first met him over forty years ago, he was already in the forefront of the band of workers who in 1891 formed themselves into the British Pteridological Society — which had been preceded, I believe, by another society of similar name. His collection of ferns at Holywood was large and very interesting, and was enriched with not a few remarkable forms which he himself had found in many years' collecting, mainly in Ulster. He was an original member of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, founded in 1863, and read his first paper " The Classification and Distribution of Ferns, with notices of some interesting varieties lately found in this locality," before that society on March 23, 1865. He was Treasurer of the Club for twenty -five years, and its President during the sessions 1905-6 and 1906-7, and his fine displays of living and dried fronds of his favourite plants were a feature of the Annual Conversaziones. In 1887, in conjunction with the present writer, he published as an Appendix to the Club Proceedings " The Ferns of Ulster," in which a full account of the distribution of the species, varieties, and sports of the local species is given. R. LL. P. IRISH SOCIETIES. Ulster Society for the Protection of Birds. February i6.- — 'Annual Meeting. Sir Robert Kennedy in the chair. The Annual Report stated that the membership of the Society was now about 170. A junior branch of the Society was being formed. Reference was made to the great destruction of sea-birds by oil discharged by vessels entering or leaving the Clyde. The Honorary Scientific Secretaries (N. H. Foster and J. A. S. Stendall) also submitted their report, and the Treasurer, Miss Meta McCullagh, her financial statement. 1923. Irish Societies. 49 BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. February 20.- — S. A. Bennett, B.Sc, and R. Bell, V. Min. Soc, read a paper on a lately discovered prehistoric site on the eastern slope of the Black Mountain near Belfast, at about 800 feet elevation. A large variety of flint flakes, with half-finished implements were found here ; finished implements were rarer. The finds included scrapers, hammer-stones, cores, and a leaf-shaped implement which Mr. Reginald Smith considered to be of Proto-Solutrian type. April 13 (Diamond Jubilee Year). — The annual conversazione was held in the Carlton Hall, Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A., Newtownbreda, President, being in the chair. An interesting exhibition of specimens was on view. The most important exhibit was that of R. Bell, who showed a series of very early types of worked flints from taluses of pre-historic rock-shelters on the Black Mountain. The flints are similar to some discovered in the Dordogne valley in France, and Grimes' Graves in East Anglia. From the Public Museum came enlarged models of insec- tivorous plants, showing how these are adapted to capture insects. Specimens of Bulimus oblongns, a large land-shell from Trinidad, with enormous white eggs, almost as big as the eggs of a pigeon, were also shown. Among W. A. S. Stendall's exhibits were eggs of the Common Guillemot, Ringed Plovers' eggs, an almost white Sparrow from Ballymena, the first egg of the Fulmar ever taken in County Antrim, and a Little Auk blown ashore at Rathhn Island. James Orr showed a series of exotic cowrie shells. H. T. Malcomson had thirty-five different species of the moths of Northern Ireland. Among the many exhibits of T. Edens Osborne were Ushabti models of servants of deceased Egyptian notables of the time of the Pharaohs. He also exhibited specimens from Scrabo Hill of rain-pitted and ripple-marked Triassic sandstones. A. A. Campbell showed a copy of the Belfast Mercantile Register of 1822, and a " News- Letter " of 1804, as well as albums of excursion snapshots. R. J. Welch had selected fresh-water mollusca from the Lagan valley and Lough Neagh basin, with some xerophile or sun-loving species, including those whose sudden appearance after a rain shower in dry weather, gives rise to the idea in south and east England that it has rained snails. Rev. W. R. Megaw exhibited mosses ; Miss Blackwood, Yorkshire plants ; S. A. Bennett (Campbell College) had brought Carices of Down and Antrim ; Captain Chase, plants from England, which are rare, if not altogether absent from Ireland. A melancholy interest attached to Miss N. Carrothers' group of plants from Magilligan. These had been collected by the late W. J. C. Tomlinson. From the Botanical Department, Queen's University, Professor Small had sent his American life plant, and exhibits illustrating a new aid to propagation by cuttings. Miss M. J. Lynn, M.Sc, collaborated. There were also variations in leaf form of Horn- beam leaves, a tree which, it appears, is found near Belfast. Miss M. W. Rea, M.Sc, showed Rosa (group Canina) from the collection of Rev. C. H. Waddell. W. A. Green- — Carboniferous fossil shells and plants, in- cluding some very perfect fossil ferns. A. MT. Cleland- — Specimens from 50 The Irish Naturalist, May, a calcareous deposit, and fossils from Greensand, Magheramorne ; also examples of three species of Pholas, from Cloghan Point. After tea Rev. W. R. Megaw, President, expressed his pleasure at the continued progress of the Society, now in its diamond jubilee year. Fourteen new members were elected. Prizes were awarded to two Junior Section Members' — Maurice R. Crawford for his collection of dried plants, and to Nora Stendall for a large exhibit of freshly-collected spring flowers. DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. March 14.- — 'Dr. P. A. Murphy announced the discovery of a potato resistant to Pink Rot {Phyiophthcra crythroseptica), and exhibited micro- scopical preparations and specimens illustrating the resistance of this potato, which belongs to the " Shamrock " variety, in comparison with other well-known sorts. D. Mc Ardle showed Diphyscinni foliosuni, a curious moss which shows little trace of a stem furnished with root-hairs. The mature fruit is rarely if ever found in this country, and is described by Schimper as large as a grain of wheat, and he alone seems to have described the rudimentary teeth of the peristom.e. All our specimens, when collected on a bank by the roadside at Connor Hill, near Dingle, Co. Kerry, bore apparently un- fertilised capsules ; probably the dioecious character may account for this. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. The Squirrel in Ireland. Are we not told in the Tain Bo Cuailnge that a squirrel and a pet hind were slain by Cuchulain as they sat on Maev's shoulder ; and is this not conclusive evidence that the squirrel is indigenous ? Belfast. Edward A. Armstrong. The matter is not quite so simple as would appear from our corres- pondent's suggestion, on account of the difficulty of determining the correct translation of the Irish word used for the animal which figures in the episode. Dr. Best has kindly furnished the following note :■ — " The word rendered ' Squirrel ' in the passage cited from Tain Bo Cuailnge is togmall, diminutive togmalldn, and togdn. It occurs also in the Acallam na Sen orach, edited by Whitley Stokes (Irische Texte IV. i.) who in his Glossarial Index (p. 431) remarks ' some small animal, guessed by O'Curry to be a squirrel ..." V\^indisch in a note to the passage in his edition of Tain Bo Cuailnge (p. 180) remarks that the name of this animal varies in the MSS. between togmall, togmalldn, and togdn, as given above. Togan appears to be the more frequent. He compares taghan ' the iNlarten,' citing Ma -bain, Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, and translates accordingly ' Frettchen,' i.e.. Marten or Ferret." 1923. Notes. 51 It will be seen that the identity of the animal in question is more or less guesswork, and that Marten is the more likely translation. In this connection Dr. Scharff's paper " On the Irish Names of Animals {Irish Naturalist, vol. xxiv. (1915) PP-45-53. is our best authority. — .Eds. Irish Breeding: Birds. To the April number of " British Birds " Mr, C. V. Stoney contributes an important article—" Recent Observations on some Irish Breeding Birds " — -giving in a collected form the additions that have been made since the publication of Messrs. Ussher and Warren's " Birds of Ireland " to the list of birds known to breed in this country, and to the counties in which nests of the scarcer species have been found. The paper will be convenient for reference, as the birds added to our list since 1900 are no fewer than five — -the Eider Duck, Common Scoter, Red-necked Phalarope, Black-necked or Eared Grebe, and Fulmar ; while in at least six cases counties have been added to the ascertained breeding range, the Garden- Warbler's nest having been found in Queen's County ; the Wood- Warbler's in Co. Wicklow (where, however, the fact of the bird's breeding had previously been accepted as quite beyond doubt) ; the Tree-Sparrow's in Mayo, Donegal, Derry, and Antrim ; the Siskin's in Derry ; the Crossbill's in Dublin, and the Dunlin's in Fermanagh. The list is admittedly not quite exhaustive, as the writer has refrained in regard to such rare species as the Sandwich and Roseate Tern from naming the counties in which new nesting localities have been found. Early Arrival of the Chiffchaff in Co. Down. On 22nd March this year a Chiffchaff {Phyllosocopus collyhita Vieill.) was seen by me near McAuley's Lake, a large sheet of water about three miles from Ballynahinch, and almost in the centre of Co. Down. The bird was hopping about in a thorn hedge, and its well-known notes, uttered very faintly, were what first attracted my attention. As I watched, its voice seemed to increase in strength. The day was bright and sunny, and the place a sheltered one. Robert N. Morrison. Ballynahinch, Co. Down. Rev. R. N. Morrison's note supra constitutes, so far as I know, the earliest record of the Chiffchaff in the North of Ireland. Thompson {Nat. Hist, of Ireland, Vol. I., p. 196) gives 3rd April as the earliest date of arrival known to him, and my Hillsborough earliest note is 23rd March, in 191 8. This year I saw it first on 28th March. Nevin H. Foster. Hillsborough, Co. Down. 52 Ths Irish Naturalist. May, 1923. Variation in Size of Eggs of the Lesser Tern. While the eggs of the Lesser Tern vary considerably in ground colour and markings, and sometimes in shape, I have rarely noticed a very great difference in size. The dimensions usually range from i .2" x .87" to i .3" X 1 .0". In June, 1921, I obtained specimens from a nest in Co. Dublin, which measured, respectively, 1.05" x .75" and .95" x .75". The abnormal sizes of these eggs at first made me doubt if the nest did belong to the Lesser Tern. However, the general appearance of the eggs, together with the situation of the nest, and last but not least the kind help of Mr. C. B. Moffat in identification have led me to the conclusion that they were laid by none other than our delightful little summer visitor the Lesser Tern. It would be interesting to know if any readers of the Irish Naturalist have ever observed any Terns' eggs so small as these. F. W. Jeffers. DubUn. BOTANY. Early Flowers. Owing to the exceptionally mild winter several plants have been flowering in this neighbourhood months before their normal time. On i6th December I saw Primroses in a sheltered lane^ — -apparently in flower for at least a week — ^and the Lesser Celandine a few days later. Between the ist and 4th January I found no less than twenty-six species in bloom; the majority were of course survivals, but the following were of fresh growth :— Cardamine hirsuta, Capsella Bursa-pastoris, Geranium Roher- iianum, Poteniilla Fragariastrum, Geum uvhanuni, Sanicula europcsa, Lapsana communis, Crepis virens, Veronica agrestis. C. J. Lilly. Limavady. On March 31, along the County Down shore of Belfast Lough, I saw Wild Hyacinth [Endymion nutans) in flower in two places — -this is quite the earliest date I have for it. To show how mixed the flowering times are this spring, I may add that at the same time and place Blackthorn {Prunus spinosa), usually about six weeks earlier, was still largely in bud, and a fortnight later, at Dundalk, near sea-level. Marsh Marigold (Caltha pahistris) another March flower, was just at its best. • •• R. Lloyd Praeger. Dublin. Mr. D. C. Campbell sends a list of forty-nine species seen in flower about Castlerock, in Co. Derry, at end of November. These are largely flowers of the preceding summer still lingering on. h i ^ ^ ct; d H X o P- w O 5 J3 June, 1923. The Irish Naturalist, 53 JOSEPH WRIGHT. Joseph Wright was born in Cork on 7 January, 1834, and died in Belfast on 7 April, 1923, in his ninetieth year. He was the youngest of a family of seventeen, his parents being Thomas Wright, a well-known merchant of Cork, and Mary Dudley, both members of the Society of Friends. Family tradition asserted that the Wrights, a Yorkshire family, came from Saffron Walden to Co. Wexford in the time of Cromwell. He received his education at the Friends' School, Newtown, Co. Waterford, and early developed an interest in geology, being first attracted thereto by the conspicuous fossils of the Carboniferous Limestone, which occupies the trough in which the city of Cork is situated ; it was largely through his subsequent work on these rocks that Little Island became famous as a hunting-ground for the fossils of this formation. His first published contribution to science was a brief paper, " Description of a new Palae- chinus," ^ read before the Royal Geological Society of Ireland, on 9 March, 1864. During his residence in Cork, though closely engaged in business, he devoted most of his leisure time to the search for Carboniferous Limestone fossils, and amassed a very valuable collection, used in subsequent monographs by other workers ; the collection itself now forms part of the extensive and valuable material preserved in the British Museum. In 1859-60 Joseph Wright was resident in Trinity College, Dublin, assisting the Professor of Geology ; but if he had any schemes for adopting science as a profession, they did not mature. In 1867 he came from Cork to Belfast, where he joined Mr. Malcolmson in estabHshing the " Overland Tea House." A year later he married Mary Ann Banks, of Cork, by whom he had four daughters. In Belfast he spent the rest of his long fife. This neighbourhood offers a re- markably varied field for the geologist, and Joseph Wright soon found fresh palaeontological interests. The Chalk of northern Ireland is so hard that it is impossible to separate out the shells of the minute organisms which form a large 1 Jouro. R. Geol. Soc. of Ireland, I., pp. 62-63 54 ^^^ Irish Naturalist. Jun& proportion of the rock, as can be done with the Enghsh Chalk. Mr. Wright discovered that the white material in the interior of the flints of the Chalk is less resistant, and from this new source he worked out an extensive Chalk fauna hitherto unkno^vn, laying the first fruits of his re- searches before the British Association at their meeting in Belfast in 1874.^ He now definitely took up the study of the Foraminifera as his life work, and until failing eyesight compelled him to abandon research at about the age of eighty he never swerved from this allegiance. Both fossil and recent material occupied his attention, at first mainly Irish, but in later years from many parts of the world. Having explored the local Cretaceous rocks, he passed on to the Lias, and to a study of sponge spicules from the chert of the Carboniferous Limestone of Ben Bulben. Then he turned to more recent deposits, and made extensive researches into the microzoa of the Glacial and Post-glacial beds of the North of Ireland. Meanwhile, in 1881, under a grant of money from the Ro5'al Irish Academy, in company with F. P. Balkwill, dredging for Foraminifera in the Dublin area had been commenced, with excellent results.^ Other dredgings followed, and when, in 1885, on the inspiration of W. S. Green and Prof. Haddon, the Royal Irish Academy under- took the exploration of the deeper waters off the west coast of Ireland, \^^right's services were immediate^ enlisted. The writer had the privilege of serving as one of the scientific staff on the third of these expeditions, held in 1888, when attention was concentrated on the fauna of the 1,000- fathom line and beyond. On that occasion, as on others, Wright's cheery optimism, his ready adaptability to the rough hfe on a tug-boat in deep water, and his enthusiasm over the difficult work of dredging in such depths were only excelled by the leader himself, W. S. Green. In later years he was called on to report on the Fora- minifera of various extra-Irish deposits. He did much 2 B.A. Report, 1874 Sectoins, pp. 95-96. ^ F. P. Balkwill and J. Wright : Recent Foraminifera of Dublin and Wicklow. Proc. R. I. Acad. (Science), 2nd ser.. III., pp. 5^5-550 (1880J. 1923. Joseph Wright. 5^ laborious work in conjunction with Mellard Reade on Post- glacial beds round Liverpool, and from Canada and other distant places clays and sands arrived for his examination. Joseph Wright was one of the most generous and helpful of men. No request for information or assistance was ever made to him in vain. He loved to show and demonstrate slides from his great collection to the beginner as well as to the expert ; and many people, including the writer, owed their ii st glimpse of the beauty and interest of the Micro zoa to him. He was an invaluable member of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, and contributed much to their Proceedings. The Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society, and the Liverpool Geological Society, elected him to honorary membership, and the Geological Society of London made him, in 1896, the award of the Barlow- Jameson fund. To the present generation of naturalists he was almost unknown, though his name was known and honoured ; those who still remain who were privileged to work with him mourn a sincere friend, a delightful companion, and a true naturalist. R. Ll. p. CANON LETT'S IRISH SPHAGNA. Determined by J. A. Wheldon. The herbarium of the late Canon Lett was acquired by the Botanical Division of the Dublin National Museum. It is especially rich in Mosses and Liverworts. The Museum is indebted to Dr. J. A. Wheldon for a critical revision of the peat-mosses in the collection, in accordance with Warnstorf's fine monograph of Sphagnum. Dr. W. A. Lee has already pointed out the desirability of a revised record of Irish Sphagna and in the Irish Naturalist for February, 1922, p. 18, and for March, 1923, p. 28, has given two useful hsts. The following is a catalogue of the Irish Sphagna in the Lett herbarium, based on Dr. Wheldon's examination and not recorded in Dr. Lee's lists. T. Johnson. A2 56 The Irish Naturalist. June, ADDITIONS TO Dp. LEE'S LISTS OF IRISH SPHAGNA. See I.X. February, 1922, p. 18, and March, 1923, p. 28. Except whers otherwise stated the specimens have all been collected by Canon Lett, S. fimbriatum Wils. 38. var. validius Card., f. spectabile W., sub-f. anocladum Est. et Fax. 38. var. intermedium Russ. 38. S Russowii W., var. Girgensohnioides Russ., f. pallescens W. 38 (Lett and Waddell). f. virescens Russ. 39. S. fuscum V. Klinggr., var. medium Russ., f. fuscescens W. 18, 27, 39 (Brenan). sub-f. drepanocladum W. 33. sub-f. heterocladum W. 18. sub-f. orthocladum W. 18. var. pallescens Russ. 27. S. rubellum Wils., var. viride W. 18, 37. var. flavum Jens. ap. W. 27 (Lett and McArdle). f. quinquefarium W. 27. var. rubescens W. 18, 27, 30, 38 (Stewart), 39 (Brenan). var. violascens W. 3 (Martin), 6. 16, 27, 36 (Stewart), 39 (Brenan). 40 (Stewart). var. purpurascens Russ. 6, 10, 18, 27 (Lett and McArdle), 37, 38. 39- f. speciosum W. 33. var. versicolor W. 3, 7, 16, 18 (Russell), 33, 35.. 39. var. sordidum W. 37. S. acutifoliura Ehrh., var. viride W. 27, 33, 37, 39 (Brenan). f. drepanocladum W. 37, 38, 39. f. heterocladum W. 37. var. pallescens W. 27. f. heterocladum W. 39. var. roseum W. 16, 27, 39 (Brenan). var. rubrum Brid. 18, 30, 33, 38, 39. var. versicolor W. 18, 27, 39. f. venustum Wheld. 37. f. deflexum W, 7, 29, 35, 38. f. densum Wheld. 27. 35. f. robustura. 24. var. flavo -rubellum W. 10, 15, 35, 39. var. fiavescens W. i (I. Carroll), 7, 27, 30, 33 36, 37, 38, f. drepanocladum W. 7. 19 -^a- Wheldon -Canon Left's Irish Sphagna. 57 S. quinquefarium \V., var. viride W. 2, 27, 33, 35, 37. f. gracilescens W. 33, 39. f. mastigocladum Wheld. i. var. flavum W. i (Lett and McArdle), 27, 33, 35, 36. var. pallens W. 27. f. heterocladum W. 35. var. roseum W. i, 2, 27, 39 (Brenan). f. brachyanocladum W. 27, 33. var. versicolor Russ. i. f. homocladum W. 33. f. heterocladum W. 33. f. drepanocladum W. 36. S. plumulosum Roll. 20. var. viride W. 35, 37, 39 (Brenan). f. laxum W. 33, 39. f. squarrosulum W. 27, 38. f. laete-virens W. 38, 39 (Brenan). f. griseum W. 27, 35. var. pallens W. f laxifolinm W. 27. f. substrictum W. i (Lett and McArdle). var, coerulescens Schlieph. i, 16, 18, 27, 31, 38. var. lilacinum Spruce in Herb. Stabler. 31. f. orthocladum W. i (T. Carroll), 27, 31, 33, 35. 37. f. compactum W. 6, 18, 27, 30, 31, 33, 37. f. delicatum Wheld. 3, 30, 37, 38, 39. var. purpureum W. i (Lett and McArdle), 7, 18, 27, 31, 33, 38, 39. f. robustum W. 3, 18, 27. f. gracile W. 6, 38 (Lett and McArdle). var. versicolor \V. i, 16, 18, 27, 33. f. validum W. 18, 27, 36, 37, 38. f. tenellum W. 3, 6, 12, 18, 27, 28, 33. 38. f. ascendens W. i, 16, 27, 38. var. flavofuscescens W. 6, 7, 27 (Lett and McArdle), 35. f. gracile Wheld. 38. var. ochraceum W., f. congestum W., 27, 38, ^ . f. immersum W., 27, 35, 38, 39. f. amentiforme Wheld. 31, 38. f. orthocladum Wheld. i, 27, 38. var. carneum W. 27 S. moUe Sull. 38. var. molluscoides W., f. heterophyllum W., sub-f. pulchclium W. 38. sub-f. tenerum W\ 38. sub-f. squarrosulum W. 38. sub-f. typicum Wheld. 38, 58 The Irish Naturalist. June, S. compactum DC, var. squarrosum Russ., f. densum Card. 27. var. subsquarrosum W. 38, 39. f. densum. W, 27 (Lett and McArdle), 30, 31, 34, 36, 38. f. divaricatum W. i (Lett and McArdle), 33, 39. var, imbricatum W., f. purpurascens W. 38. f. obscurum W, 27 (Lett and McArdle), 39. f. flavescens Wlield. 27. var. isophyllum Wheld. 38. S. squarrosum Pers., var. spectabile Russ., f. elegans W. 38. f. patulum W. 36 (Brenan), 37. f. robustum W. 38. var. subsquarrosum Russ. ap. W. 38. f. gracile Russ. 27 (Waddell). f. molle W. 37, 38, 39 (Brenan). f. densum Russ. 38 (Stewart). f. cuspidatum W. 37, 38, 39. f. hydrophyllum W. 37. var. imbricatum Schimp. f. silvaticum Wlield. 37. S. amblyphyllum Russ., var., mesophyllum W., f. sylvaticum Russ. 27. 38, 39- sub-f. imbricatum W. 31. f. molle Russ. 6 (Lett and Waddell). var. parvifolium W., f. Warnstorfii W. 39. S. pulchrum W., var. tuscofiavens W. 31. f. brachyhomalocladum W. 31. var. sordido-fuscum W. 38. S recurvum P. de Beauv 16. var. majus Angstr. 7. f. silvaticum Russ. i, 2, 27, 35^ 38, 39 f. pulchellum W. 6, 35. f. subundulatum W. 7, 37, 39. f. sphaerocephalum W. 27, 38, 39. var. parvulum W., f. flavescens, 39. S. serratum Anst., var. serrulatum W. 38, 39 (Brenan). S. cuspidatum Ehrh. var. falcatum Russ. 37. f, molle W. sub-f. polyphyllum W, i, 33. sub-f. eurycladum W. 30, t8' sub-f. tenellum W. 18, 27 f rigidum W. sub-f. pumilum Grav. 33. sub-t. pungens Grav. 18, 27 (Lett and McArdle), 30, 33. 36, 37. 39. sub-f. gracile W. 37, 39 (Brenan). sub-f. aquaticum W. 33, 37, I 1923. \\ HELDO^— Canon Lett's Irish Sphagna. 59 var. submersum Schimp., f. crispatuiu W. 30. f. rigescens W., sub-f. robustum W. 18, 38, sub-f. subtilis W. 18, 37, 38. sub-1. densum Ingh. and Wheld. 27, 39 (Brenan). var. plumosum Schimp., f. remotum W. 37. S molluscum Bruch. 23 (McArdle), 31. var. vulgatum W., f. robustum W. i, 6, 16, 18, 37, 38 f. compactum W. 2, 27, 36, 38. S. subsecundum Limpr. 6. var. intermedium \V., f. subrufescens Wheld. 36. S. fallax V. KHnggr., var. laxifolium W. 7. S. hercynicum W., var. Binsteadii Wheld. 27. S. inundatum R. et. W. 27, 38. var. ovalifolium W. 3, 27. f. brachycladum W. 6, 7, 16, 27, 29, 37. f. brachyanocladum W. 27, 38. f. eurycladum W. 38. f. densum W. 2. sub-f. brachycladum W. 38. - var. lancifolium W., f. falcatum Schliep. 38. f. tenellum W. 37, 38. f. submersum W. 38. f. Jensenii W. 27 (Lett and Waddell). var, diversifoiium W. f. rufescens W. 38. S. auriculatum Schimp. 27. var. ovatum W., f. brachycladum W. 27. f. intortum W. i, 2, 27, 33. f. variegatum W. 27 (Lett and McArdle), 38. f. pungens W. 37. var. cano-virescens W. 27, 38. var. racemosum W. 39 (Stewart). S aquatile W., var. sanguinale W., f. strictum W. 38. var. subfuscum W. 39. S. contortum Schultz , var. gracile W., t. falcatum W , sub f. fuscescens W. 16, 27 sub-f. sordidum W. 1. 6o The Irish Naturalist. June, S. crassicladum W. var. magnifolium W,, f. fiuctuans W. 38. f. rufescens W. 30, 40. f. versicolor W. 6 (Lett and WaddcU). var. diversifolium W. 40. var. intermedium W., f. ovalifolium W,, sub-f. breviramosum W. 27. ' S. bavaricum W., var. mesophyllum W. 38, S. rufescens Nees et Hornsch. i, 35, 38, 39. var. magnifolium W., f. ruMulum W. i, 3, 8, 35, 38. f. bicolor W. 38. sub-f. intortum W. 38. f. albescens W. 37, 38. f. virescens W. 27, 33, 39 (Stewart). var. parvulum W., f. fuscescens W., sub-1. intortum W. 38. sub-f. pulchrum W. 38. S. turgidulum W., var. teretiusculum W. 27 (Lett and McArdle). var. insignitum W. 38. var. fulvum W. 27, 38. S. imbricatum Russ. 39. var. cristatum W. 10, 18, 39. y f. glaucescens W., sub-f. squarrosulum W. 16, 37. ^ j f. congestum W. 39. '^ f. fuscescens W. 18. • . a S. papillosum Lindb. 35. var. normale W., f. majus Grav. 27 37. sub-f. subfuscum Wheld. i (Lett and McArdle). 38. 1. squarrosulum Ingh. and Wheld. 37. .^ sub-f. pulcherrimum Irgh. and Wheld. 37 (Lett and Waddell). f. brachycladum W. 37. sub-f. pallescens Wheld. 18, 27, 37, 39. sub-f. Havofuscum Wheid. 18, 37. f. confertum W., sub-f. tuscoluteum Wheld. 18. sub-f. inundatum Wheld. 27. sub-f. pallidum Wheld. 16 var. sublaeve Limpr. 37. ' f. validum W., sub-f. pycnocladum W. 30. sub-f. submersum W. 27. ^ sub-f. fuscescens W. 37. f. bre\-iramosum W., sub-f. heterocladum W. 18, 38. sub-f. orthocladum W. 38. f, compactum W. 3, 18, 27. 33, 37, 39 (Stewart). 1923. Wheldox — Canon Letfs Irish Sph.igna. 61 S. cymbifoliiim Ehrh., var. glaucescens W., f. squarrosulum Pers. 35. sub-f. pycnocladum W. 2, 38. siib-f. immcrsum W. 35. f. brachycladum W. 38. var. pallescens W. i, ij, 39. f. confertum Wheld. 33. var. flavescens W. 24, 27. f. flagelliferum Wheld. 3. f. brachycladum Wheld. 16, 38. f. congestum Wheld. 7, 33, 37, 38 (Lett and Waddell). var. fuscescens W. i, 16, 20 (McArdle), 27, 35. var. atroviride Schlieph. 27. var. rubescens W. 37. S. sub-bicolor Hanipe. i (Lett and McArdle). var. subcarneum W. 33. var. fuscescens Russ. r. S. medium Limpr. 24. 39. var. pallescens W. 37. var. obscurum W. 38, f. fuscescens W. 18. sub-f. dasybrachycladum W. 10. vai. roseum W., f. abbreviatum W. 10, 37. f. congestum W. 37, var purpurascens W. 10, 18, 33, 37, 38. var. versicolor W., f. compactum Wheld. 10, 37. National Museum, Dublin. 62 The Irish Nahiralist. June NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Curious Sites for Robins' Nests. Birds' nests have been seen and heard of in pecuHar places. A Robin here which has commenced building operations, and is at present engaged in her task, has chosen a most noisy spot— a printing office, full of the clash'ng of linotypes and the hammering made by compositors locking up " formes." The nesting site is between two stacks of packages of bill- heads on a shelf between two windows. The Robin flies through one of the windows (which the printers have purposely left open) daily, carrying feathers, &c., for its new home. One thing is noticed : if strangers are about, no matter how quiet, the Robin seems to halt a little longer. The printers take a great pride in their new companion. P.S. — Another Robin has commenced building operations on the same shelf as the first in our comp. room. The first Robin is rearing her young while the male is attending to their wants. W. J. MULLIN. Cookstown. On March 22, in the early morning, a Robin lighted on my bedpost, and after announcing itself cheerfully, started building her nest behind the books on the top shelf of my book-case. After breakfast, the room was house cleaned, the books were taken down and the nest thrown out of the window. When peace was declared, the housemaid gathered a handful of dead leaves and put them where the bird had put hers. The invitation was accepted and the nest was finished on April i. On April 5 there were two eggs, three on the 6th, four on the 8th, and five on the loth, when she started to sit. In the early mornings, the cock often came into my room, and shuffled about on the dressing table until the hen flew off the nest and joined him outside. On April 22 she never left the nest, and I saw him at work for the first time ; all day long, he vv'as carrying big worms to her. When it was dark, he was in the nest and I could still hear him feeding her. On the 23rd he was no longer seen, and the mother bird was busy feeding her three young herself with wriggling white worms. I would like to know whether the male Robins help in the hatching or not ? Strandtown, Belfast. Aileen Smiles. Three Robins selected curious nesting places in our grounds at Ardaluin, near Newcastle, for building their nests. One built (last year) in a fruit basket' hanging on the wall of the garden furnace-house, the door of which was never closed. Two others this season (1922) built in old fruit cans ; one of these was on the ground under some bushes. We fixed another old fruit-tin up among the branches of a rhododendron, in which a third Robin built, laying five eggs. Patrick and Basil Berry. Ardaluin, Newcastle. 1923. Notes, 63 The Squirrel in Ireland. I am glad Mr. Armstrong has drawn attention in the May number to the story of the tame Squirrel in connection with Queen Maev Although I think we are scarcely justified in taking the contents of the " Tain Bo Cuailnge " as historical evidence, our editor Mr. Moffat, as well as Mr. Le Fany and myself, are satisfied that the Squirrel was formerly indige- nous in Ireland. The only problem that remains to be solved is whether all the Squirrels now living in Ireland are indigenous or no. Mr. Moffat has brought forward evidence (in the April number) that, so far as eastern Ireland is concerned, the Squirrel is derived from the stock introduced into this country in the latter part of last century. It is probable that the Squirrel was also entirely destroyed in the south-west a few centuries ago, but I am not satisfied that the old stock was altogether exterminated in the west of Ireland. I am, however, quite open to conviction, and indicated a method, in my original article (vol. xxxi, pp. 51-54), which, in my opinion, might throw further light on the question. As regards the Irish word ' togmall " or " togan," which had been rendered as meaning Squirrel, Mr. Forbes in his dictionary of the Scottish-Gaelic names of beasts, birdb, cSrc, translated " taghan " or " taoghan," by Marten, and Dr. Best has a similar reference. There is no reason therefore to assume that the tame animal Queen Maev had for a pet was a Squirrel. Knockranny, Bray. R. F. Scharff. BOTANY. The Cranberry in Glenasmole. On the slopes east of the Upper Dodder, opposite the plantation behind Glenasmole Lodge, is a conspicuous patch of wet boggy ground. When crossing this in May, 1922, I suddenly found myself surrounded by a luxuriant growth of Cranberry, Vaccinium Oxvcoccus, just coming into flower. This appears to be only the second record for this plant in Co Dublin, it being known to Mr. Colgan only from " a boggy hollow on the northern face of Glendhu Mountain " at 1,900 feet.^ The elevation of the Glenasmole station cannot be more than 800 to 900 feet. Rathgar, Dublin. A. W. Stelfox. Red Cowslips. For many years I have been acquainted with two small patches of these, growing a few yards apart in an old pasture on limestone, about 70 feet above the sea, at Greenwood, near Feltrim Hill, Co. Dubhn. Yellow Cowslips are abundant on the same ground, as are Primroses, but at a lower level, and I never saw any red ones amongst the latter. Baily, Co. Dublin. A. L. Massy. '•See ' Flora of the County Dublin, ' p. 129. 64 The Irish Naturalist, June, 1923. IRISH SOCIETIES. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. A splendid example of Chapman's Zebra, recently purchased, is one of the most important additions made for some time to the collection of animals in the Gardens. Other recent arrivals include a number of Sooty Mangabeys, a Himalayan Bear, and a Leopard. A Zebu calf was born early in March. 10,000 Loch Leven Trout ova and 5,000 Salmon ova have been placed in the hatcheries. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. April 17. — The annual meeting of the Club was held, the President (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A.) in the chair. The reports submitted showed that the Club, which has this year reached its diamond jubilee, is in an exceedingly prosperous condition. The membership was increased by 117 during the year, and now stands at 571, and the finances, under the management of the honorary treasurer (T. Edens Osborne) showed a corresponding improvement. The office-bearers for 1923-24 were appointed as follows : — President, J. A. Sydney Stendall ; Vice-President, A. P. Hoskins ; Honorary Secretaries, A. Albert Campbell and Thomas M. Deans ; Honorary Treasurer, T. Edens Osborne ; Honorary Librarian, W. M. Crawford ; Honorary Secretaries of Sections, Robert Bell (geology), Nathaniel Carrothers (botany), James Orr (zoology), W. A. Green (archae- ology), and J. R. H. Greeves (junior). Rev. W. R. Megaw and S. A. Bennett, A. MT. Cleland and John T. Greeves were added to the Committee. The outgoing Honorary Secretary (A. MT. Cleland) was cordially thanked for his lengthy and energetic service to the Club. Reference was made to the recent deaths of W. H. Phillips (a foundation member), W. J. Fennell, F.R.I. B.A., and Joseph Wright, F G.S., all of whom took an active part in the Club's work in bygone days Sympathy was expressed with Mr. Crawford in the loss of his wife and the serious injuries sustained by himself in the recent shocking railway-crossing accident at Dunmurry. Rev. Robert Workman (a foundation member) and Nevin H. Foster were elected Honorary Members. July, 1923. The Irish Nahirahsl. 65 ON THE ORIGIN OF THE IRISH CATTLE. BY R. F. SCHARFF, B.SC, PH.D. Many different breeds of cattle are kept in Ireland at the present time, but the farmer does not trouble himself much about their origin. It is the yield and quality of the milk, or the quant it 3^ and character of the meat that interest him. For several generations past various breeds have been introduced into this country from Great Britain and abroad. It is not my intention to trace the original home of these cattle. What I hope to be able to show is what kind of cattle lived in Ireland in remote historic and even in prehistoric times, and then endeavour to ascertain where these cattle were domesticated. For it is evident that, like all other domesticated animals, the ox and cow must have had wild ancestors. It is possible that wild cattle inhabited Ireland and gave rise to the old domestic stock. But we must carefully sift the evidence for the belief that wild cattle inhabited Ireland and were domesti- cated in this country by the early inhabitants. If wild cattle never existed in Ireland, some early settlers must have brought their domesticated stock with them from abroad. Quite a number of interesting questions await an answer. Whether they can be answered at all in the present state of our knowledge remains to be seen. But in the course of our enquiries I think we shall elicit some valuable information which has not yet been presented to the readers of this magazine. Moreover, anything that can increase our knowledge concerning the Irish cattle and their past history must be of value and interest. The late Sir William Wilde ^ recognised four distinct native breeds of cattle as living in this country in the early part of last century. The first of these he called the " Old Irish Cow." It was of small stature, long in the back, and possessed moderate-sized, wide-spreading, sHghtly elevated and projecting horns. The colour of the breed seems to 1 Wilde, W. : On the modern and ancient races of oxen in Ireland. Proc. R. Irish Acad., vol. vii., 1858. A 66 The Irish Naturalist. - July, have been mostly red or black. They were famous milkers, required little care and abounded all over the plain country. A maich smaller breed was the Kerry, and this was either red, brindled or black in colour. This second native breed had small heads with rather short horns turning upward. Now this breed still exists in its pure form in the mountains of Kerry and Cork. Formerl}^ it seems to have ranged all over the country. The third race or breed was termed the " Irish long- horn " by Sir William Wilde. It was similar to, but not identical with the Lancashire and Craven breed. While many heads had wide spreading horns and only slightly curved, the great majorit}^ of the horns turned in so completely that they crossed either in front or behind the mouth. These- cattle were generally red or brindled and grew to a great size. The thick hide was valuable. The breed was comimon chiefly in Roscommon. Even in Sir \Mlliam Wilde's time it was almost extinct, and had been replaced by the more modern '' short-horn." The fourth breed which is hornless, was known and is still known as " the mo^dey," or " moyleen " — probably a corruption of the Irish w^ord " maotlin," meaning a hornless cow. It is either dun, black or white in colour, very rarely miottled. Of these four native breeds which existed in Ireland, according to Sir WiUiam Wilde, about a hundred years ago, two have survived to the present day, namely, the Kerry and the hornless. The former is still largel}^ confined to the mountainous region of the south-west, whereas the other is only found in a few examples in various parts of the country Prof. Wilson tells us that there are one or two herds picked up by owners who wish to keep the breed alive. He entirely disagrees with Sir William Wilde 's' statement that this breed is ever black. He is positive about its being always yellow. As to the origin of the: hornless cattle, Prof. Wilson is of opinion that the}^ were originally brought to Ireland from Scandinavia many denturies ago.^ i -f— ■ ^t: '■ ■ — -^ - 1 Wilson, James: The ScaiTctinavian origin of the hornless cattl^ of the British Isles, Sc. Pfoc. R. Dublin Soc, vol. xii. (N.S.), 1909. 1923. ScHARFF— (9w the Origin of the Irish Cattle. 67 In a subsequent paper, Sir William Wilde incidentally stated that, as the result of his continental travels, he had modified the views previously expressed on the breeds of Irish cattle. He did not there and then define the particu- lars in which his opinions differed. He evidently meant to do so later on, but did not.'^ Anyhow, William Youatt, who was always held in esteem as an authority on cattle, was positive that about a hundred years ago there existed only two distinct breeds of Irish cattle. These were what he calls " middle and long- horns," one being the small Kerry, plainly an aboriginal breed, and the other of much larger size with long horns. His suggestion is that the latter was probably an old or partially improved Craven or Lancashire beast. Neverthe- less, Youatt acknowledges that two kinds of such long- horns, namely a larger and a smaller, may be distinguished, the 'atter being principally found in the North of Ireland. Although the characters of these cattle seemed to him essentially different, he suggests that one may be the •result of indifferent or bad management of an originally similar stock. It seems strange that the author omits all reference to the Irish hornless breed which has been alluded to above. ^ Another later writer agrees with the opinions expressed by Youatt concerning the presence in Ireland of two breeds, viz., the Kerry and the long-horn. . He contends that the latter was originally an inhabitant of the western parts of the British Islands, and that it extended over nearly the whole plain of Ireland and even the greater part of the mountains. He says that it still forms the prevailing race of the country. And yet, he continues, in the west there exists a race which differs in almost every respect that constitutes a breed from the long-horns. Whereas Ireland and the western parts of England have had for an unknown period a race of cattle having long horns and furnished with 3 Wilde, W. : On the unmanufactured animal remains belonging to the R. Irish Academy. Proc. R. Irish Academy, vol. vii., 1859. * Youatt, W. : Cattle, their breed, management and disease. London, 1834. A2 68 The Irish Nakiralist. July, thick skins and abundant hair fitted to protect the animals against long-continued rain, the eastern and drier districts have been inhabited by varieties with thinner skins and shorter hair and horns. Like the previous writer, Low omits all reference to the Irish moyley, or hornless breed. ^ Long before the beginning of the last centur\^ cattle were imported into Ireland with the result that the breeds already in existence in that country became altered and modified in character. Prof. Wilson tells us that the three large breeds that were then brought into Ireland were the long-horns, short-horns and Herefords.- It seems likely, therefore, that the long-horns and other breeds of cattle found in the lowlands a hundred years ago owe their presence in Ireland to such importations, and that only the Kerry cattle can be looked upon as an aboriginal breed. This accords with the views supported by Prof. J. McKenny Hughes, who urged that even before the wild ox [Bos primigenms) had entirely disappeared from England, the native short-horn was present in Britain. This he describes as a small animal about the size of the Kerry breed, remarkable for the height of the forehead above the orbits, for its strongly-developed occipital region, and its small horns curved inward and forward. If it was not indigenous, he thinks it must have been introduced by man into the British Isles at a very remote period. Nilson even claims that it was once wild in vSweden. This, remarks Prof. Hughes, is the native breed with which we must start in all our speculations as to the origin and develop- ment of the British oxen.^ He considers the Kerry cattle to be the most typical examples in the British Islands of this what he calls " Celtic short -horn," whereas the Chilling- ham breed is the nearest representative of the cattle intro- duced by the Romans. I shall again allude to this peculiar race of white cattle later on. 1 Low, David : The breeds of the domestic animals of the British Isles. London, 2 vols., 1852. 2 Wilson, James : The origin of the Dexter- Kerry breed of cattle. Scient. Proc. R. Dublin Soc. (N.S.), vol. xii., 1909. 3 Hughes, J. McKenny : On the more important breeds of cattle which have been recognised in the British Isles in successive periods. Archceologia, vol. Iv., 1896. 1923- ScHARFF— 0« the Ofigin of the Irish Cattle 69 One of the latest writers to study the Kerr}^ cattle is Dr. Lundwall, who came to Ireland from the Agricultural College of Vienna for this special purpose. As the result of careful comparisons and measurements he arrived at the conclusion that the Kerry cattle are practically identical with the old breed of cattle living in Brittany. This leads him to the suggestion that the same race of Celtic tribes had invaded Brittany as well as Ireland, and brought their cattle with them.^ There is not much more to be gathered from recent authorities as to the nature and breeds of Irish cattle in the eighteenth century, or earlier centuries. We must, therefore, test other methods in tracing the development and history of the breeds. Long ago when the early tribes of Ireland still retained their wandering habits and moved about wherever the herbage afforded sustenance to their cattle, they surrounded their temporary homes with breast- works of earth and stones, and surmounted the whole with a stake fence. When further security against wild animals and hostile tribes was desired, many of the tribes moved their dwelhngs to the lakes. vShallow ground or an islet was generally chosen, and stakes were driven into the ground. The latter were probably interlaced with saphngs, forming a stockade which rose above the water. On this platform were erected wooden cabins in which the people hved. Similar lake-dwelhngs are known from Switzerland and other parts of Europe. The remains of several hundreds of such " crannogs " as th'ey are called, derived from the Irish word crann, a tree, have been discovered in this country. Many of the lakes in which these crannogs origi- nal y stood have since been drained so that the structure of these lake-dwellings can be closely investigated. More- over, the weapons, tools and ornaments and all the house- hold rubbish including the remains of the food consumed, are found beneath the site of the dwelUngs. The collection of the Royal Irish Academy in the National Museum con- tains hundreds of interesting objects obtained by a careful * Lundwall, E. : Studien iiber das irlandische Kerry-Rind. Mitt. d. landwirt Hochschule f. Bodenkultur, Wien, vol. ii., 1913- 70 The Irish Naturalist. July, examination of such ancient household rubbish heaps. Their study has enabled experts to date approximately the various crannogs. Now among these finds there were a large number of skulls of cattle, and we are thus able to determine what breeds existed in Ireland in early Christian times. A particularly large horde of skulls and bones of domestic animals was discovered in the bog of Lagore, near Dunshaughlin, Co, Meath. They were in what was undoubtedly the remains of a crannog of over 500 feet in circumference. This crannog dates from the loth century, and Sir William Wilde describes the skulls as belonging to the straight-horned, curved-horned, short-horned and horn- less types. Two of the skulls bear the character of the ancient large primigenius race. As no representative of this breed has ever been found in earlier Irish deposits, we must assume that in the loth centur}^ we already had breeds of cattle in Ireland which were imported from Great Britain and abroad. A good deal of confusion exists among the various writers as to the term " short-horn " and " long-horn." Sir William W^ilde describes the Kerry breed as having rather short horns and so does Youatt, while Hughes considers it as the most t3^pical example of the Celtic short- horn. Lydekker, on the other hand; describes the horn of the Kerry as being fine and long, and states that the Kerry is related to the " Welsh runt " as well as the Highland cattle of Scotland which have relatively long horns. And yet we are told that the modern shorthorn is a breed entirely distinct from the Kerry. The confusion in terminology arises from the fact that the length or shortness of the horn are only utilized as convenient terms of description. It is not so much in terms of measurement as relatively to the size of the animal that the horns may be described as either long or short. The horns of the Highland cattle only appear to be long relatively to the size of their bodies, and it is more in the general conformation that these and the Welsh and Irish breeds are related to one another.' The breed known as the " shorthorn " seems to be a compara- ^ Lydekker, R. : The ox and its kindred. London, 1912. 1923- ScHARFF — On the Origin of the Irish Cattle. yi lively modern one. They are large cattle with relatively short horns specially fitted by their early maturity for the supply of butchers' meat. There are certain Irish place-names, like " Inishbofin," meaning the island of the white cow, and Lake Bo fin, which seem to imply the former existence in this country of white cattle. The survival in Great Britain of several herds of white cattle from very remote times has given rise to a great deal of discussion as to their origin. Although now confined in large parks, they were formerl}/ allowed to roam about freely in a nearty wild condition, and some authorities still maintain that they were the direct de- scendants of truly wild cattle. The white cattle in these parks are not all of the same kind. The most famous herd is that of Chillingham, in Northumberland. These cattle are small, with rough white hair and short upwardly- directed horns, while the Chartley herd has long wide- spreading horns. In the Cadzow herd the cows are hornless. There are many minor differences among the various herds. Some of these cattle exhibit a strong tendency to produce black calves, and these are of course always weeded out. Hence Lydekker suggests that all these herds of white cattle had originally descended from a black stock. This view seems more plausible than that put forward by Prof. Hughes and accepted by Wilson, that the white cattle are descended from an Italian stock introduced by the Romans. Cattle similar to the Chillingham breed certainly appear to have existed in Great Britain in Roman times, for Meek and Gray, who conducted the examinations of the Roman site at Corstorpitum, described the remains of an apparently wild ox {Bos sylvestris), of which the Uving representative is stated by them to be the Chillingham.- Although there is no direct evidence of the former existence in Ireland of similar herds of white cattle, it is quite possible that some examples may have been imported from England or Scot- land. That importations of cattle from Great Britain and abroad took place before the tenth century may also be 2 Meek, A., and R. A. H. Gray : Report of the excavations at Corspor- p'itum. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 191 1. 72 The Irish Naturalist. July, gathered from historical evidence. The interesting and celebrated tale of the " Tain Bo Cualnge " comes to us in several versions from. about the tenth century, although the original is probably much older. It contains few descriptions that might enable us to identify the breeds to which allusion is made, but there is enough to justify the belief that importations of cattle had already occurred in those remote times. In Mrs. Hutton's beautiful poem in which the whole story is told in a most attractive manner, we read of a bull whose hooves and head were white, the rest of his body being red, as though he had been dyed with partar-red, and further on the author cells us how More- vega threatened to overwhelm Cucullin by leading against him a hundred red and hornless heifers.^ As Prof. Wilson has shown, the Celtic breed of cattle was originally black and horned. Hence the red bull and the red hornless heifers were importations or the produce of such. One of the foremost investigators on the origin of European domesticated cattle was the late Prof. Riitimeyer. ^ The discovery in Switzerland among the rubbish heaps of the lake-dwellings of a large number of skulls and skeletons of cattle that had lived in the country many centuries ago formed the basis of these researches. He was able to dis- tinguish the remains of three races of oxen, all of which had lived in Switzerland during the Stone Age. It cannot be computed with any degree of accuracy about how many years ago Europe passed through the Stone Age. Certain it is that it was long before the Christian era, and that it lasted for miany centuries. The Stone Age in Europe with its primitive culture was coexistent with a high state of civiliza- tion in Egypt. Riitimeyer named the three breeds tro- choceros, primigenius, and hrachyceros, and they all had been domesticated in those remote times. It is interesting to note that to the last race belong the Kerry variety of cattle and that of Brittany. The same breed has been met with in ancient deposits in Great Britain, in Sweden, Holland, and many other parts of Europe. The name 3 Hutton, Mary A. : The Tain, Dublin, 1907. * Riitimeyer, L. : Fauna der Pfahlbauten der Schweiz. Basel, 1861. 1923. SCHARFF — On the Origin of the Irish Cattle. 73 hrachyceros had already been applied to quite another kind of ox, so that Prof. Owen changed it to longifrons. The same author's statement that skulls of this small form of ox had been found in the shell-marl of Ireland together with the remains of the Irish Elk lacks confirma- tion, and seems to me extremely improbable. In the extensive Irish peat deposits it occurs frequently, but they are of much more recent date than the undertying shell-marl.^ That the small Celtic breed of oxen was the only domesti- cated race existing in England and Scotland at the time of the Roman invasion, is the view supported by Prof. Boyd Dawkins. ^ As the result of examining the bones of animals from many Roman sites he concluded that this breed abounded in Great Britain during the Roman occupation to the exclusion of the larger breeds. But as we have noted from Meek and Gray's researches, a larger wild breed appears to have lived in northern England in Roman times. That a small breed was the only kind of cattle occurring in early Christian times and during the preceding ages in Ireland, is proved by the bones and teeth of oxen found in Irish caves. > And from the fact that in the ancient Irish Brehon Laws the measurement of a cow is given as twenty hands in girth, it would appear that the usual size of cattle was then much smaller than it is now. No remains of large cattle have ever been met with in the older Irish cave deposits. All the bones and teeth belong to a small breed similar to but somewhat smaller and more slender than the existing Kerry race. The view that wild oxen ever inhabited Ireland is not supported by palseontological evidence, and Prof. Owen must have been misinformed when he stated that ox remains had been found together with those of the Irish Elk. The opinion that wild oxen once roamed about the plains of Ireland is founded mainly on the testimonv of Sir William Wilde who quoted a curious 5 Owen, Richard : A history of British fossil mammals and birds. London, 1846. * Dawkins, W. Boyd : British Pleistocene Alammalia. Palaeontographical Society, London, 1878. 74 The Irish Naturalist. July, Irish zoological poem in support of his contention. Mr. Eugene Curry, the translator of the poem, believes it to be as old as the ninth century, and at that time certainly the wild oxen, if they ever did exist in Ireland, must have been long since extinct. The interest of the poem lies in the fact that it describes how Cormac Mac Art, the monarch of Erin, consented to liberate his prisoner Finn Mac Cum- haill when a ransom of two of every wild animal of Ireland were brought before him on the green of Tara. The poem relates the sequence of this offer, and among the wild animals are mentioned two wild oxen from the Burren.^ This place in County Clare is as inhospitable and wild as any in Ireland, and would be just the place where herds of wild cattle might once have lived. But in that case wild cattle must have had a wider range in still more remote times. They would have existed in every suitable district in Ireland and have left some trace of their former presence in the more ancient deposits, where they are, as far as we know, completely absent. Hence I venture to think that without much stronger evidence we are not entitled to conclude that wild cattle inhabited Ireland. I believe that the small Celtic breed (which is known as Bos longifrons or brachyceros) was brought to Ireland long ago, certainh^ in pre-Christian times by the early settlers, and that no wild race ever inhabited the country. There is no doubt that wild cattle existed in Great Britain, as I have already pointed out. Types of cattle similar to those living in Ireland in those remote times live in Great Britain and the continent of Europe during at any rate, part of the Stone Age. It has been argued that this small breed must have been domesti- cated in Europe from a wild ancestor, but we are specially indebted to the Swiss zoologist, Dr. Duerst, whose brilliant researches have traced the origin of the breed to another continent. Nearly 25 years ago he showed that the short- horn cattle of Asia Minor and of north and east Africa . undoubtedly belong to the brachyceros [=longifrons) ~ Wilde, W. : On the unmanufactured animal remains belonging to the Academy. Proc. R. Irish Academy, vol. vi\, i860. .1923. ScHARFF— On the Origin of the Irish Cattle. 75 race of domestic cattle. And he argued that this breed must have originated in Asia, and have been domesticated there long before the commencement of the culture of the Babylonians.' Prof. Keller, who was able to identify th.s breed of ox on many of the ancient monuments, pleaded in favour of its African origin.- The excavations conducted under the auspices of the Carnegie Institution of Washington at Anau in Turkestan, however, enabled Duerst to resume his investigations into the origin of our small race of cattle. In the lowest deposits, all the bones of oxen were those of a wild species apparently Bos namadicus of Falconer and Cautle3\. which is an extinct Asiatic wild ox. It was only in the upper layers that domestic cattle bones made their appearance. These belonged to a larger breed than Bos hrachyceros, and were long-horned. The same breed lived in Egypt, but there is evidence for the belief that it gradually diminished in size. It was also known in Mesopotamia during Babvlonian times, about 4,000-5,000 B.C. Chinese records place the arrival in China of the long-horned ox in the year 3468 B.C. It has been ascertained at Anau that the earliest remains of the domestic ong-horned cattle appeared approximately in the year 8000 B.C. Already 2,900 years later there are dist net evidences in th^ Anau deposits that the large-homed breed had not only become smaller in size, but that its horns had diminished in length. It had, in fact, become metamorphosed into a short-homed race which cannot be distinguished from the European Bos taiirus hrachyceros or longifrons. Whether this di- minution in size was due to insufficient nourishment, the pairing in an immature condition, or to changes in the cHmatic conditions, or to a combination of these causes, adverse influences no doubt acted on the old breed in the production of the new one. It was not in Turkestan alone that the originally large and stately ox was transformed into the stunted short-homed form. A similar change took place in Mesopotamia. Dr. Duerst therefore expresses 1 Duerst, J. U, i I)ie Kinder von Babylonien. Assyiien .unci Egyptea und ihr Zusammenhang mit den Rindern der alten Welt. Zurich, 1899. 2 Keller, C. : Die Abstammung der alteren Haustiere. Zuach, 1902, 76 The Irish Naturalist. July, 1923. the opinion that the ox of Turkestan, which underwent this transformation at approximately 7,000 years before the Christian era, finally reached Europe after travelling with the early Asiatic invaders through southern Russia.^ Thus the ancestors of the Irish Kerry cattle which had their origin in Asia probably reached Ire and from the cont'nent during the late Stone Age. NOTES. Homing: Instinct in the Swift. On the evening of 19 April last I was on the look-out for Swallows, whose arrival had been reported to me the previous day, when I suddenly saw three Swifts flying from the south. They flew around in the usual circles over our garden for some minutes, when one bird separated from the others and swept down at great speed, but quite silently, and dashed past the north side of the chrrch, and then rising again joined the others. This performance was repeated four times, after which the bird remained with the others, flying about over the ruins of the new barracks, where members of the species nested in former years. This occurred between 6.30 and 7 p.m. I kept the birds under constant observation, and just at 8 p.m., one bird again separated itself from the others, a fourth bird had in the meantime arrived, and dashed down past the north side of the church about six times and eventually roosted there. As I had been keeping careful and constant watch in the garden for some days, it is evident that these birds had just arrived. The north side of the chvrch is much enclosed by houses, the hill rising rather abruptly just there, yet two or three pairs of Swifts nest there every year. It would be a most unlikely place for any stray Swift to visit, and hence it may be assi med that the bird in que tion had either nested there or been reared there. Otherwise why didn't the other three birds pay it a visit also ? It is very interesting to note then that within ten or fifteen minutes of its arrival at its native town, the bird actually visited its old nesting haunt, and roosted there that night as it did also the following nights. I may add that in this district our spring migrants have been exceptionally early on their arrival this year. W. M. Abbott. Fermoy. 1 Duerst, J. M. : Animal remains from the excavations at Anau (Turkestan). Carnegie Institution. Washington, no. 73, 1909. August, 1923. The Irish Nahirahst. 77 FOOD OF THE IRISH SOUIRREL. BY C. B. MOFFAT. It has been suggested to me that a study of the feeding habits of the Squirrels now resident in Ireland should yield results that might be helpful towards a solution of the question whether these animals are entirely derived from an introduced stock, or may be in part descended from Squirrels of that aboriginal stock that inhabited the old Irish forests in by-gone days. As I kept pretty careful notes on the feeding of these animals in County Wexford for about twelve years (from the time of their arrival at Ballyhyland in the summer of i8go, until the year 1902, after which my opportunities for continuing such notes became much fewer), I think it may in some degree meet this suggestion if I now lay before readers of the Irish Naturalist a brief summary of the results. It must, of course, be borne in mind that the Squirrel's diet in different localities must vary to some extent accord- ing to the nature of the choice of foods offered. I will have to advert to one rather significant difference between the feeding habits observed in Co. Wexford and those noted during visits to Fassaroe, Co. Wicklow. But I believe that the choice of foods offered in the woods about Ballyhy- land and in the surrounding area at all seasons of the year was sufficiently large to give a very fair indication of the manner in which a Squirrel would seek to support himself in any part of Ireland to which he might be transferred. The Squirrel's principal supply during all the years when I had him under notice in Co. Wexford was derived from trees belonging to five famihar species, which I name in the order of their importance to the animal : — ^the Scotch Fir or Pine (Pinus sylvestris), the Larch {Larix eiiropcBa), the Beech {Fagus sylvatica), the Spruce Fir {Picea excelsa), and the Oak [Quercus rohur). Next in importance to these five trees came the innumerable kinds of fungi on which the 78 The Irish Naturalist. August, Squirrel feeds most extensively during the summer and autumn months. After the fungi I place foods derived from a few other trees less largely patronised than the five I named first. These (according to my notes) are the Spanish Chestnut (Castanea saliva), the Maple {Acer campestre) , the Hawthorn {Crataegus oxyacantha) , the Yew {Taxus baccata), and the Silver Fir {Abies pectinata). I do not find the Ash, Elm, or Sycamore mentioned, though it is probable that the seeds of ail may be occasion- ally consumed. To the list of foods I must, however, add the common Blackberry, and I have reason to think that Bilberries sometimes also furnish a meal. Now as to the extent of the Squirrel's dependence on each of the named sources of supply, I will take the various trees in order. (i) The Scotch Fir. — This tree is placed first because its cones are abundantly consumed by the Squirrel during every month of the year, and because it can always be relied on to bear an abundant crop. The fresh green cones are first attacked in a forward year in June, otherwise in July ; but the}^ continue to be extensively eaten throughout the whole year, and yield a supply so unfailing as to render any idea of a winter hoard for the Squirrel absurdly un- necessary. During the winter months, and especially in December and January, the Squirrel also feeds largely on the buds and young flowering shoots of this Pine, which continue to be eaten until May. (2) The Larch. — The utility of this tree is in many years quite equal to that of the Pine, for its cones are an equally favourite food from the time when they are attacked in their green stage in June or July until the next crop is ready, or for several m.onths longer if the next crop should fail. The tree must, however, be put second to the Pine, because it cannot be trusted to produce a crop of cones every -year. In 1891, for example, it produced none in the Ballyhyland neighbourhood, and in 1893 it was almost a total failure. In the early part of the year (chiefly in February), the buds of this tree, as well as the cones, are eaten. 1923- Moffat — Food of the Irish Squirrel. 79 (3) The Beech. — At two seasons of the year the Beech is of great importance to the Squirrel. In a year in which beech-mast is plentiful, it is preferred to every other food, so that from the middle of August until sometime in October, even the Pine and Larch are neglected. Unfortunately the crop of beech-mast is quite as uncertain as that of larch- cones, and totally failed in Co. Wexford both in 1891 and in 1893. In spring, however, the Beech again becomes a source of supply, and in two different ways. In April, when the beech-leaves are at their greenest, the ground may sometimes be seen literally carpeted with thousands of these leaves, which the Squirrels have bitten off and dropped, eating merely the fresh leaf-stalks, for which they evidently have an extraordinary relish. And during the greater part of May, the animals spend much of their time grubbing up the seedhng Beeches to eat the succulent underground parts of the plant. It was quite common to see four or five Squirrels on the ground at this work at once in years of a good beech-harvest. (4) The Spruce Fir. — The green cones of the Spruce are pretty freely eaten from July onwards until October, and occasional meals of the same food are made during the winter and early spring months. May and June are the only months in which I have seen no trace of the Spruce being fed on. Besides its cones, the young flowers of this tree are a tempting morsel, for w^hich, early in the year, the Squirrel bites off the 3^oung shoots, so as to get at the buds which would otherwise be protected by the spines of the foliage above and below them. (5) The Oak.—Om native Quercus robur comes only fifth in the list of useful trees, for though its acorns are certainly eaten, they seem to be held in very little esteem and in any case they only furnish food during three months (September, October, and November). If a winter store were wanted, they might, perhaps, be hoarded, but I have never seen our Wexford Squirrels hoarding food, and they certainly have no need to. The Oak, it is true, yields other foods besides its acorns. At least three kinds of galls found on this tree are much eaten. The very abundant " marble A2 8o The Irish Naturalist. August, gall " {Cynips Kollari) is frequently bitten through during the winter months (December to March), for the sake, I presume, of a meal at the expense of the imprisoned insect. The almost equally abundant ''flat button gall " (Neu- roterus lenticularis) is licked off from the under-surface of the shsd oak-leaves, for which the Squirrel searches under the trees at mid-winter. And in June the beautiful " cherry- gall " (Cynips quercusjolii) is crunched up where it grows, on the under-side of the fresh leaves. Probably some of the other galls are similarly treated. A lichen that grows on the trunks of oaks is also eaten in May and June, if not at other times also. One cannot, however, regard either the lichens or the galls as capable of affording substantial food in the absence of other fare. (6) The Spanish Chestnut. — As might be expected, the Squirrel greatly enjoys the fruit of this tree when he can get it. It is, however, nowhere very abundant, and its crop is, in this country, very uncertain. October is the principal month in which it is available. (7) The Maple. — Another tree too scarce to be accorded great importance, but much frequented by Squirrels in October for the sake of its seeds, and in November and December for its buds, which seem to be greatly liked. (8) The Hawthorn. — Haws are sometimes eaten in a winter, and would doubtless get larger custom if other and better-liked foods were not so abundant. (9) The Yew. — Occasionally a Squirrel indulges in feast of yew-berries. (10) The Silver Fir. — Young shoots of this tree are bitten off in early summer (chiefly in June), and some food must be obtained from them. The cones of the Silver Fir are, I think, never eaten. The above-named ten are all the forest -trees in which I have any proof that our Co. Wexford Squirrels fed. Of the fungi I Vv'ill not say much, as I have little acquaintance with them ; but the}^ are certainly a very substantial part of the Squirrel's fare, especially in Ma}^ and June, and again in September and October. Some that are commonly considered very poisonous, such as the well- 1923- MoFi^AT -Food of Uie Irish Squirrel. 8i known "stump mushroom" [Hy.pholoma fasciciilare), are readily eaten. Unlike most of the trees above-named, fungi must always have been readily obtainable in Irish woods ; but, of course, they are only plentiful during about six months of the year. Blackberries and Bilberries may bo classed rather as dainties than as articles of diet, and I have no proof that they are more than occasionally eaten. Some surprise may, however, be expressed that I liave not mentioned the Hazel [Corylus Avellana). As the Squirrel's love both of eating and of storing hazel-nuts is almost proverbial, an explanation is evidently needed for this omission. The cause is partly local. In i\Ir. Barrington's woods at Fassaroe, I often saw the remains of hazel-nuts that had been eaten b}-^ Squirrels, though I never saw anything of the kind near Ballyhyland. The reason for the difference, however, is that in Mr. Barrington's woods the Hazel grew intermixed with the Larch and Pine, in whose branches the Squirrels habitually fed, so that they had not to leave their ordinary feeding- grounds to go nutting. At Ballyhyland we had no Hazel in the woods of mixed timber in which the conifers grew. There was abundance of Hazel in the natural oak-wood that occurred in the immediate neighbourhood ; but — as I observed in a previous article — the Squirrels avoided this wood, showing that they did not care sufficiently for either hazel-nuts or acorns to travel the short distance (not half a mile) that parted the nearest bit of natural forest from a plantation yielding larch-cones and pine-cones. It will be seen from the above note that an overwhelming preponderance of the food on which our Irish Squirrels appear to subsist at the present day is food that could not have been obtained in any of the natural woods of old Ireland since the time (whenever that may have been) of the practical disappearance of our native Scotch Fir. The Squirrels that hved in Irish woods since the extinction of that tree, and before the introduction of the present stock of conifers and beeches, must — if their tastes at all resembled 82 The Irish Naturalist. August, those of our modern Squirrel — have subsisted chiefly on acorns, hazel-nuts, fungi, and such minor dainties as haws, blackberries, and various oak-galls. They would, I think, have found it absolutely necessary either to hibernate or to lay up a winter store ; for of the above-mentioned foods, only the haws and some of the oak-galls would be obtain- able in the winter months, and none of them could be trusted in a hard season to last the winter through. Our modern Squirrel does not, in my opinion, undergo even a partial hibernation. Daily throughout the winter he is to be seen abroad in the trees, as numerously as in the height of summer, and as well provided with food. If he ever stores up nuts or acorns I have no evidence of it, and it could only be the survival of a habit for which there is no longer any use. I do not think an animal of such easy-going ways could ever have bridged the gulf between the felling of the last Irish pine-forest and the re-plantation of the country with our present stock of coniferous trees. If he did so, he must have had some means of subsistence to which his present descendants do not resort. IRISH SOCIETIES. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. May 19.— Excursion to Black Mountain. — Forty-five members assembled at Wood vale Park at 2.30, and under the conductorship of Mr. Robert Bell, walked to the site of the prehistoric flint factory on the Black Mountain, on the east side of the hill at an elevation of about eight hundred feet. Two areas have been carefully dug over, and have yielded a large number of flint flakes, but comparatively few implements, and these of a very early rude t3^pe. The finds include implements with spurs, the use of which is unknown ; a leaf-shaped implement of proto- Solutrian type, an occasional antler of the red deer, scrapers, hammer- stones, and cores. The party got to work with hammers, pocket picks and walking sticks, and quite a considerable number of specimens were unearthed. Few plants of special interest were noted. At a short business meeting (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A,, presiding), nine senior and seven junior members were elected. 1923. Irish Societies. 83 June 2. Excursion round the Antrim Coast. — Conducte I by R. J. Welch, a party of 90 members and friends motored from Belfast via Larne and Cushendall to Ballycastle, and thence back via Armoy and Ballycastle to Belfast. For the whole distance the route lay through country of high interest to the naturalist, but the travelling was too continuous to allow of any original work being done. The well-known and striking geological features of the coast were seen to advantage, and many of the characteristic plants were noted from the chars-a-banc. The members of the new Route Field Club joined the party at ^Nlurlough. A very enjoyable day was spent. June 16. — Excursion to Braid Valley. — Fifty-eight members and friends journeyed to the valley of the Braid under the conductorship of Mr. J. Skillen. Slemish Mountain, a volcanic neck (1,437 feet), hallowed by the feet of St. Patrick, was the objective. A halt was made at the Moat of Dunfane (Dun-na-Feinne, the fort of the Fenians), a great mound about 30 feet high, and still surrounded in part by the original ditch and rampart and on the east by the remains of an extensive fortified earthwork. Further along the road Mr. Skillen pointed out a fine section of a huge esker deposit of glacial sands and gravels. At Broughshane (the bru or border of Shane — viz., Shane O'Neill), a halt was made to inspect the two fine memorial windows of Celtic design in the Second Presbyterian Church. A visit was also paid to the grave of the Rev Canon Grainger, an original member of the Club, and its first chairman. On the main road from Ballymena to Glenarm, the Holy Well of Tubbernasool (Tober-na-suil, the well of the eyes), was pointed out in a boggy field on the south side of the road. This is the " fons miraculosus ." of Colgan, to which more than a century ago pilgrimages were made, but all traces of its sacred use have disappeared. The old Church of Skerry (Schirich, rocky), founded by St. Patrick himself, next came in sight. The ruins measure on the outside 69 ft. by 26 ft. The interior is filled to a considerable height by graves, an arch at the eastern end covering the tomb of the O'Neill family. In more modern times a farmer in this neighbourhood, one James M'Alschinder, or Alexander, introduced a variety of potatoes which became famous under the name of " Skerry blues." It is said he grew them from two potatoes found in a barrel of Dutch flax-seed. From Mr. Montgomery's farm at the north-eastern base of Slemish the ascent of the mountain was commenced— the party was treading the footsteps of St. Patrick, who here spent seven years in captivity as a head-boy. The Saint's Chair, a natural cleft in the rock, was pointed out, and Mr. Skillen indicated the location, at the base of the hill, of " M'Cracken's Well," where Henry Joy M'Cracken and his men, on their retreat to Slemish after the Battle of Antrim, paved the mouth of the well with neatly-fitting stones which still remain intact. On the return journey the stone circle and kistvaen at Bally marlow were inspected. The discovery of these ancient remains by Mr. Skillen about 1908, created much interest in archaelogical circles on account of 84 The Irish Naturalist. August, certain unique features which they possess. At Ballymena the party had tea in Whiteside's Hotel. Tliis was followed by a short business meeting, the Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A., in the absence of the President, occupying the chair, when 17 ordinary and three junior members were elected. The only stop on the journey home via Kells, Connor, and Parkgate, was at Kells to visit the remains of the old Abbey. Only the western gable is left standing. Close by is the desecrated tomb of the O'Haras, now apparently used as a fowl-house ! Throughout the excursion a keen look-out was kept for that extremely local land-shell (in North Ireland) Helix hortensis, known to occur in the Braid Valley, but no specimens were found. June 30. — Excursion to Monlough and Tullygirvan Glen. — Over thirty members and friends, under the leadership of the President travelled by motor coach to the shores of Monlough. Owing to the recent spell of dry weather, the drams had practically dried up, which prevented any work being done at the freshwater fauna. Among the marsh-loving plants observed were the Marsh Cinquefoil [Comarum paliistre), Marsh Speedwell {Veronica sciitellata), and several interesting sedges, including Carex vesicaria and C. ampullacea. Of the birds seen may be mentioned the Snipe, Wild Duck, Teal, Reed Bunting, and Stonechat. A Snipe's nest was found containing four eggs ; also that of a Common Sandpiper, which had only empty egg-shells, the young birds having departed. A young Lapwing, still unable to fly, was seen moving along the edge of the lake, while a quiet " plop " in the water betrayed the presence of a Little Grebe, whose nest was afterwards found. On reaching the end of the lake the party were conducted to the home of Mr. J. Mc Williams, where an alfresco tea was provided, at the close of which thanks were accorded to the host and hostess for their extreme kindness. The next part of the journey was through Tullygirvan Glen, under the guidance of Mr. Mc Williams. By the side of the lakelet at the head of the Glen the Least Marshwort {Helosciadiiim iniindatum) was found in quantity. A walk of about a mile from the Glen brought the party to Ballygowan station, from which the homeward journey was made. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Some very valuable additions have lately been made to the Society's collectiQn of animals, which are now particularly well worth a visit. Recent gifts include two beautiful Leopard cubs, presented by Pro- fessor A. F. Dixon ; three Fallow Deer fawns, given by the Board of Works ; a Bonnet Monkey from Mr. A. H. McLean ; a Pelican from Mr. H. E. Rogers, and a pair of Purple-backed Starlings (Rose-coloured Pastor) given by Mr. G. E. Low. Foxes have been presented by Messrs. Johnston, Gilmore, and Wilson Lynch ; also two examples of the Irish 1923. Irish Societies. 85 Stoat {Mustela hiberniciis) by Mr. Higginbotham, a Hedgehog by Mr. McHickey ; a Sparrow-hawk by Mr. C. H. Blackham, two Magpies by Mr. W. F. Williams, and an Irish Slug {Geomalacus maculosus) by Miss Delap, Valentia. By purchase the Gardens have also acquired some very attractive animals — notably a four-year old Dromedary, a two-year old Chimpanzee, a young Brown Bear, two young Malay Bears, a Ring-tailed Coati-Mundi, and a pair of Marabou Storks. Other purchases include a number of Guinea-pigs, and several interesting fishes — the King Carp, Green Tench, Golden Orfe or Ide {Leuciscus idiis), Bitterling [Rhodeiis amariis), and Catfish {Amiurus catus) — also the somewhat celebrated " Roman Snail " {Helix pomatia). A young Woodward's Kangaroo has been born, and some young Peafowl hatched in the Gardens. Animals received on deposit or approval include two Yellow Baboons, ten Rhesus Monkeys, a Patas Monkey, a Green Monkey, two Ring-tailed Coatis, and three Razor-billed Curassows. It is satisfactory to know that public interest in the Gardens appears to be increasing. ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY FAUNA AND FLORA COMMITTEE. It is of hopeful augury for the progress of scientific work in this country that the Fauna and Flora Committee of the Royal Irish Academy, which in past years did so much for the advancement of zoological and botanical study, finds itself in a position to resume its activities, and that grants are again available for the furtherance of work in the many departments of the natural history of Ireland that still call for closer investigation. This resumption was inaugurated by a meeting of the Committee held in the Academy House on the 13th of June, Mr. A. R. Nichols in the Chair. The subjects reported upon included Mr. Halbert's work at the Hemiptera and freshwater mites, in connection especially with his exploration of the Slaney and the south-eastern part of Ireland generally ; the progress of Miss Knowles's nearly completed work at the Lichens, on which her report is in course of preparation ; a report by Mr. Nichols on the Polyzoa, and the preparation by Mr. Stelfox of a full list of the Aculeate Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) of this country. A resolution unanimously passed requested Dr. Carpenter (now resident in Manchester) to allow his name to be retained in the list of members. The full committee, as at present constituted, consists of Dr. G. H. Car- penter, Dr. Bronte Gatenby, C. B. Moffat, A. R. Nichols, Denis Pack- Beresford, Dr. G. H. Pethybridge, Dr. R. Lloyd Praeger, Dr. R. F. Scharff, and A. W. Stelfox. 86 The Irish Naturalist. August, NOTES, ZOOLOGY. Variation in Size of Eg:gs of the Little Tern. With reference to Mr. F. W. Jeffers' note (p. 52 ante), fifteen eggs of this species which I had opportunity of measuring were fairly uniform in size, ranging from i- 24 inch — i- 3 inch in length by • 9 inch — • 97 inch in breadth — averaging i- 264 inch by • 939 inch. When on the Clare Island Survey in company with the late R. J. Ussher, we found 25 nests of this species on an island — merely a sandy spit at high tide — in Clew Bay (R.I. A. Proc, vol. xxxi, Sect. 2, p. 40). Most of these nests contained from I to 3 eggs, but none of them were taken nor measured. My recollection, however, is that they all appeared of normal size. I possess two eggs, taken in Co. Down, which measure i- 5 inch by i* 05 inch and i- 44 inch by I inch, respectively. These were submitted to the late H. E. Dresser, who was of opinion that they were abnormal eggs of the Arctic Tern, the eggs of which average about i • 6 inch by i inch. Nevin H. Foster. Hillsborough, Co. Down. ^ Swifts in May, 1923. The Swift was first observed here this year on 3rd May, when about 8 were observed, but during the next few days there were further arrivals till the number reached about 40—50. In the following week arctic conditions prevailed and continued for a fortnight, This caused an almost disappearance of the Swifts^ — some days none were seen, generally 2 or 3 were on the wing, and one evening 7 were observed. With the advent of the fourth week, weather conditions improved, and gradually the number of Swifts increased, though I consider that there are now, 3rd June, barel}^ as many as were present about the beginning of second week in JNIay. I think this cold snap with biting northerly winds was general in Ireland during this period, and wonder if a like disappearance of Swifts has been noticed in other districts. Nevin H. Foster. Hillsburgh, Co. Down. I noticed a very similar disappearance of most of the Swifts in Dublin from May 9th to i6th, after their arrival in force on the 3rd, and a like diminution in numbers was observed by one of my brothers in Liverpool about same time. I suspect the birds do ze away a good part of the cold weather in their sleeping holes, but some further notes from other observers would be of interest. C. B. Moffat. Dublin. 1923. Notes, S^ The Malahide Tern Colony. It may interest some readers of the Irish Naturalist to know that the current number of " British Birds " contains an article of mine on the Malahide Tern colony in Co. Dublin. While we know from the Natural History of Ireland (1851), vol. iii., that Thompson recorded the breeding of the Little Tern [Sterna a. albifrons) in 1840, the Common Tern (5. Mr undo) in 1837, and possibly the Arctic Tern (5. paradisaa), on the Malahide shore, attention is drawn to the fact that the sandbank forming the present side, of the colony did not exist at that time. This is clearly shewn by a diagram of the main bank prepared from the 6-inch Ordnance maps of 1837 and 1909. The earliest breeding record of any of the larger species of Terns on the present site appears to be that of a pair of Common Terns in 1890 (Ussher & Warren's Birds of Ireland, p. 320). Some further records from 1900 onward are also given. Amongst other items of interest contained in the article is the first announcement in print that Malahide was the scene of the writer's dis- covery of the breeding of the Roseate Tern {S.s. dougalli) in 1913, recorded British Birds, vol. vii., and Irish Naturalist, 191 4. Some particulars are also given of an attempt made to breed there by three pairs of Sandwich Terns [S.s. sandvicensis) in 1922. In addition, extracts from notes of visits made to the colony in the years 1915, 1919, 1920, 1921 and 192 2 are appended, and in conclusion some comments are made on the behaviour of the birds prior to the 26th June, 1922, when, as many readers will be aware, the terns abandoned the breeding ground, leaving their eggs to the mercy of the marauding Gulls, Rooks, etc., as reported by Lt.-Col. H. A. F. Magrath in the Irish Times about that time, and in British Birds (vol. xvi., pp. 168-170). Dublin. Geo. R. Humphreys. Helicella itala L. : an addition to the Fauna of Lambay. When visiting this island on 27th June, I found a semi-fossil example of this shell in a sandy deposit of no great age on the cliffs between Carnoon and Talbot's Bays, and I have but little doubt that it still lives in the same neighbourhood though time prevented my searching for it on that occasion. This species was not taken on Tambay during the survey of the island — 1904-6. ^ A. W. Stelfox. Rathgar. 1 Sec Irish Naturalist, vol. xvi., p. 41, 1907. 88 The Irish Naturalist. August, 192^. BOTANY. Rubia peregrina L. and Tragopogon porrifolius L. on Lambay. Behind the cottages at the harbour on 27th June I noted a colony of Salsify {Tragopogon porrifolius) which is possibly of garden origin, but which will probabl}^ succeed in establishing itself on Lambay, Although frequent on the railways about Belfast, this alien does not seem to have been noted in Co. Dublin. The Wild Madder {Rubia peregrina) being, unlike the Salsify, a native plant, there is more satisfaction in recording it also from the island, where I found it growing in some quantity on the clay cliffs between Carnoon Bay and Talbot's Bay. In Cybele II. this plant is stated to be very rare in eastern Ireland, and it has not, I believe hitherto been recorded from any station N. of Howth. That it should have escaped detection during the v'arious surveys that have been made of the flora of Lambay is just one more example of those curious puzzles that naturalists are constantly encountering. A. W, Stelfox. Rathgar. The Golden Samphire near Rush, Co. Dublin. On i6th June last, while examining the coast north of Rush with Miss M. C. Knowles, we found a single fine" clump of this plant. Inula crith- moides, on the cliffs in the first bay north of Rush harbour. It does not appear hitherto to have been observed in or recorded from Colgan's division 2 of Co. Dublin. Moreover, this station is a little to the north of Lambay, long known as its most northern habitat in Ireland. As the sea has made considerable inroads in recent years close to where the plant grows at Rush, it may be that this is the last surviving member of a colony. On the other hand it may be derived from a sea-borne seed from Lambay or Howth. A. W. Stelfox. Rathgar. September, 1923. The Irish Naturalist. 80 ALGAL DISCOLOURATION OF LOUGH NEAGH AND THE RIVER BANN. BY DENIS R. PACK-BERESFORD, M.R.I. A. Great interest has been taken during this spring and summer by residents in the neighbourliood of Lough Neagh and the River Bann, and there has been some correspondence in the Belfast papers, on the discolouration of the lough and river. The curious and quite unusual colour of the water was first noticed about January or February last, so far as I have been able to ascertain, and began after the river was in flood. Instead of clearing in the normal way it gradually assumed a greenish hue, and eventually a greenish grey colour which lasted for months, and it was still of the same peculiar colour when I first saw it towards the end of May. One old man I met on the banks of the river told me he believed that a " volcano " had burst in Lough Neagh as the river had never been seen this colour before in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. I at once got a glass of water out of the river to study, and found it was perfectly clear with no signs of mud in it at all, but on examining it with a pocket lens I found it to be full of very minute floating hairs which were evidently an alga of some sort. I put the glass of water to stand in the sun, and in the course of a few da^^s several cotton wool-like tufts began to appear in it, this evidently being the plant growing. About the middle of June I took some of this water over to London and to the Natural History Museum, where Miss Lorrain Smith and Mr. Gepp very kindly examined it for me and pronounced it to be an alga known as Oscilla- toria tenuis, Agardh. They referred me to Cooke's British Fresh- water Algae where" this plant is described as Oscillator ia aeriigescens Hass, but told me that this is now recognised to be a synonym for 0. tenuis. go The Irish Naturalist. September, Cooke after describing the plant, refers to Dr. Drummond's account of his discovery of it in Ireland, which is so in- teresting, and so exactly corresponds with my own obser- vations that I think it is worth quoting in full. " This is the species which Dr. Drummond described as the " colouring substance of Glasslough Lake, Ireland." " He commences by stating that " Glas-lough " signifies " green lake " an appellation given to it from time im- memorial on account of the hue of its waters, which exhibit a green tinge, equal to, or exceeding in intensity that of the sea, though it is not at all times equally striking. " From the accounts I received, the green colour is evident in the lough throughout the year, and if I may judge from my own observations every drop of it is impregnated with the oscillatory filaments." " When a little of the water is lifted in the hand it seems to be perfectly transparent, and it appears equalty clear at the edges of the lake, but at a depth of two feet the bottom is indistinguishable and the water presents a feculent opacity, accompanied by a dull dirty greenish hue. On lifting some of this in a glass it seems at first sight quite transparent but on holding it up to the light inumerable minute flocculi are seen floating through every part of it and producing a mottled cloudiness throughout the whole." " At first I could only find the plant diffused through the water, but at length I discovered a wet ditch extending from the lake into an adjoining field, and there it appeared swimming on the surface in large masses, several inches in thickness and about a foot and a half in length. These seemed evidently to be produced by an agglomeration of the filaments floated in from the lake, matted together at the surface and increased in growth. " The surface of these masses, where dried by the contact of the air, was of a bright bluish verdigris hue, while the parts' immersed in the water were of a dull opaque green. " On examining specimens in the microscope I some- times observed their motions to be very vivid, and in other instances little or no motion could be perceived. " They are extremely minute, their traverse striae very 1923. Pack-Beresford — Algal Discolouration of Lough 91 Neagh and the River Bann. numerous and at distances of about half the diameter from each other. The filaments in the conglomerated masses appeared to me to be many inches long and running parallel together ; the broken fragments dispersed through the lake cross each other in all directions." Drummond : Ann. & Mag. of Nat. Hist. (1838), I p. i. I need only add that on my return to the River Bann early in July the river was nearly its normal colour, but on again examining some of the water under a lens it was found still to contain considerable numbers of the floating filaments but in greatly reduced numbers. Fenagh House, Bagenalstown. THE PEARL-BORDERED FRITILLARY IN IRELAND. BY R. A. PHILLIPS, M.R.I. A. On a bright day in June last Mr. H. Fogerty and I, while passing along a rocky roadway in the limestone cragland at Clooncoose near Kilfenora, Co. Clare, noticed large numbers of a pretty butterfly flitting about in the sunshine. We captured one but were at the time unable to identify it. The specimen was subsequently sent to Mr. A. W. Stelfox, of the National Museum, Dublin, who reported that it was the Pearl-bordered Fritillary [Argymiis Euphrosyne, L.) a species not previously known to inhabit Ireland. In Great Britain this is one of the commonest of the Fritillaries, being widely distributed throughout England, most abundently in the south, and ranging to the north of Scotland ; its discovery so far west in Ireland is, therefore, interesting and its apparent absence from, or rarity in, other parts of the country remarkable. The late Edwin Birchall in his list of the Lepidoptera of Ireland (pubUshedin 1866) expressed a confident expectation that this species would eventually be found in the country, and its discovery nearly sixt}' years afterwards in Clare Q2 The Irish Naturalist. September, quite justifies his prediction. The fact of it having escaped detection for so long a time leads one to think that its Irish distribution must be strangely local for a butterfl}^ so common in England. Clooncoose is situated in the barony of Burren, a district well known to naturalists for its immense tracts of limestone mountain, crag and " pavement," interspersed with patches of dense scrub and rich pasture, and its remarkable fauna and flora. Other butterflies seen in the locality at the time were, the Orange-tip (Euchloe cardamincs), the Speckled Wood (Pararge egeria), the Meadow Brown (Epinephile janira), the Small Heath {Ccejionympha pamphilus), the Little Blue [Zizera minima), and the Common Blue [Lyccena icants) ; but these were all outnumbered b}^ the Pearl- bordered Fritillary. The captured specimen of Argynnis Euphrosyne is now preserved in the National Museum. Cork. IRISH SOCIETIES. DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. November 9, 1922. — J. de W. Hindi (Vice-President) in the Chair. The evening was devoted to exhibits, among which were an interesting series illustrative of the character of ice action during the Glacial Age, shown by the Vice-President ; also a number of Irish birds shown by W. R. Brambell ; leaves of various Poplars showing variation m autumnal colouring b}^ C. B. Moffat, and some Tree-Frogs and Japanese Toads by Miss E. Wilson. A short discussion took place on each set of exhibits. December 14. — The Vice-President in the Chair. A paper was read by Athole Harrison, on the nesting habits of the commoner Irish Gulls, and was followed by an informal discussion in which many members took part. Nominations for Officers and Committee for the ensuing session were read out in accordance with Rule VIII. JanIjary II, 1923.- — -Annual General Meeting.' — The Vice-President in the Chair. The annual report and statement of accounts for 1922 were submitted and adopted. The Officers for the preceding session were declared to have been re-elected, and the three vacancies in the Committee were filled by the election of Miss Cooper, A. W. Stelfox ajid M. J. Gorman. Dr. Carpenter, the news of whose retirement from Dublin had been 1923. Irish Societies, 93 received with deep regret, was unanimously elected an honorary member of the Club. C. B. Moffat read a paper on the study of wild plants (sinc,e printed in this Journal, pp. 21-7). February 8.— C> B. Moffat in the Chair. The Vice-President (J, de W. Hindi) opened a discussion on Professor Wegener's theory of the causes of the present distribution of land and water, illustrating with the help of a series of diagrams and maps the nature of the movements that are supposed to have taken place. The discussion was continued by A. W., Stelfox, R. LI. Praeger, and others, and the general sense of the meeting seemed favourable to the acceptance of Professor Wegener's view. March 8. — The President in the Chair. A paper of exceptional interest, illustrated with many excellent lantern-slides, was read by Miss Gilmorc, B.Sc, on the Coal-Bore at Washing Bay, Lough Neagh — a paper which showed that the costly boring operations, though unsuccessful as regards their direct objective, had yielded results of an extraordinary value from the palaeobotanical point of view, while revealing a depth of clay (1,196 feet) before the basalt was reached that entirely confounded previous speculations. Messrs. Hinch, Praeger, Stelfox and others discussed the subject and joined in thanking Miss Gilmore for her paper. April 2. — The President in the Chair. The winter session closed with an address delivered by Mr. Gorman on " Some Fungus Galls." The lecturer, who showed a series of interesting slides, pointed out the various ways in which fungi obtain their food, and the diversity of the effects produced on the living organisms that many of them select as their hosts. Among the gall-formations shown, the conspicuous " witch knots " so often seen on the Birch, Silver-Fir, Lime and other trees excited a special interest. Discussion was limited to the asking of a number of questions, to which the lecturer replied. May 5. — Excursion to Kilbride Valley and Ballinascorney Gap.- — Taking the steam tram to Brittas a party of about 20 members and visitors walked through the Kilbride Valley, and crossing Ballinascorney Gap descended into Glenasmole The chief concern of the excursion was an examination of the mounds and sheets of gravelly drift which are strongly developed in this area and the main features of which were pointed out by the Conductor, J. de W. Hinch, who also explained the geological conditions which led to their origin. In late Glacial times a series of lakes of considerable extent had been formed along the eastern, northern, and western flanks of the Dublin and Wicklow hills, caused by the impounding of the drainage between the mountain slopes and the edges of the retreating ice-sheet. Into these lakes debris derived from the boulder clay on the mountain side and from the moraine material contained in the waning ice-sheet was deposited and spread out in sheets along the edges of the lakes. The composition of the gravels shows clearly the mingling of materials derived from very different sources, and pebbles of Chalk, Ailsa Craig rock, chalk flints, and shell fragments from the north are mixed with Leinster granite and Carboniferous limestone from the immediate neighbourhood. The system of overflow channels, represented at the present time by the " dry gaps " of the Dublin and 94 The Irish Naturalist. September, Wicklow Hills, was indicated and their mode of origin explained. As the impounded waters rose in the temporary lakes, a point was reached when the surface of the lake attained the same level as the col between two hills, and the waters of the lake, flowing outwards across the col commenced to cut an overflow channel These overflow channels have been traced along the eastern, northern, and western slopes of the Dublin and Wicklow hills from The Deputies' Pass near Rathdrum on the east to Hollywood Glen ne^r Ballymore Eustace on the western edge of the Wicklow hills. A NEW IRISH FIELD CLUB. It is a pleasing duty to welcome the formation of a new Naturalists' Field Club in Northern Ireland, taking its name from that most interesting area of north Antrim anciently (and still) known as The Route. Tlie starting of this Club as the result of geological lectures given last winter in Coleraine, Bushmills, and Ballycastle, by Professor J. K. Charles- worth, D. Sc, of the Queen's University, Belfast, recalls the fact that the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club (to which the Route Club is affiliated) had a somewhat similar origin, as a result of natural history lectures, given by the late Professor Ralph Tate in the early sixties of last century. The Club has for its first President the Hon. Helen Macnaghten of Runkerry ; its Hon. Secretary and Treasurer is the Rev. E. M. Gumley, B.A., Rector of Ballintoy. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Comparison of Bggs and Down of Pochard and Tufted Duck. I had recently the opportunity of comparing clutches of eggs with down of Pochard from England and Tufted Duck taken in May of this year in Co. Tyrone. The 8 Pochard's eggs were of a clear greenish colour giving an average measurement of 2 • 3175 x i • 66 inches. The eggs of the Tufted Duck were darker in colour — olive green — and more glossy in texture with a greasy look, and measured slightly less, viz. 2-315 x i"6i3 inches. The general appearance of the downs was very similar, but seen in certain lights that of the Pochard was browner than the sooty do'^\ai of the Tufted Duck. The feel of the downs, however, was decidedly different, that of the Tufted Duck being harsh whilst the Pochard's down was remarkably soft. The feathers in the down proved strikingly difterent, these from the Tufted Duck being of two types — (a) altogether silvery white and (6) brown with silvery white tips. The few feathers among the Pochard's down were much larger of sooty brown colour, one or two of them having lighter coloured tips. Neven H. Foster. Hillsborough, Co. Down. 1923. Notes. Qi; The American Grey Squirrel in Ireland. In the course of an enquiry into the present distribution of this alien species {Neosciurus carolinensis) in the British Isles, I have learned that there is one established colony, at any rate, in Ireland. This is at Castle Forbes, County Longford, where the Earl of Granard, about twelv^e years ago, received some dozen Grey Squirrels from the stock at Woburn, Bed- fordshire, and since then they have increased so greatly as to become a pest. About four years ago over three liundred were killed in the course of the year, but the difficulty of having fire-arms in Ireland at present renews the squirrel's chances. It has spread from Castle Forbes to places over ten miles away, passing on its journey some miles of bog, without a single tree. Mr. Oldfield Thomas, F.R.S., has kindly placed the above information, communicated to him recently by the Earl of Granard, at my disposal. Hugh Boyd Watp. London. Arrival of Spring Migrants in 1923. The time of arrival of spring migrants this year was on the whole about the average dates for this district as published in Irish Naturalist, vol. xxvi, p. 123. The WQiitetroat was observed in numbers on 6th May ■ — only a couple of days late. The Chiffchaff is one of three species which arrived in advance of average time, being noted on 28th March, Rev. R. N. Morrison's note (p. 51, ante), constitutes it is believed the earliest record for this bird in Northern Ireland, his observation being made about 1 1 miles from here. The Willow-Wren was not seen till 26th April, almost a fortnight later than average. Of the Sedge- Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler no information is available for this year. The Spotted Flycatcher was somewhat late not being observed till 19th May. The Swallow on 1 6th April, was only a few days late, but the House-Martin seen on same date (and almost daily thereafter) proved nearly three weeks earlier than normal. Sand-Martins were present at their nesting haunts in considerable numbers in the last week of April, but the date of their arrival was not ascertained. The Swift first appeared on the 3rd May ; the Cuckoo on 23rd April ; the Landrail on 29th April ; and the Common Sandpiper on 4th May, — all about the expected dates. All the spring migrants appear to be here in about their wonted numbers except the Cuckoo, which has proved exceptionally scarce this year, and indeed was seldom seen or heard after the cold snap during the second and third weeks in May. Two or three Common Terns (probably non-breeding birds) generally frequent the lakes here from May till August, but this year none were observed. Nevin H. Foster, Hillsborough, Co. Down. 96 The Irish NaUiralisf. September, 1923. The Fox in Co. Down. When visiting my friend Rev. R. N. Morrison, he informed me that a Fox had been seen on the road at the entrance gate to his Rectory (Magherahamlet, near Ballynahinch). This is not surprising as these animals are not uncommon in the Deer Park situated only about a couple of miles away from his house. Some Foxes are still to be found in the Mourne Mountains. Hillsborough, Co Down. ^^vin H. Foster. BOTANY. Down and Antrim Plants. A few notes cf hitherto unrecDrded stations for some of our rarer Down and Antrim plants may be of interest. Geranium columhinum, on railway between Dundrum and Newcastle. Hypericum elodes, at Ballyalloley. Vicia lathytoides, top of the keep at Dundrum Castle. Eleocharis multicaulis, at the Giant's Causewaj', and at Ballyalloley. Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, .at Cregeagh. Cat ex teretiiiscula and Rhynchospora alba, at Sharvogue's Bog : also Salix purpurea growing with S. cinerea, surely wild in such a situation. Ophrys apt j era at Magheramorne. This is I believe the first record of the Bee Orchid in our three N. E. Counties. Campbell College, Belfast. Corrie D. Chase. Notes from Cos. Down and Armagfh. While searching the meadows near Ellis's Cut, for Spiranthes, where the Lagan Canal enters Lough Neagh, on ist August, 1922, I observed the following plants, two of which are additions to the flora of Down as listed in the Flora of N, E. Ireland, and its supplements. West of the canal, in Co. Armagh, Lathyrus palustris, Typha arigustifolia and Calamagrostis stricta, var. Hookeri a.re still abundant in Praeger's station. North of the canal mouth in Co. Down, on the shore of the lough there is quite a large area of the usual scrub, so characteristic of the steeper parts of the eastern shores of Lough Neagh. In this scrub I found fine trees of Rhamnus catharticu$ and not far away I got Chcerophyllum temulum in a hedge close to Annaghdroghal House. I have no doubt the record given in Cybele I for Rhamnus catharticits — a little north of the Lagan canal— refers to the present station for the plant, though transferred to Co. Antrim in the Flora of the North-east. A few days later I found Typha angustifolia in a new station, in the old gravel pit by the railway near Herdstown, west of Donaghadee, where Typha latifolia also grows, as well as fine specimens of Orchis prcstermissa Druce, I also observed Trifolium medium on the basalt and tip about the quarries in Scrabo — a rare plant in Co. Down. Rathgar. A. W. Stelfox. October, 1923. The Irish Naturalist. 07 IRELAND AND SWITZERLAND : A BOTANICAL CONTRAST. By R. Lloyd Praeger, D.Sc. Recently I had an opportunity of studying the flora of Switzerland under peculiarly favourable circumstances. In the first place, I was one of a party of some 33 botanists, representing seventeen different nationalities, so that we had the advantage, as we went along, of comments from many view-points ; and secondly, we were for over three weeks conducted from end to end of the country by the leading local botanists : we were taken straight from best place to best place, and saw as much on one visit as most people see on half a dozen. It may be of interest to attempt to draw some comparisons between the vegetation of Switzerland and that of our own island. As regards the general flora of the two areas, it may be said that Switzerland possesses the great bulk of the flora of which Ireland possesses only a part. Owing to its central position in Europe and the great variety of con- ditions, both edaphic and climatic, which prevail there, Switzerland has received and retained much of the successive plant-waves which have entered Europe from the greater land masses which lie to the eastward. These waves beat strongly across Central Europe, but diminished westward, as species after species dropped out owing to competition or to the intervention of barriers which arrested their pro- gress : so that England has received a diminished immi- gration, and Ireland a more diminished one. This general east-to-west migration has been going on for a very long time. The researches of Clement Reid and ]\lrs. Reid go to show that during Pliocene times a flora largely exotic was by degrees replaced in Europe by one closely allied to that now existing, and derived no doubt mainly from the Asiatic highlands. Then came the Ice Age, causing dire confusion in all our records, geological, botanical and zoological. In Central Europe the existing temperate A The Irish Naturalist October, vegetation was driven southward towards the Mediter- ranean and its place taken by plants of the north. In Ireland the case is not so simple, for the plants had not an open line of retreat southward, since there lay the Atlantic. The argument for the survival in Ireland of at least part of the flora, based upon our interesting Lusi- tanian, Mediterranean and North American plants, is well known, and need not detain us here. There is a tendency now among geologists to allow us what they formerly denied us — ^a high land-level persist ng after the ice had passed away. If this were of sufficient amount and duration, it might have allowed of post-glacial immi- gration of our southern plants (and the associated animals) ; but it cannot be extended to allow of the overland migration of the American element, for which a pre-glacial date still appears essential. My friend Dr. Stapf, who follows Engler in believing in the post-glacial arrival of our southern forms, ^ agrees (in a recent conversation) that the American element would appear to be of pre-glacial arrival. On the retreat of the ice, Switzerland became readily re-colonized by much of its former vegetation, and no doubt its mountain flora was permanently reinforced by many arctic species which had been forced southward. Ireland similarly became re-colonized, in this case from the east- ward, so that the net result of the glacial upset is in both countries a flora differing probably not much in type, though somewhat in composition, from that prevailing just before the oncoming of the Pleistocene cold. Ireland s still occupied by a flora which is in the main a reduced Swiss one. But the reduction is very great. Where Ireland has 12 Trefoils, Great Britain has 18, Switzerland 24. Ireland has 3 species of Gentian, Great Britain 5, Switzerland 20. Of Phyteuma Ireland has none, England 2, Switzerland 10. And so on, till the odds in favour of Switzerland run into four figures, though its area is only half that of Ireland. On the other side of the account, we can point only to our Lusitanian -American group, and 1 Otto Staff ; The Southern Element in the British Flora. Englers Bot. Jahrbucher 50 (191 4) 509. 1923 Praeger -SivitzerJand and Ireland. 99 also to a number of " Atlantic Type " plants of wide range in western Europe, but which do not grow so far eastward as Switzerland. These include some of our most abundant and showy spec'es, such as the Purple Heather {Erica cinerea) and Common Gorse {Ulex europceus). I sometimes think that we do not quite appreciate the unique beauty of these two plants in our landscape. The famous alpine meadows present a far greater variety of colour and form in their flowers, but for sheer overwhelming mass of colour our Gorse and Heather are unsurpassed in Europe, and so far as I know, in the world. What is more surprising is that even in its own special domain of alpine plants we can occasionally beat Switzerland, for nowhere there, so far as my knowledge goes, will we find such sheets of Moun- tain Avens (Dryas octopetala), Spring Gentian (G. verna) and Bearberry {Ardostaphylos Uva-ursi) as in the Burren of Glare. Apart from its position, which is favourable to large immigration, the variety of conditions offered by Switzer- land as compared with Ireland easily accounts for a flora much larger than the Irish one, concentrated on an area only half as large. The deep Swiss valleys, such as those of the Rhone and Rhine, while cold in winter — often colder than the slopes overlooking them, I am inforrned — are generally hot and dry, and their flora is thermophytic and xero phytic. As we saw these valleys, the shade temperature ran up each day to 80 ^F or 90" F, and the hot rocks held a rich flora of succulent and other sun-loving plants which were shrivelling in the glare. Rising from the valle3's the forest zone, composed of native trees, extends far up the hill-sides — Beech and other deciduous types below. Spruce, Larch, Scotch Fir, or Alpine Pine {P. Cembra) above, harbouring a rich woodland flora, and dying out at 5,000 to 7,000 feet into old gnarled single trees or a scrub of Mountain Pine or Alder (.4. viridis). Above this stretches the grassy alpine zone, extending right up to the perennial snows, and gay with a glorious variety of lovely plants. In Ireland the hot valley zone is missing : the forest zone — which in our country normally descends to sea-level — is -almost obliterated below by agriculture, and curtailed A2 100 The Irish Naturalist. October, above by westerly winds, and in any case so much interfered with that the forest flora is now very poor ; above this, we have in most places heavy peat, with its characteristic and very limited vegetation. On cliffs and along streamlets alone do we get any echo of the lovely alpine flora of Switzer- land. As compared with Swiss conditions, our alpines have, it would seem, a very bad time. There they get a gloriously warm summer sun, and throughout the whole winter they are safely tucked away under the snow, comfortably dry and in a uniform temperature. With us they are, in winter, mostly fully exposed to the elements and have to endure incessant winds, soaking rain, and frequent ther- mo metric changes. It seems no wonder that some of them have sought a refuge at low levels, where they escape some of the Irish weather. And that brings us to a very interesting point about the Irish flora as compared with that of Switzerland, which is this : the vSwiss alpines stick to the mountains, while in Ireland many of them are found at low levels. Of course the first part of this sentence does not apply strictly ; many alpine plants are brought down, especially by streams, and may be found in Switzerland at comparatively low levels. But these occurrences are exceptional and temporary ; in general the zone of the alpines is quite clearly defined. In Ireland, if we take the " Highland Type " of Watson as defining our alpine flora, we find that out of 34 representa- tives in our island (Hawkweeds excluded) eleven descend to sea-level, and eight more come down to 650 feet. Two- thirds of our alpine flora, in other words, descends to 650 feet or less, while at the other end only 13 of the 34 ascend above 2,600 feet. It s clear that were we classifying the Irish flora de novo, we would not include in the alpine group most of those Irish plants which in the Alps and other mountain areas are exclusively alpine. This is a puzzle of which no satisfactory solution has been found, nor have I one to offer. The interest of this feature is heightened by the fact, already mentioned, that some of the alpines which in Ireland find their greatest abundance and luxuri- ance at very low levels, are in the Alps quite typical high- level species. The Mountain Avens and Bearberry are 1923. PRAEGER — Switzerland and Ireland. loi excellent examples. And to add to the Irish confusion, these low-level alpines grow mixed, as is well known, with the most marked southern plants in our flora — the famous Neotinea intact a of the Mediterranean, the Maidenhair Fern, Heaths from the Pyrenees, Arbutus, and so on. And on top of them all are our American immigrants, such as the Pipewort. But the old problem of the origin of these peculiar ingredients of the Irish flora does not arise at present : we may confine ourselves to the puzzle of the low-level alpines. I do not think that existing climatic or soil conditions will account for their immigration here, though they have allowed them to continue their tenure from some bygone time. I think these plants must be looked on as dweUing on the Burren rocks in spite of, not because of, their exist'ng environment. Their whole European distribution, as well as their fossil history so far as it is known, point to their low-level Irish habitats as being quite abnormal — unnatural, if one may use the word for a purely natural phenomenon. It is to the past history of the West of Ireland that we must look for the key of the mystery ; and that history is still a closed book, which the history of the Swiss flora, even if it were fully known, would not help us fully to read. To return to our comparison of the Irish and Swiss floras, it is interesting to note the relative effect of sun and wind in the two countries. In Switzerland one notices a very marked difference of vegetation, and especially of tree-growth, between northern and southern slopes. The Rhine valley furnishes a good example. The mountains on the south side of the Rheinthal are densely clothed with tall timber, while on the northern side, which faces the sun, the trees are thin and comparatively stunted, owing to lack of water in summer. No such result of northern or southern aspect can be seen in Ireland. On the other hand, eastern or western aspect makes all the difference with us, while in Switzerland it matters little. The west wind is in Ireland the most incisive of all the chmatic factors. The eastern slopes of hills will bear timber where the western slopes are hopeless ; all over the country the trees have an eastward sag ; even in our 102 The Irish Naturalist . October^ east coast gardens shelter from the west is a problem of first importance, the sea winds from the east being an insignificant factor in comparison. The mighty Atlantic spreads its hand far over our islands : even on the eastward slope of the Pennine chain in England the eastward stoop of the trees is noticeable. In Switzerland, whether on hills or plains, this effect does not make itself felt or notice- able. One sees it, it is true, in the deep valley of the Rhone before it debouches into the Lake of Geneva ; but there the valley runs N.W. and S.E., and the proxim'ty of the great sheet of water enhances an effect that might not otherwise attract notice. Generally, on both hill and plain, on all aspects, the trees grow taller and stra'ghter than we find in Ireland save in the most sheltered places, and this continues often up to 5,000 or even 6,000 feet. As a final point of comparison, the lakes may be mentioned. The rivers from which the Swiss lakes derive their supplies are mostly either of wonderfully clear green water or of " gletscher milch " the milky grey water that tells of a source below a glacier. The river Inn, thus fed from the snows, colours the whole " blue Danube " in this way from its junction downwards, so that even at Vienna it is like grey soup. The lakes are effected by these two sources of suppty, some being much clearer than others : many have an amazing blue or green clearness, quite unknown in Ireland, and none have the brown peat-derived colour of most of the Irish lakes. As regards their flora, here at last is a case where Ireland can hold her own against Switzerland. The rich aquatic vegetation of Irish rivers and lakes seems to exceed in quantity and in variety often to equal, that of the Swiss waters. The Swiss lakes are mostly deep with steep shores. Running along their margins in the train, one looks down into wonderfully clear water ; fish one sees in abundance, but often hardly a plant ; in shallower sheltered waters vegetation is much richer, but I saw nowhere (of course m}^ observations were very hmited) the equal of the subaquatic groves of some of our Ir'sh waters. In variety too, our water-plants can hold their own. Of pondweeds, for instance, we have as many as Switzerland. The same seems to apply as regards 1^23. Irish Societies. to3 Water-Crowfoots, Bur-reeds, etc. But in most cases, of course, the main migration-stream has brought to Switzer- land species which have not succeeded in batthng their way across Europe to its most western outpost — Ireland. Dublin. IRISH SOCIETIES. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. July 21. Excursion to Loughinisland.—- About sixty members and visitors of the Club had a run by motor coach to Loughinisland and its three old churches, passing and inspecting on the way the fine dolmen (cromlech, so called in Ireland and Wales) at Annadorn, which was well " snap-shotted " by some of the party. The conductor, Mr. S. M. Macoun, here called on a member to describe how a portion of the great capstone of the dolmen came to be blasted off many years ago, the blasted part going through the roof of the house occupied by the would-be destroyer who then ceased his operations. The members present considered it a pity the house suffered instead of himself. Arriving, at Loughinisland, the party scattered, the zoologists and botanists to the lake shore and the antiquaries to the three churches, Mr. R. W. H. Blackwood, J. P., a club member, now joined the party and acted as local conductor for this area and Seaf orde, giving much information about the history of the churches and parish generally. Some large specimens of Limnaea palnstris were collected on the lake shore, and a centrally keeled and typical Planorbis carinatus, very local in N.E. Ireland, those of the Lough Neagh basin being non-tj-pical. The botanists found a specimen of the House-leek near the lake shore, and a patch of very tall Great Water- dock {Riimex Hydrolapaihum), some plants of which measured over six feet high, with some leaves a yard long, . the first of a number of very tall plants collected later in the day. Leaving the deniesne, the church, now 200 years old this year, was in- spected, and the motors taken to Drumcaw cairn and cist, on the farm of Mr. S. Burke, J. P., who kindly described the stone-lined grave in the centre of the cairn — its contents, and urn, etc., which passed into the hands of late Canon Grainger, D.D. Soon Clough Old Castle on its dun was passed on the way to Down- patrick, where the party were well looked after at Denver's Hotel, as on many visits during the last half-century. After tea a business meeting, with F. A. Heron, D.L., in the chair was held when twelve new members, nine senior and three junior, were elected, and votes of thanks passed to Mrs. Forde, Mr. Blackwood, and Mr. S. Burke. t04 The Irish Naturalist. October, Having an hour to spare before starting home, a visit was paid to the Cathedral and St. Patrick's grave, some of the lady members also visiting the old jail. The botanists found that the very rare plant Galium Cruciata, was still to be found on The Dun, and Erinus alpinus still flourishes on the jail wall. August ii. — Over sixty members accompanied by a few friends, visited Carrickfergus district under the conductorship of T. E. Osborne and G. C. Reilly. Char-a-bancs were in waiting to convey them to Duncrue Fort neighbourhood. The adjoining ruins of Killyann Church, " the church by the river," were visited. Nothing remains of this ancient building except a portion of the west wall. Returning to the road, the char-a-bancs were again mounted to bring the party to the " Commons Farm " Dining Hall for tea. Afterwards a short business meeting was held — R. S. Lepper, M.A., presiding in the absence of the President — -when several new members were elected, and Mr. Robert Bell gave a brief address on the geological features of the Woodburn district, pointing out that as the river had cut out a deep channel below the level of the surrounding country, sections of the different geological strata of County Antrim were well exposed in turn. By permission of the Belfast and District Water Commissioners their works were then visited. From the lower entrance to the waterworks a short walk brought the party to Carrickfergus, where the Rector of St. Nicholas, the Rev. Canon M'Neice, M.A., B.D., gave a sketch of the history of the ancient town and Church. September i. — A large party motored via Ballenure, Larne, and the Coast Road to Cushendun and Cushendall, returning via Glenariff and Ballymena. A most enjoyable day was spent and the well-known geolo- gicaland botanical features of the district were seen to advantage. The great distance covered allowed very little time for field-work. September 15. — Meeting the conductors (R. Bell and R. J. Welch) at the County Down Railway terminus, the Field Club party, on arrival at Dundrum, were conducted to the pre-historic sites near the south end oi the Inner Bay. Some flint scrapers rewarded the searchers, and the material collected contained, in addition to the flint finds, pieces of pottery, some ornamented, many pot boilers, stone hammers and two anvil stones ; food shells were not abundant, and no well-formed arrowheads were found. After tea many of the party climbed the hill to visit the old castle, which has the most perfect circular Norman keep in Ireland. A short business meeting after tea, D. Elliott, B.A., in the chair, was held to elect seven senior and one junior members. 1923 Irish Societies, 105 ROUTE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. July 14.— Excursion to Whitepark Bay and Ballintoy.- — ^Favoured by charming weather, the members of the newly-formed Club turned out in strength for their second excursion, and were reinforced by a small contingent oi the B N.F.C., staying at Billycastle, who brought up the total number to 25. The Hon. Sec. of the Club, Rev. E. M. Gumley, B.A., conducted. Making their way down a gorge in the Chalk cliff below the school, where Mr. Gumley had thoughtfully provided a special ladder, the party reached a knoll commanding a wide view of the whole bay from the " Park-end " to Port Braddan, from which point R. J. Welch, of the Belfast Club, gave a concise description of the geological formation of the district. They then proceeded towards the west end of the bay, collecting on the way many botanical specimens. Mr. Welch, in the course of his remarks, pointed out the main geological features of the area, the eastern termination of the great " fault " at Port Braddan, which throws down the basalts of Bengore Head against the Chalk of Whitepark. The position of the Lias clays with their many Ammonites and other fossils was shown with those curious volcanic in- trusions, now worn by the sea into all sorts of marine sea stacks, such as the Elephant Rock and the Vista Arch. The low cliffs, where Helix aspersa, constantly hibernating in winter and aestivating in dry weather, has drilled deep holes in the hard Chalk, was also pointed out. Further along, the pointed hummock with its small prehistoric stone circle was seen. Arrived at the famous Kitchen Middens, many interesting things were found, among them being pot-boilers, hammerstones, pieces of pottery showing attempts at ornamentation, and four good flint scrapers. These last named were the finds of a junior visitor from Belfast. The best finds were a beautiful, finely fluted, steep-nosed scraper, and the form known as a tooth scraper. With these were many bones of animals used for food, the marrow bones split as usual, and a good many fragments of the " short-fired " cooking vessels (not sun-baked as they are so often erroneously called), some of the fragments nicely ornamented with various patterns. The part of the dunes where landshells, collected by wind- action into " pockets " could be sieved out, was shown, and the proper sort of miller's gauze sieve (home made) useful for the purpose exhibited. A move was now made to the Parochial Schools, where a very welcome cup of tea was dispensed by Mrs. Gumley, and books useful to beginners in natural history and prehistoric archaeology shown by a visitor ; a special net for rock-pool and freshwater fauna collecting was also exhibited. The party proceeded to Mount Druid cromlech on the hill behind the rectory. Here a short talk was given by Mr. Welch on the nature of cromlechs in general and this one in particular. He gave good reasons for believing that it is the central chamber of what was once a small burial mound or cairn. io'6 The Irish Naturalist, October; NOTES. Rare Fishes in Irish Waters. ■ A specimen of the Belted Bonito [Pelamys sarda)- wa.s sent from Howth to the Ministry of Fisheries on July 27th, 1923, by Mr. A. King, Fisheries Officer. It had been taken the previous night in a herring net by the motor fishing boat " St. Veronica " of Arklow. The specimen was a female, 38 cm. in length, with ovaries well developed but not yet ripe. The ovarian eggs measured .4 mm. in diameter. In the stomach were some partially digested fish bones. P. sarda is not recorded by Day as an Irish fish, though it has several times been taken on the coasts of Eng- land and Scotland. Mr. A. R. Nichols, however, informs me that there are three specimens in the National Museum taken respectively at Court- macsherry, Co. Cork, in August 191 1, Carrigaloe, Co. Cork, in July, 191 3, and Broadhaven, Co. Mayo, in July, 1915. Probably it has been taken more often than these records suggest, but has been mistaken for an extra large Mackerel, It is common in the Mediterranean and occurs on both sides of the North Atlantic and on the east side of the South Atlantic. It is said to reach a length of three feet, though most of the specimens recorded from the British coasts have been between one and two feet in length. The present specimen has been added to the Museum collection, A few days later a specimen of the Opah [Lamprys luna) was received at the Ministry of Fisheries, having. been forwarded by Mr. P. Donovan, of Wexford, who wrote that it swam right on to the beach at Rosslare and was captured. Its action recalls the capture of the specimen from Lambay recorded in the Irish Naturalist for 191 6, p. 32, which was said to have struggled violently in shallow water, apparently determined to reach dry land. When the specimen arrived in Dublin, decomposition had already set in, but the brilliant orange-red colour of the fins and the mauve reflections and silvery spots on the body still gave evidence of its magnificent colouring when alive. It was a female, measuring 97.5 cm. in length, and, excluding the dorsal fin, 50 cm. in height. The ovary was spent but contained some residual crushed ova which when perfect would have measured about 2 . 5 mm. in diameter. In the stomach were found several cephalopod beaks. Miss A. L. Massy has been good enough to examine these and considers that they belong to two species of squids, one represented by a large pair of mandibles and the other by seven upper and four lower mandibles. They cannot be referred to any of the species commonly found in the Irish Sea, and were probably the remains of a meal which the Opah had had before it reached our waters. The Opah appears to be an inhabitant of the Gulf Stream. There are several records from the British and Irish coasts. Day mentions seven Irish specimens as having been taken between 1835 and 1851, and there are in the National Museum, besides the Lambay specimen, two casts of fish from Galway and Wexford. It also visits the coasts of Norway almost every year, evidently following the shoals of the squid Ommatostreptus 1923. Notes. 107 sagittatus, the beaks of which, according to the Norwegian naturaUst Collett, are frequently found in its stomach. This cephalopod is a pelagic form and may often be seen at the surface by night, fifty miles or so off the west coast of Ireland, probably on its northern migration. It seems likely that the specimens of the Opah which come ashore in the British Isles are individuals which in the course of their northerly migration have lost their way and wandered into shallow water of low salinity where their apparent helplessness may be due to their unaccustomed surroundings. Fisheries Office, Dublin. G. P, Farran. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Mr. R. A. Phillips is to be congratulated in adding Argynnis Euphrosyne to the list of Irish batter files. From the fact that it has been overlooked for so long, it does not necessarily follow that its Irish distribution must be very local, when one considers that the late Mr. \Vm. F. de V. Kane worked and investigated the lepidoptera in the neighbourhood of Favour Royal in this county for many years, and yet passed over Melitcea aurinia, which has since been found in the locality. The chance discovery of the larvae of this species on the Erris peninsula, Co. Mayo, was responsible for the addition of this local little butterfly to the county list. Stewartstown. Thomas Greer. I I Aster laevis at Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone. A few years ago I observed this plant sparingly in the marshy meadows which fringe the western shore of the lough for miles. Last month accompanied by my friend Dr. R. J. Spencer, when searching for Spiranthes Romanzoffima, we found large masses of the Aster in full bloom, and extending along the shore for over half a mile, and also on some of the small islets in the lough. Other plants found at the same time were Ranunculus Flammula and Epilobium angusHfoHum, the latter plentiful in meadows reclaimed from the bog. Stewartstown. Thomas Greer, Beech Fern in Co. Cavan. On 24th June last I found Polypodium Phegopteris in considerable quantity within a Umited area at Bruce Hill, Co. Cavan, 600 feet elevation. Dundee. G-. G. Blackwood. io8 The Irish Naturalist. October, 1923. REVIEW. The North-eastern Flora. A Second Supplement to, and Summary of Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Compiled by Sylvanus Wear, with an Introduction by R. Lloyd Praeger. 8vo, pp. xii-|- 129. Belfast : W. Erskine Mayne, 1923. 5s. 6d. net. This publication is designed to give at a glance a view of the north- eastern flora and its distribution within the counties of Down, Antrim and Londonderry, and at the same time to provide detailed information relative to additions to the flora and additional stations of the rarer species, made since the publication of the 1895 " Supplement " of Stewart and Praeger, which carried on the story of local floristic research from the date of the original " Flora " (1888). The present compilation is due to the industry of Sylvanus Wear, who died within a week of completing the MS. It shows that knowledge of the north-eastern flora has advanced steadily. A good many plants have been added to the flora, and what is equally important, a good many of the " missing " species of the first Supplement have been re-discovered in the district. Among these are some plants very local in Ireland, such as Lathy rus palustris, Trifolium striatum, Pyrola secunda, Calamagrostis Epigejos. Of plants which the efforts of local botanists have not succeeded in re-finding, the most important are Carex elongata, Polypodium Dryopteris and Pilularia globulifera. These were among the many local discoveries of Dr. David Moore, the first and third belonging to the Lough Neagh flora, while the second was seen on Knocklayd near Ballycastle. The work is embellished with photographs of Sylvanus Wear and other local botanists, and of Spiranthes Romanzoffiana, the most interesting species of the local flora. OBITUARY. Madame Christen. We observe with regret an announcement of the death of Madame Christen {ree Thompson) which took place at Llandudno on July 1 6th. As Miss Sydney Mary Thompson she was a well known and much appre- ciated member of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club for many years. When, stimulated by the work of Prof. Percy Kendall, the Club organized, in 1893) research on the local glacial deposits. Miss Thompson undertook the Secretaryship of the Committee, and for six or seven years furnished reports in which a large body of useful observations were recorded, the tabulation of local erratics and their origin being a valuable piece of work. She served on the Committee of the Club for a number of years, and her departure from Belfast, consequent on her marriage to the artist Rodolphe Christen, left the Club poorer by the loss of one of its most active members. I November, 1923. The Irish Naturalist. 109 THE LARVA OF A HYDROPHILID BEETLE, MEGASTERNUM BOLETOPHAGUM. BY K. C. JOYCE PHILLIPS. The larva described in this paper was found by Mr. James L. McWhinney, A.R.C.Sc.L, in the course of the investiga- tion on the fauna of a pasture soil, in which he is engaged at the Albert Agricultural College, Glasnevin. For the purpose of this research, samples of soil are taken from a field in permanent pasture at intervals of a week or ten days, each sample being a nine-inch cube, which is divided into five horizontal layers, the topmost an inch, and the other four two inches in depth. The live animals found in each layer are counted and identified as far as possible, larval insects being kept for rearing ; this is specially desirable in the case of larvae of which no description appears to be available. In the topmost layer of a sample taken on 6th February, 1922, two small unknown beetle-grubs were found. They were of a dirty pale brown colour, difficult to see in the soil when at rest, with large head and conspicuous asym- metrical mandibles, the remarkable appearance of which at once aroused curiosity. The larvse moved forward at a steady rate, the mode of progression being quite distinct from that of a maggot. Similar larvae were seen in most of the samples taken until May 22nd, and they were always found in the topmost layer, that is within an inch of the surface. Most of them, unfortunately, died, but two specimens pupated in I\Iay, and the adult beetles emerged on i8th June. Mr. J. X. Halbert, M.R.LA., of the National Museum, kindly identified these as Megasternum holeto- phagum Marsh, one of the smaller Hydrophilidse common in most parts of Ireland. Reference to Schiodte's great work on beetle-larvae showed that a similar asymmetrical condition in the mandibles is characteristic of the allied Cercyon analis Payk.^ As no larva belonging to the ij. C. Schiodte : De Metamorphosi Eleutheratorum Observationeti. Natiirh. Tidsskr. (3) i., (1861), pp. 219-20, pi. vi., figs. 16-25. A no The Irish Naturalist. November, Figure I. — Larva of Megasternum boletophagum. 1. Dorsal view, x 20. 2. Eight Feeler, x 100. 3. Left Mandible, dorsal view, x 160. 4. Eight Mandible, dorsal view, x 160. 5. Eight Maxilla, ventral view, x 100. 6. Labium, x 160, 7. Ventral contour of mesothorax with vestigial leg, inner aspect, x 160. 8. Cerci, dorsal view, x 120. 1923- Phillips. — The Larva of a Hydrophilid Beetle. m genus Megasternum appears to have been yet described, some details of the structure of this interesting grub may be of interest. I wish to thank Mr. McWhinncy for his kindness in placing these specimens at my disposal, and giving me the particulars mentioned above as to their place of abode and time of occurrence. I would like also to thank Professor G. H. Carpenter for the help and advice that he has given me in the preparation of this paper, and for the encouragement that he afforded me while working in the zoological laboratory of the Royal College of Science for Ireland. Description of the Megasternum larva. Head obovate as long as broad ; clypeus narrow, convex, unidentate ; frontal processes short (fig. I, i), occiput with medium groove (fig. I, i) ; hypostome narrow with rounded base (fig. I, 6). Feelers with first segment twice as long as second, which is a little longeo* than the third, terminal bristle elongate, papilla on second segment stout (fig. I, 2.). Mandibles evenly rounded with acute apex ; right mandible (fig. I, 4) with a single large, obhquely truncated tooth and ridged surface internally; left mandible untoothed (fig. I, 3), but with a series of six or seven backwardly directed serrations on the inner edge ; each mandible with two short stout bristles on the outer aspect near the base. MaxillcB (fig. I, 5), with cardo, broad stipes bearing numerous spines externally, palpiger shortly cylindrical, galea and lacinia vestigial ; palp with three segments the terminal crowned with four small papillae. Labium (fig. I, 6) with small mentum, two-segmented palps, and long, subtriangular hgula. Thorax with dorsal scuta ; pronotum well chitinised, covering the segment ; mesonotum shorter and feebler ; metanotum in two sections divided by linear membranous tract. Legs vestigial, represented by a pair of spiniferous tuber- cles on the ventral surface of each thoracic segment (fig. 7). No distinct segmentation is apparent in these vestigial legs, each of which has a long bristle inserted on its inner aspect. 112 The Irish Naturalist. November, Abdomen with feebly developed terga, the cuticle covered with numerous minute tubercles giving a roughened appear- ance to the body (fig. 1, i) ; last abdominal tergum with short median spine (fig. I, 8). Cerci prominent, sub-conical, inserted close together, each with a short dorsal spine and terminal, elongate, flexible bristle (fig. I, 8). Length of full-fed larva 4 mm. Colour mxottled brown. Comparison of Larva of Megasternum with allied Genera. The general appearance of the Megasternum larva is very like that of the larval Cercyon described and figured by Schiodte. According to him the larva of Cercyon is legless, while, as stated above, the Megasternum larva has clearly recognisable though vestigial legs. It is, therefore, as regards this character, intermediate between Cercyon and Sphaeridium, whose grub according to Schiodte ^ has small but distinctly segmented legs. The head in the Megasternum larva is relatively broader than in Cercyon ; the segments and terminal spine of the feeler are shorter, the large antennal papilla relatively shorter and stouter. In both genera, the larvae agree in the curious and character- istic asymmetry of the mandibles, the only notable difference being the feebler development in Cercyon of the serrations on the inner edge of the left mandible as compared with the Megasternum grub. The base of the hypostome, rounded in the latter, is triangular in Cercyon, and the labial palps of Megasternum are shorter and thicker. In the Megasternum larva the mesonotum and metanotum are more strongly developed than in Cercyon. The cerci in the latter bear elongate lateral bristles in addition to the terminal ones present in Megasternum, the stout dorsal spines of which appear to be absent in Cercyon. Cambridge. 1 Op. cit., pp. 220-1, pi. vi. figs. 6, 13. 1923- The Balance of Nature. 113 THE BALANCE OF NATURE. The danger of turning loose foreign animals and of introducing foreign plants into any country has often been pointed out ; and almost as frequently the danger has been proved up to the hilt by practical experiments. The Scotsman who thought it would be nice to have a thistle to keep him company when he went to Australia and the man who introduced the Rabbit into the same continent are two well known, and no longer honoured, experimenters ; while the case of the Grey Squirrel at Castle Forbes referred to by Mr. Watt, p. 95 ante, is another case in point. Indeed one has merely to open any book dealing with economic zoology to obtain numerous proofs of the dangers attending such introductions. The following is a good example : — " It appears to have been accidently introduced into New England some seventeen years ago on rose bushes from France. Since then it has rapidly spread and has not only caused damage over a large tract of country, but appears to be still on the increase." ^ There is, moreover, another and quite different reason for objecting to such introductions, namely that in almost every country nowadays there is a body of naturalists engaged in working out its fauna and flora and the distribution thereof, and for any person to introduce a foreign species — or worse still a native species which has a restricted range in another district — can only tend to render more complicated the already very difficult labours of the students of distribution. Accidental introductions cannot always be avoided, but it seems strange to the writer that members of a learned Society in Ireland should be guilty of such a thing. A friend who recently visited the Zoo at Dubhn was naturally interested in the Lepidoptera larvae which are being exhibited there and he asked the attendant what 1 Vide Theobald : Insect Pests of Fruit, p. 22, under the Brown Tail Moth. 114 ^^^ Irish Naturalist. November, was done with the perfect insects when they emerged. The reply was " Oh ! we let them out ! " It is of course always urged by those who introduce species that their particular brand is quite harmless, " because it is so rare in its own country/' The reason that it is so rare in its native haunts may very often be due to the fact that it has a most efficient parasite or enemy, and if relieved of the presence of this foe in its new haunts, the rarest species may well become a pest, though in the case of the Dublin Zoo, it is more the likelihood of false records for rare insects arising, than danger of a pest, that has prompted the writer to make this protest. He has also recently been informed that on an island off the east coast of Ireland, in order to give some introduced species of birds a better chance to multiply, the owner has permitted the " shooting of hawks." It is to be hoped that the islanders, owing to this misguided move, will not suffer as the inhabitants of Rathlin Island are said to be doing from the depredations of the Brown Rats and Rabbits. Nevertheless I think our ornithologists could inform the owner of the island that this is more than likely to be the only result which will arise from the shooting of hawks. An Irish Naturalist. A PLEA FOR MOSS STUDY. BY REV. W. R. MEGAW, B.A. An impetus to the study of Mosses and Hepatics has been given by the recent formation of the British Bryological Society, with Mr. H. N. Dixon, author of the valuable " Handbook," as first President. Added to this we have Mr. J. A. Wheldon's exhaustive investigation of that difficult group of Hypna, the Harpidia. It has been felt for some time that the classification of the Harpidia required overhauling. Mr. Wheldon set himself to the task and the results are to be found in his 1923. Megaw. — A Plea for Moss Study. 115 " Key to the Harpidroid Hypna," reprinted from the 1921-2 numbers of " The Naturahst." Harpidia are extremely variable in form and colour and perhaps in no other group is there such warrantable scope for varietal differentiation. Even in pre-Wheldon namings we have, in the " Census Catalogue of British Mosses " for example, under Hypnum aduncum Hedw., a list of varieties reaching to 77. The type and var. fS each claim one Irish district ; 8 has nine Irish districts to its credit ; and in August, 1920, I gathered var. 77 near Groomsport, in Co. Down. There is much valuable work to be done in the field of Irish bryology, and the new Society together with recent additional literature make the present a suitable time to appeal for recruits. The study of Mosses has not been popularised to any great extent. It is comparatively easy to excite interest in Flowering Plants and Ferns, but the reasons often advanced for shunning bryology are more apparent than real. The thought of the microscope perhaps acts as a chief deterrent. The microscopic work required is really very elementary, if undue " splitting " be avoided. After *a little experience, many Mosses, once determined, can be named in the field with or wdthout the aid of a hand lens. The botanist who includes Mosses in his scope has this advantage, that he may continue his field work throughout the year. Examination of specimens may be made even long after the date of collecting, as Mosses well dried may be preserved for many years without detriment. It is to be hoped that this fascinating branch of study will not be neglected by the younger generation of Irish botanists. Belfast. ii6 The Irish Naturalist. November, 1923. NOTES. Foxes in Co. Tyrone. Mr. N. H. Foster's notes in the September number of the Irish Naturalist prompts me to state, that Foxes are now common in the mountains in the neighbourhood of Lough Fea. They made their first appearance here some eight years ago, and have increased, despite the large numbers destroyed by shooting and trapping. Stewartstown. Thomas Greer. A Tunny Stranded at Castlerock. While at Castlerock, Co. Londonderry, in September, I found after some gales in the early part of the month, a large fish thrown ashore on the strand, and one which is very rarely recorded from our shores. In fresh condition it had lost the front portion of its head, up to and including its eyes ; it had probably been in contact with the revolving propeller of a small steamer, for it had two deep gashes in its under side. It was a very conspicuous object on the clean sand between tide marks for a few days, as it measured 8 feet 3 inches in length. It was probably almost 9 feet long when alive. The mackerel-like tail measured 27 inches from point to point. From a rough sketch made of it it was easy, on comparing it with the plate in Couch's " Fishes of the British Isles," to identify it as a full-sized Tunny [Orcynus thynnus Liitken) which that author gives as a Mediterranean fish, seldom captured outside the Gibraltar Straits. In vol. iv. of " The Natural History of Ireland," by Wm. Thompson, it is recorded that in November, 1841, a large Tunny was obtained in Ballyholme Bay, near Bangor, County Down, which measured 8 feet 3 inches in length, and was computed to weigh 300 lbs. It was impossible to ascertain the weight of the Castlerock example, but on a rough estimate it may have been put down at between three or four cwt. W. SWANSTON. • Dunmurry, Belfast. 26/9/23. Galium sylvestre in Co. Derry. On the 29th July I gathered Galium sylvestre Poll., on Benevenagh, Co. Derry. The plant occurs sparingly but is quite typical. I can find no trace of a previous Co. Derry record. W. R. Megaw. Belfast. December, 1923. The Irish Naturalist. 117 STRAY REFLECTIONS ON THE IRISH ALPINE FLORA. BY R. F. SCHARFF, B.SC, PH.D. Most of those who read Dr. Praeger's interesting notes on the botanical contrast between Switzerland and Ireland in the October number of this Journal must have wished to learn more of the author's experiences in the Alps and among the glorious flora of those mountains. He tells us in simple plain language what are the features that struck him most in the flora of the Swiss mountains as compared with that of Ireland. Carefully avoiding any controversial subjects such as the origin of the flora, he only briefly refers to their existence. Why should the Swiss alpine plants for instance stick to the mountains, whereas in Ireland a few of the same species are found at low levels ? The author suggests that the low-level Irish habitat of these alpines is abnormal, and he expresses the opinion that the key of this mystery in distribution lies in the past history of the west of Ireland. He also dwells on the surprising fact that these Irish low-level alpines grow mxixed with the most marked southern plants of our flora. It is not for the first time that these pecuHarities have been mentioned and discussed in the pages of this Journal. In the fauna, similar cases of distribution have been pointed out, so that the phenomenon is not confined to plants. The older subscribers of the Irish Naturalist will remember the stirring presidential address to the Dubhn Naturalists' Field Club entitled " The Mingling of the North and the South," which was dehvered by our late editor, Prof. Carpenter and pubHshed in this IMagazine (vol. v., 1896). The author quoted many instances of animals of northern or alpine origin which in Ireland occupy the same territory as those which certainly came from the south. And in his opinion the latter had reached Ireland before the " Ice Age " and had probably survived it on some old tract of land, now submerged, to the south or west of Ireland. Ii8 The Irish Naturalist. December, Now it is a well-known fact that in late Pliocene times, or just before the time when the climate of Europe is supposed to have become greatl}^ refrigerated, both the fauna and flora as a whole were similar to what they are to-day.^ No doubt there still existed then a large number of species, particularly among the mammals, which having survived from previous geological periods are no longer with us. We must also assume that certain species originated' during the subsequent Pleistocene period or *' Ice Age " as it has been called. But the great mass of our animals and plants must have come into existence during a time when the climate of Europe was temperate or mild. Some forms, especially those which are known as persistent types, may have originated in still earlier periods than the Pliocene, when Europe had a warm or even semi-tropical climate. Dr. Praeger states that in Pliocene times a new flora of Europe came into existence mainly derived from the Asiatic highlands. I am not sure that this view is generally accepted by botanists, but it seems as if the alpine plants and animals at any rate were largely of Asiatic origin. Irish botanists visiting Siberia in the summer would be surprised to find there puzzles comparable to those they were familiar with in Europe. The famous Edelweiss (Leonto- podittm alpinum) of the high Alps, which can be successfully cultivated in almost any Irish garden, is a common weed in the damp meadows of Siberia. There are many such examples which we need not enlarge upon. We seem therefore to share with Siberia the peculiarity that alpine plants grow naturally at a low level, whereas in Switzerland they need the mountain air. Although climatically Siberia and Ireland have little in common, the aipines in the former country are everywhere protected from the severe cold of the winter by a thick covering of snow. In the Alps they flourish under similar conditions. It is only in 1 Reid, C- — Relation of the present plant population of the British Isles to the Glacial Period. Irish Naturalist, vol, xx., pp. 201-209, 191 1. Kennard, a. S. and B. B. Woodward. — British Pliocene non- marine Mollusca. Proc. Malacol. Soc. London, vol. iii., pp. 187-201, 1899. 102}. ScHARFF. — S7m)' Reflections on the Irish Alpine Flora. 119 Ireland that, owing to the mild winters, the}' do not need any protection. Alpine plants in fact do not tolerate extremes of temperature, and it always seems to me strange that so many botanists connect the presence of fossil remains of alpine plants with a former prevalence of an arctic climate. When we wish to grow the rarer species of alpines successfully in the plain, we do not expose them to the cold blasts of winter. We grow them under glass in a frame where they are surrounded by a rather mild temperature and effectively protected from climatic extremes. Most of the alpine plants of Switzerland cannot spread into the lower regions of the country because they would be exposed there to drought, and to extreme cold in the winter. And for this reason horticulturists find it impossible to grow many of the alpines in the open air in the lowlands of central Europe. The wide range and discontinuous distribution of many of the alpine plants indicate that the}'^ could not have spread from east to west or from north to south as long as the climate of Europe resembled the one we have now. It has been suggested that it was during the Glacial Epoch that these plants spread or wandered as we may say across vast stretches of country and thus reached their present habitats. This suggestion is founded on the fact that the remains of a few plants such as Salix polaris, Dryas ociopetala and Betiila nana have been discovered in the lowlands of central and western Europe. But of these only Dryas octopetala can be considered a truly alpine plant, and to judge from its extensive range it must be of great antiquity. Dryas octopetala, as well as all other alpine and northern plants found in Ireland, grows there naturally and apparently in a perfectly healthy condition, in a temperate oceanic climate almost at sea-level. Considering that most of the true alpines can be grown in the lowlands of Ireland, does it not seem as if we might formerly have had similar climatic conditions spread all over the European continent ? Would not such conditions favour the geographical distribution of alpine plants ? Prof. Brockmann-Jerosch indeed supports the view that the cHmate of Europe during the Ice Age must have been oceanic and that the Ice Age A 2 12 0 The Irish XafitraJisf. December, itself had its origin in an oceanic climate combined with an increased precipitation. ' A large part of central Europe was covered by the sea in Tertiarv times so that the climate must then have been more oceanic and more equable than it is now. We know in fact from the remains of both plants and animals that the seas had a fauna allied to that of the Mediterranean and that the flora of the land was semi-tropical, at an\' rate in Yhe earlier parts of the Tertiary Era. As extremely few of the alpine plants possess hard leathery leaves which might favour the survival of their imprints in mud or beds of cla}', we know nothing of the past range of the great mass of these plants. No doubt pre-(ilacial deposits containing seeds are known, but so far only from the east coast of England, and the}^ contain no seeds of alpine plants." There is no positive evidence therefore that the majority of the alpine plants have originated and s[)read in Tertiary times, although this opinion i^ put forward by some very eminent botanists, among them Prof. Engler."' If this view should prove to be correct, the oceanic low-level habitat of some arctic-alpine plants such as Drvas octopetala should not be considered as abnormal. On the contrary we should have to conclude that their habitat in the remote past, long before they were scattered from their original stations, was in the lowlands. Their Irish habitat would thus be a true relict of the past — a survival from Tertiary times. Their mountain habitat would have to be looked upon as an abnormal one to which the alpines had only gradually adapted themselves, having met there conditions suitable to their requirements. Bray. 1 Brockmann-Jerosch, H. : — Die \>getation des Diluviums in dcr Schweiz. Verhandl. d. Schweiz. Xaturf. Gesellsch. 1920. 2 Reid, C. and E. M. Reid : — The pre-glacial flora of l^ritain. Journ. Linn. See. London (Botany), vol. xxxviii., 1907. ^ Engler, a. :— Monographic der Gattung Saxifraga. Brc.slau, 1872. 1923- Lei-. — Iri^h Spliui^iia. 12 1 I IM S H S P H A c; N A . BY WILLIAM A LEE, M.A., PH. I). Previous lists uf Irish Spluigiia were published in liic Irish NaturalisI (vols. xxxi. No. 2, xxxii. Nos. j and ()). 1 am now able to furnisli a few additions to the S])]ia,i,ni;i. of County \\'icklow (Division 20), the Result of somewhat extensive i,^atherings in Wieklow in the hilly e.ountr\- dr;i.iiu-d by till' ri\ers Avonmore and Axonbeg, last October. Of these, twv) varieties Jind one form cannot be traced in previous Irish lists, while 12 varieti(>s and 17 fornis a))])ear to be recorded for the hrst time in Division 20. It is appai-ent from this result in a restricted area that we arc still far from a complete catalogue of the Irish Sphagna, and it is much to be regretted that so few workers have taken seriouslv in hand the surve\' of the suitable ground on which the members of the group are likeh' to occur. Quite apart from the strictly scientific hitcrest of this pursuit, there is always the varied beauty of the material which, at certain seasons, offers a charm to the eye and mind excelled b}.' scarcely any small natural objects. When, on some desolate mountain -side, we come upon cushions of Sphagna, showing the crimson of S. quinqucfariiim var. roseuni, or the emerald such as \vc find in S. cuspidaiujii, or the am.ber or chocolate shades conspicuous in other species, we are impresr.ed \vith the contrast between the wild massive mountain and the gentle soothing eiiect rf the Sphagna. Even the stem and leaf forms present so much artistic arrangement . Girgensohnii Russ., *var. robitstum W., f. speciositm. S. quinquefarium W., var. rosenm W., |f. hrachyano- cladimi W. var. versicolor Russ., jf. heterocladmn W. ff. drepanocladum W. S. plumulosum Roll., var. viride W., ff. laxum W. fvar. purpiireum ^^^, f. gracile W. S. squarrosum Pers., jvar. spectahile Russ., f . paiuhtni \\\ fvar. suhsquarrosmn Russ ap \\ ., i. cuspidatum W. 5. amhlyphyllum Russ., fvar. mesophyllum W., f. sylvaticum Russ. jvar. parviflorum W., *f. Inghami Wheldon. 5. recurvum P de Beauv., var. majtis Angstr., ff. sylvaticum Russ. ff. pulchellum W. jf. sphaerocephalum W. 1923. Lee. — Irish Sphagna. 12 o S. cuspidatum Ehrh., fvar. suhmersum Schimp., f. crispatinn W. S. moUiiscuni Brucli., jvar. vulgatum \V., f. compadum W. 5. inmidatuni R. ct W., var. ovalijolitnn W., ff. brachv- c I ad I in I W. yf. dcnsuni W. S. auyiculatiDii Schimp., var. ovatitin \\ ., tf. rarici^a/iaii W. jf. puugens W. *var. subjuersuin W. S. papillosum Liiidb., var. nonnalc W., |f. inajiis Grav. (near iub-f. elegaus Wheldon). jsub-l. elegans \A'heldon. fsub-f. subfuscum Wheldon. (an orthocladc example). f. squarrosulum Ingh. and Whcld. (sub f. near pulcherrimum Ingh. and \\'lK']d.). jsub-f. negledum Ingh. and Whcld. f. brachycladinn W. (approaching sub-f. pallesceiis Wheld.). jsub-f. flavofiiscum Wheld. f. conferium ^^'. (near snb-f. inundatii'm Whcld.). var. siiblaeve Limpr., ff. glaucovirens Schlieph. ff. breviramosum W. snb-f. heterocladmn W. 5. cymbifolium Ehrh., fvar. glaiicesccns W., f. squarro- stiliim Pers., sub-f. globiceps W. fvar. pallescens W\, f. laxuni W. fvar. f'uscescens W\ •fvar. versicolor W . (a very robust form resembling 5. subbicoloy Hampe., but with the chlorophyllosc cells in section like those of S. cynnbijolinin. J. A. W.). Kock Tfrrx-, Cheshire. S 124 '^^^^ Irish Naturalist. DcceiuocM-. REVIEWS. The Ice Age in the North. The Glaciation of North-eastern Ireland. By Major Arthur Richard DwERRYHOUSE, T.D., D.S.O., M.R.I.A., F.G.S. Quart. Jouni. Geol. Soc, Ixxix, part 3 (1923), pp. 352-422, plates xxiii-xxiv. This is a paper which should receive the careful attention of all students interested in the study of the Pleistocene glaciation of Ireland. It deals with the advances, retreats, and re-advances of the Scottish and Donegal ice-sheets over a wide tract of country in north-eastern Ireland ; and as it is, in Ireland, the first published study, on modern lines, of the effects of glaciation on a large scale, it is most welcome. As the publication of Major Dwerryhouse's work has been greatly delayed, its belated appearance is the more to be appreciated, and it is to be hoped that in the near future we may have the advantage also of knowing the results of Prof. Charlesworth's investigations regarding the glaciation of the north-west of Ireland, results which, we understand, have been ready for publication for some years past. By combining the conclusions of two specialists in Glacial phenomena, in these neighbouring areas, we should obtain a comprehensive view of the succession of events during the Ice Age in the North of Ireland. The region described by the author includes the counties of Antrim and Down, with parts of Londonderry, Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan, and Louth, and this large area has been divided into what he considers to be four natural geographical units^ — the basaltic plateau of Antrim, the valley of Belfast, the Palaeozoic countr}^ of Down and Monaghan, and the igneous districts of Mourne, Slieve Croob, and Carlingford. Taking these areas in succession, the various Glacial deposits, and other results of the advances and retreats of the ice-sheets, are dealt with, and the boulder-clays, gravels and sands, and Glacial drainage channels are described in such detail that only a few salient points can be mentioned. In his work on the Glacial deposits of his district, whether boulder-clays or gravels and sands, the author has one outstanding advantage, in that there are many very definite rock-types which can be identified as occurrinii; in situ in the Firth of Clyde. Among these may be mentioned the riebeckite-eurite of Ailsa Craig, the granite of Goatfell, and the quartz- porphyry of Drummadoon ; and the discovery of any of these in the drifts to the southward is fair proof of the original northern origin of the deposit in question. Where a suite of these northern rocks is found any lingering doubt may be set aside. The author mentions a recent discovery by Mr. Robert Bell of the Ailsa Craig eurite at Drumanewy some miles west of Randalstown, and rocks of the same type have been found as far south as Monaghan town. In the account of the Ballycastle district the author gives an interesting description of the terminal 192 3- Reviei£>s. 12-j moraines of the last advance of the Scottish ice, and also of the j^ravel terraces of the Carey River, a more detailed account of whicli will be found in the forthcoming Survey Memoir on the I^allycastlc district. The description of the frontal moraines of the Donegal ice-sheet in the ]")ungannon-Cookstown area standing " rank behind rank for several miles " is so striking that one would wish that the subject had been dealt with at greater length b\' the author. In addition to his work on the drifts and their included erratics, Major Dwerryhouse has made a special study of the temporary lakes of late Glacial times, and their accompanying and resultant overflow or drainage channels. While the ice-sheets, which had invaded north-eastern Ireland either from the north or from the west, retreated towards their sources, temporary lakes were formed by the water from the melting ice being impounded between the slopes of the hills and the ice-sheets, and when the water of these lakes could find its way over a col or along the hillside towards ice-free country, it rapidly cut a ravine or overflow channel to the extent of its powers of erosion. With a farther retreat of the ice, ways of escape at lower levels were opened, the level of the water in the lake fell, and the temporary drainage channel was then abandoned. In any mountainous country which has been invaded by an ice-sheet these temporary drainage channels and hill-side gashes occur in great numbers, and we are introduced to some hundreds of them in the course of the paper, which is effectively illustrated by many figures and plates dealing with this interesting type of temporary erosion. Jn the Ballycastle district Major Dwerryhouse has mapped some striking examples of these drainage channels. When the seaward end of Glendun was tilled with Scottish ice, the waters of the lake which had been formed in tlie upper portions of the valley could only escape towards the north by the comparatively ice-free valley of the Carey river, and the main road from Cushendun to Ballycastle now runs along the floor of the drainage channel which the outflowing waters of the lake had cut into the lowest portion of the ridge which separates Glendun from the lowlands south of Ball\- castle. Another great drainage channel in this district is the Invcr gorge, which carried away to the south-west the overflow waters from the lakes which had been formed to the east and south-east of Knocklayd. In the Slieve Gallion district the author has noted the very striking glens of Carndaisy and Gortanewry which he considers to be the drainage channels that carried the overflow of the temporary lakes of this district eastward and northward towards the valley of the Bann. The Mourne Mountains have also yielded instances of these channels, and in the deep flat-floored narrow valley which connects Portadown with the head of Carlingford :Major Dwerryhouse sees the drainage channel of the Lough Xeagh basin during the time when the presence of the Scottish ice south of Coleraine prevented the escape of the waters of that basin towards the north. In Carlingford many drainage channels have been mapped, the most important being that which carried the overflow water of the Jenkinstown (glacial) lake into Glenmore. There are numerous channels on the slopes of Barnavave and Slieve-na-glogh 126 The Irish Naturalist. December, which the author deals with in the text, and of these the gorge north of The Bush station is probably the most important. Regarding the view, put forward in Figure 12 of the paper, that the general direction of movement of the Scottish ice across the Mourne Mountains and across the lowlands of Mourne around Kilkeel was from north to south or south-east, a word of criticism may be made. That the lowlands of Mourne are cumbered with immense Glacial deposits of boulders, gravel, sand and clay, derived from the mountains to the north, cannot be gainsaid, and these deposits may have been incorporated in the Scottish ice as it moved southwards across the Mourne Mountains, and may afterwards have been deposited in the lowlands. But an earlier invasion of the lowlands of Mourne by Scottish or Irish Sea ice is evidenced by the occurrence of a basal boulder-clay, with marine shells, around Kilkeel, and in the valley of the White Water. In this basal boulder- clay, and in derived gravels, the reviewer, in recent inonths, found marine shells in great abundance, in many cases in an excellent state of preservation, and up to the present fifteen species have been obtained, including the usual proportion of arctic and northern forms. This investigation into the distribution of the shelly drift is being carried out with the aid of a government grant in the gift of the Royal Society of London, and Major Dwerryhouse's paper had already been completed when the work in the lowlands of Mourne was commenced during 1923. The facts which have been stated point to the conclusion that when the Scottish ice rounded the eastern slopes of the Mourne Mountains near Annalong, it moved inland and south-westward across the lowlands of Mourne, laying down the basal boulder-clay with its marine shells. That the Scottish ice moved inland from the direction of the Irish Sea, across the lowlands of Carlingford, and the country south of Dundalk, is also the opinion of the reviewer, although an examination of the Glacial deposits of Cooley has, up to the present, yielded no satisfactory evidence of the presence of shelly boulder-clay similar to that found in the Kilkeel lowlands. But the paper must be read in its entirety to be fully appreciated, as there is a great amount of valuable detail which cannot be summarized. We may congratulate Major Dwerryhouse on the publication of a very notable contribution to the study of the Glacial geology of Ireland. J. DE W. HiNCH. 1923. Reviews, 127 A Chronological List of British Birds. A Bibliography of British Ornithology from the Earliest Times : Supplement. A Chronological List of British Birds. By H. KiRKE Swann, F.Z.S., etc, London (Witherby and Wesley, Ltd.). Price 5s, net. By way of supplement to the important " Bibliography of British Ornithology " which, in conjunction with Mr. W. H. Mullen and Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain, he produced in 1920, Mr. Swann now publishes a highly interesting list of the birds of the British Islands arranged in the order in which they first received names in accordance with the Linnean system. The names given in the list are those that belong to the birds to-day, brackets being used to distinguish those parts of each binomial (or trinomial) name that were not in the name when first applied. The preface must be carefully read for the meaning of the various brackets used ; but the list undoubtedly gives us an excellent bird's-eye view of the progress of ornithological nomenclature from 1758 to the present day. Some curious results are brought out from a glance over Mr, Swann's pages. One cannot but be struck at the slowness with which some now familiar birds crept into the notice of scientific name-givers. Thus it was not until 181 7 that the Chiff-chaff was recognised and honoured with a binomial name, though we know from Gilbert White, who died in 1793, that it was already well known by its present English name of the " Chiff-chaf " to the country-folk around Selborne in his day. One does not, of course, need to go to Mr. Swann to learn facts like these. but his arrangement does much to force them on one's notice. C. B, M. IRISH SOCIETIES. BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. September 17. — Annual Meeting. Professor W. B. Morton, M.A., presided. The annual report of the Council expressed regret at the death during the year of three honoured members of the society : — Henry Riddell, M.E., M.I.Mech.E. (president and hon. treasurer) ; Joseph Wright, F.G.S. ; and Madame Christen, who died at Llandudno. It was also intimated that a few members had had a small water-colour portrait of Mr. Riddell executed by Mr. Frank M'Kelvey, and they now asked the chairman to accept the portrait on behalf of the Society as a small token of their appre- ciation. The report went on to state that W. B. Burro wes, F.R.S.A.I., had taken over the duties of hon. treasurer, and thanks were accorded him for his work. There had been a steady increase in membership under the new subscription scheme. Lectures given during the session had been well attended and were much appreciated. The Council was of opinion 128 The Irish Naturalist. December, 1923. that the Society should again become a member of the British Association, and appointed Mr, AUworthy to represent the Society at the meeting in Liverpool. The report also referred to the work of the archaeological section at Nendrum Monastery, Mahee Island, and said that the chairman (Sir Charles Brett) and hon, secretary (Mr. Lawlor) and those associated with them deserved the thanks of Ulster for the work which was being carried out. At a subsequent meeting of the Council, Professor Morton was unani- mously elected President of the Society for the coming session. W. B. Burrowes was re-elected hon. treasurer; R. M. Young, M.R.I. A. hon. librarian ; and Arthur Deane, F.R.S.E., hon. secretary. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. Sept, 29. — Fifty-seven members and friends visited Purdysburn Glen, under the guidance of Arthur Deane, M.R.I. A., F.R.S.E., in order to study the fungus flora. On reaching the woods Mr. Deane gave a short account of the life- history of fungi and their place in nature's economy ; how the older and more primitive types were aquatic in habitat, and showed the characters of the algae from which they are regarded as having descended. Many members collected keenly, and some interesting species of fungi were found, particularly among the gill-bearing class, such as Hypholoma fascicularis, Coprinus spp., Pholiota squarrosa, Pleurotus ostreaius, Armillaria mellea, and Amanita muscaria, while among the decaying bracken was found the " Birds Nest " fungus (Crucibulum vulgare), but perhaps the most interesting were the Slime-fungi (Myxomycetes), a specially large mass being found in the woods. On reaching an open glade at the glen head, an examination of many finds was made, and a business meeting was held (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A., presiding), when eleven new members were elected. ROUTE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. August ii. — Excursion to Runkerry — The members met at Run- kerry House, about two dozen strong, and made for the strand. Here, amid a convenient circle of rocks, the Secretary read some notes furnished by R. J. Welch, M.Sc, on the geology and zoology of the district. An adjournment w£is made to Runkerry House, where tea was pro- vided through the kindness of the Misses Macnaghten, after which a talk illustrated by many drawings and sketches, was given by Mr. J, J. Phillips, C.E., Dhu Varren, Portrush, on the ancient Cistercian Abbeys of Down. September 15. — A visit was paid to the ruins of Dunseverick Castle. Its history was dealt with in a paper by Canon Ford, read to the members on the historic site by the secretary, the Rev. E. M. Guraley. Pvf wywff*:^^ igya MmgjMM i JANUARY, No. 1. HE 1923. CUVMK fl flDontbl? 3ounial OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. 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"NATURE" contains Original Articles on ail subjects coming within the domaih of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. it also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." (To all places Abroad} t s d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Half-Yearly ... ... 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 16 0 **, A charge of Sixpence fs made for changing: "^ootch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made paj-able to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C,2. £ 8. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 1 6 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. ft. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPAPwTMIlNTS OF GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z S. JOHN W TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one ot the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1833 London : A. BROWN & SON, Ltd.. 5 FARKINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post Iree. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Huli. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENSX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. (Sundays from Mnoon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday aft^^rncons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BLACK LEOPARD NEWLY ARRIVED. Two Fins Young Chimpanzees now in ttie Ape-House. PAm OF HANDSOME LION MARMOSETS- YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OF CANADIAN BISON, WITH CALVES. BORNEAN ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR, Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreig-ni thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privile^^es of Membershij) of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon, Sec, R.Z.S,, Trinity College, Dublin c DEPAKTMENT OF AGIilCULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. ,} 3. „ 4. , 5. „ 6. M 7. » 3 ,, fl „ 10. .. 11. . 12. » 13. :, 14. „ Id. ., 16. „ 17. „ 18. „ 19. „ 20. " ^i „ 23 ,. 24. „ 2.5. ., 26. » 27. „ 28. „ 29 „ 30. ,, 31. „ 32. ., 33 „ 34. „ 35. „ 36 » 37. „ 38 ,, 39. „ 40 „ 41 „ 42. „ 43. „ 44 „ 45. „ 46 .. 47. ,, 48 „ 49. „ 50 „ 51 „ 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding StufTs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight, Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Titnolhv Meadows. The Turnip Fly. Wireworrus. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Cout.'idous Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato GroAving. Calf Rearing. Di^ca.^es 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, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. V/inter Egg Production. Rearina and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Ere?d8 of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mangels. Oats. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pasture Gr-igges The Rearing and Management of Chickens "Husk" or Boose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Havmaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Fattening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. »l 60 9» 61 93 62 99 m )9 64 »9 65 >9 66 99 67 99 68 99 69 ,. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89.. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. The Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. Tlie Apule. Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing of Fruit Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows. " Eed water " or " Blood -Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Out of Prvit. 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 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 Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. The Home iJottliug 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 Egg:?. Packing Egg." for Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed a= Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Strring of Potatoes 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing ol "Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies 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 of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R S.E.. F.L.S., Keeper. National History Department, Royal Scottish Musettm, Edinburgh^ PERCY H. GRIMSHAWJ F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural Historj' of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording tlie occurrence of uncorataon specie:* and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER &. BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices :— 8. d. - 8. d. 2 pp. .r. ... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... .M 8 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 I 8 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the ISth of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeoer, National Library, Dublin. C. B. jMoffat, '21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Belfast. Vol. xxxii., No. 1. CONTENTS January, 1925. PAGE • • The Sleeping Habits of the Tree-Creeper (Plate I.)— N. H. Foster, .F.L.S., M.B.o.u. • .. To Readers of the 7m^ Naturalist— Pi oi. G. H. Carpenter, D.SC. •> ... ,•• -•• •• •• Irish Societies : Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society Belfast Naturalists' Field Club Notes : Greenland Wheatear in Co. Derry — N. H. Foster Egg of Fulmar Petrel — N. H. Foster Birds at the Tearaght Lighthouse — A; J. Kennedy Kingfisher at Blackrock, Co. Dublin — H. W. Doveton-Duni.op Stock-Dove breeding in Co. Londonderry — D. C. Campbell Thracia pubescens near Dublin — John A. S. Palmer, R. Lloyd Praeger , . . . . . . . • • 4 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 tvio r A simple and permanent method for Mounting Insects, &c. Adopted by the Entomological Department, Royal College . of Science, London Price: S/- (postage, 6d.), and 6/- (postage, 9d.). HABBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LUDGaTE hill, EX. 4. - _ ^ AND BATHAMPTON. NEAR BATH. Agent : G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, W.C. 2. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ..»»■■ ^ «^ „ 66 Quarter Page ^ . ... „ 4 0 A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions. According to Position. AI.EX. TQOM AND CO., L.1MITKD, DUBLIN* Vol. XXXII. No. 2. FEBRUARY, 1923. fyik ^■" ^"^M^mwm H flDontbl? 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price is. T. : ^*^ ^'^^^^^^t DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited. = )'i/^ y^: so Middle Abbey Street ~-— -T^" BELFAST: 17 Donegal! Street 1-^ ' i LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. ; •iC r<^af((i(Uiiiiiij,iMi.i|iwi»©^- Vol. XXXIII. No. 3. MARCH 1923. •"""/*i ; I ^ • M i^ H flDontbl^ 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN K/IICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY &, PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYROr^E NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. ^' _^. DUBLIN: EASON 8c SON, Limited. )'y y^l ®^ Middle Abbey Street. t--— -^"5; BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street A ~^J=": LONDON: SIMPKIN. MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited, ■iC mim(ii,i,iiUuiiiii<,itiHMniiijiiiiw>i The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address lor lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sack^Ule Gtreet, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. it also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." £ 8. d. Yearlv ... ... 2 12 0 Hali-y early ' ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 {To all places Abroad) £ s d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Hali- Yearly ... ... 1 10 0 Quarterly ... .. 0 16 0 »*» A charge of Sixpence is made for changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY . T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : A NO T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D.. M.Sc, F.L.S.. Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS KEFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPAIITMIINTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dat-.ng back to 1833. London : A. BROWN & SON, Ltd.. 5 FARRINGDON AVENUK, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, posi lr.'*e Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOEMIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. (Sundays from 12 noon) til! dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BLACK LEOPARD NEWLY ARRIVED. Fine Young Chimpanzee now in the Ape-House. PAIR OF HANLSOME LION MARMOSETS. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OP CANADIAN BISON, WITH CALVES. BORNEAN ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMEIST ROOM OPEI\ ALL THE YEAR, Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreign) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membershij> of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin, DEPARTMENT OF AGIilCULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. ^0. 1. >> 2. J> 3. >> 4. 5. »l 6. »» 7. »» 8 >) 9. »» 10. ■ • 11. ^ 12. »t 13. >> 14. »> 15. 16. )» 17. 1> 18. 19. 1» 20. »1 21 M 22. 23 f > 24. 25. 26. f 1 27. » 28. »» 29 >» 30. n 31. >j 32. 33 »' 34. 35. 1^ 36 >» 37. »i 38 )» 39. »» 40 )» 41 »» 42. >> 43. 44 11 45. 46 •1 47. 11 48 11 49. 60 »» 51 >> 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiraotbv Meadows Th" Turnip Fly. Wireworriis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Sc.ib. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bulls. Fowl Choleffi. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Feeding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Potdtry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearing and F.attening of Turkeys Profitable lire ds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mangels. Oats. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pasture Gr^Bses The Rearinc and Management of Chickens " Husk " or '• Hoose " in Calves. Eingworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest, Poultry Faf^enlng. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. f) 54. » 55. »j 56. 9' 57. fi 58. » 59. >t 60 >9 61. 99 62. 99 63. »9 64 19 65. f 9 66. 99 67 99 68 99 69 i» 70, >» 71 99 72 99 73. »» 74 99 75 99 76. 99 77 99 78 »9 79. 80. 99 8L 99 82. 99 83. 99 84 99 85 99 86 >9 87. 99 88 99 89 99 90 99 91 99 92 99 93 99 94 9» 95 9> 96 99 97. 99 98 99 99 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 oj Print, Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairy Cows. " Eedwater " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Oil 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 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 Injnrioua Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. The Home Bottling of Fruit. The Construction of Piggeries. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. Black Scab in Potatoe.«. Home Preservation of Eggs. Marketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Egg? lor Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and 'J'oxhnical Instruction for Ireland, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE, THE SPOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M,A., D.Sc.,- F.R S.E.. F.L.S.. Keeper, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.R., Natural History Departtnent, Royal Scottish Museum. This Mag^Hzine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing^ to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncommon species and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh: OLIVER A, BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — s. d. 8. d. 2 pp. 4 pp. 4 6 0 0 6 pp. 8 pp. 8 9 0 0 Authjrs should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15tii of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for Identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin, C, B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Belfast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 3. March, 1923. CONTENTS. The Study of Common Wild Flowers: A plea for closer • Investigation— C. B. Moffat, b.a., m.r.i.a. Irish Sphagna— William Lee * • Irish Societies ; , Dublin Microscopical Club , . . . ... . . ' . • Belfast Naturalists' Field Club Notes : Sleeping Habits of the Tree-Creeper — C, B. Moffat Sandwich Terms at Rosslare, Co. Wexford— W. M. Abbott Recent Records of Irish Birds . » Colour-Variation, in Cowslip and Primrose — R. Lloyd Praeger . . Erica stricta in Antrim and Derry — R. Lloyd Praeger PAGE 21 28 29 29 30 30 31 31 32 WW) A simple and permanent method for Mounting Insects, &c. Adopted by the Entomological Department, Royal College of Science, London. Price: 3/- (postage, 6d.), and 6/- (postage, 9d.). HABBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LUDGATE HILL, E.G. 4. AND BATHAMPTON. NEAR BATH. Agent : G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, W.C. 2. TERMS FOR ADVERTISE' »RISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page Half Page Quarter Page 0 0 4 0 ,i\./< for a Number of Insertions. According to ^ Potation. AL£X. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN* \\','.\'/^: : : :':l'^ ^^^ ])))} Vol. XXXIII. No. 4 APRIL. 1923. :.<»>» ?y'i i» 'tfi^. Mi ^ fl fiDontbli? 3ournaI OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY 8c PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CCRK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I. A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. )■'/ J .\X DUBLIN: EASON & SON. Limited. 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON. KENT & CO., Limited. %' rc(ff((iiiUiiiii.uUiiii|ipiiitifiiii\i,i,iiiiij|i,i;jiiiiii»M^ ■ The miSH NATURALIST lor 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address lor lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son* Ltd., 4C Lower Sack^ille Street. Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." {To all places Abroad) £ s. d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Half-Yearly ... ... 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 18 0 **:» A charge of Sixpence is made for changing "scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ a. d. yearly ... 2 12 C Half-yearly ... 1 6 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc,. F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AVL T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S,., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMRNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.2.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. ' This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1833. London : A. BROW];^ & SON, Ltd.. 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, posi (r.^e Communications to Fe addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist. The Museum. Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN, Open daily from 9 a.m. {Sundays from 12 noon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL- CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BLACK LEOPARD NEWLY ARRIVED. * Fine Young Ofiimpaozee now in the Ape-House. PAIE OF HANDSOME LION MARMOSETS. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OF CANADIAN BISON, WITH CALVES. BORNEAN ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR. Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreign) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membership of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. )> 3. )1 4. 5. » 6. »» 7. »> 8 »> 9 ») 10. • • 11. 12. n 13. >» 14. n 15. »» 16. IJ 17. 1> 18. 1> 19. 1» 20. »> 21 It 22. J5 23 »> 24. »» 25. 26. 11 27. >) 28. 31 29 1» 3C. 11 31. j; 32. 33 i> 34. 35. 11 36 11 37. n 38 1) 39. 11 40 11 41 1) 42. )» 43. 44 )> 45. 11 46 • 1 47. 48 49. 11 60 1 1 51 j> 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Studs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke io Sheep. Tiraotbv Meadows The Turnip Fly. Wirewortns. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contacioas Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearmg. Di^^ cases of Poultry : — Gapes- Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bulls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Ff^eding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearing and Fattening of Turkeys Profita])le Bre?ds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ „ Meadow ITay „ „ Potatoes ,. ., Mangels. ,, „ Oats. ,, ,. Turnips Pernjanent Pasture Greases The Rearing and Management of Chiekens •• Husk " or " Hoo5e " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Peat. Poultry Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. »1 55 »» 56 f ' 57 If 58 »> 59 11 60 »1 61 1> 62 99 63 >> 64 >J 65 >> 66 >1 67 >1 68 91 69 70. 71 72 73. 74 75 76. 77 78 79. 80 81. 82 83 84 8o 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 98 94 95 96 97 98 99 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 Oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairy Cows. "Eedwater" or " Blood -Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. 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, 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 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 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 Eggs. Marketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Egg? for Hatcliing. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed a« Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction or Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can he obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Department of Agrictdture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S.E.. F.L.S., Keep»r, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, PERCY H. GRIMSHAWi F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Magazine — fouYided in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life ifistories. etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncomtjion Species acd other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : Of.lVER &, BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors ol Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can foe supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — 8. d. 8. d« 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 I 8 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the ISth of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R- Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Belfast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 4. April, 1923. CONTENTS. PAGE Is the Squirrel a Native of Ireland ?— C. B. Moffat, b.a. . . 33 Entomological Notes from Rostrevor— Rev. W. F. Johnson, M.A. . . . • • • • • • • • • 35 Review : Minerals of Economic Importance — ^R. Ll. P. • . > Notes :' A Hybrid Sedge new to Co. Dublin — A. W. Stelfox . . Raven in Co. , Wexford — Leslie Huggard . . Migration of Swallows in South-east Wexford — W. M, Abbott The ,Macrolepidoptera of County Tyrone — J. N. H, Early Breeding of Wood Pigeons — R. J. Pack^Beresford An Enemy of the Wireworm — A. W. Stelfox 38 39 40 40 42 43 44 WW) A simple and permanent ndethod for Mounting Insects, &c. Adopted by the Entomological Department, Royal College of Science, London- Price : Si- (postage, 6d.), and 6/- (postage, 9d.). HARBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LUDGATE HILL, EX. 4. AND BATHAMPTON, NEAR BATH. Agent : G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, W.C. 2. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN ** IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole P^ge ^ ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ^ .. .«. „ 6 6 Quarter Page .^ . . ... „ 4 0^ A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Pouition. ALEX. THOM AND CO., UMTTED, DUBLIN* •V* • • * • , r'M- Vol. XXXIII. No. 5 MAY. 1923. '- ..»V.i^ 11 m m fT/a s l\ H flDontblu 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. rhe IRISH N>^TUHALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address lor lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 4C Lower Sack^iile Street. Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent ^scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." {To all places Abroad) £ s d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Half-Yearly 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 16 0 *** A charge of Sixpence is made for changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made pajable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ 8. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. i A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S.. F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S.. Tech. Coi,l. HUDDEBSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPaRTMKNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.2.S. JOHN W TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is^one oi the oldest Scientific Periodicals iii the British Isles daUug bacK to 1833 London: A. BROWN & SON, Ltd... 5 FARRIKGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post fr<»e Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Natumlist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PKOENiX PARK, DUBUN, Open daily from 9 a-m^ (Sundays f rem 12 noon) till dissk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Ctiiiclren always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in the Ape-House. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS A^D WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEPs ALL THE YEAR, Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreign thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and PrivLlei^es of Membershij) of the Society, apply to Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S,, Trinity College, Dublin. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTUKE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. 9> 3. >3 4. 5. 99 6. »f 7. »» 8 t» 9. 1» 10. ,, 11. 12. 99 13. i9 U. 99 15. 16. 1» 17. 19 18. 1» 19. 20. »l 21 t1 22. 11 23 >> 24. 25. 26. 1 ♦ 27. 9) 28. 9» 29 >» 30. 11 31. 'V? 91 • 1 33 1) 34. 99 35. »» 36 91 37. 1* 38 39. T1 40 1^ 41 «* 42 »9 43. 44 1' 45. 91 46 «| 47. 11 48 n 49. 1 1 50 51 99 52 The Warbh Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Sfcii^fs. Foot Hot in Sheep. In^nsive and Semi-Intensive Poultry i^eeping. Celerj' Leaf Spot Di.sease or BUght. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Sprajung. Fluke in Sher-p. Timotbv Meadows Th^ Turnip Fly. Wirevvortiis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeioas Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Hearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bidls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Foeding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Ega Production. Hearin.i and Fattening of Turkeys Profitai-le Breads of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ,. „ Mangels. Oats. ,, ,. Turnips Permanent Pasture Gr iBses The Hearing ani Management of Ciilckens •• Husk " or " Hoo?e *' in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Tacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60 61. 62. 63. 64 65. 66. 67. 68, 69. 70. 71 72 73. 74 75 76. 77 78 79. 80. 8L 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 The Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Apple. Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing oi Fruit. Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Oiit oj Print. Fif.ld Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows. " Red water " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Ont 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 Prim. 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 Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. The Home T^ottling 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 Egg? for Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed a« Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and St( ring of I'otatoes. * 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19, Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Faimers and Income Tax. 23. Pahn Nut Cake and Meal, 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mos tic Di.seases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the. above lea lifts can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary , Departwent of Agriculture and 'I'chnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin. Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od, PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc. F.R S.E.. F.L.S.. Keeper, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.E., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Mag-azine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of 'Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the eli:cidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncomraon species aod other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER & BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors o7 Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices :— s. d. 8. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 18 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, hut any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Pubfishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15th of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be refer^-ed to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin, C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Belfast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 5. May, 1923. CONTENTS. PAGE Porotrichum angustifolium in Ireland — H. N. Dixon, f.l.s. 45 Review: Daniel's Elasmobranch Fishes^^'-(R.F.S.) ,. .. .. 47 OBITtTARY : William H. Phillips. (R. Ll. R) , . . . . . 48 Irish Societies : Ulster Society for the Protection of Birds ., .. .. 48 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club . . . . . . . . 49 Dublin Microscopical Club .... . . . . 50 Notes : The Squirrel in Ireland — Edward A. Armstrong , , . , 50 Irish Breeding Birds . , . . . . . . . . 51 Early Arrival of the Chiffchaff in Co. Down — Robert N. Morrison, Nevin H. Foster . . ... . . . . 51 Variation in Size of Eggs of Lesser Tern — F. W. Jeffers .. 52 Early Flowers — C. J. Lilly, R. Li.oyd Praeger . . . . 52 WIO "-"^ • ^' . A simple and permanent method for Mounting Insects, 8lc, Adopted by the Entomological Department, Royal College of Science, London. Price: 3/- (postage, 6d.), and 6/- (postage, 9d.). HAfiBUTTS PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LUDGATE HILL, EX. 4. AND BATHAMPTON. NEAR BATH. Agent : G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, W.C. 2. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ^ ^ ^ ., 6 6 Quarter Page .- . ... „ 4 0 A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Ponition. ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN, ^^V ^»))r Vol. XXXIII. No. 6. JUNE. 1923 fy .p m m II" vii ^^i -r] H flDontbl? 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CCRK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I. A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.LA. Price is. '^, / _ « DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited.. = 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street ■ LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON. KENT & CO., Limited. ra<((it(iiiiiWiMiiiiiiii.t)(i)ii^iii.iiiiiMii I'l"-^ ^ The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for lOs Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 4C Lower Sackvilie Street. Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. ^ * * - PRICE ONE SHI LUNG. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. it also contains Reviews of ail recent scientific worlce; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." £ 8. d. Yearly ... ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 (To all places Abroad) £ s. d Yearly ... ,.. 2 17 0 Half- Yearly ... ... 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 16 0 *** A charge of Sixpence is made for changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE assistance AS EEFEEEES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMItNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.2.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1S33. London : A. BROWN & SON, Ltd., 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, S.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post fr^e Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull, THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m- {Sundays from \2noon) tin dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday aft^^rnoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES, FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in tlie Ape-Kouse. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR. Donations of Animals (Irish op Foreig-n) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membership of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Franxis Dixon, Hon, Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMENT OF AGIUCULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. >> 2. » 3. >9 4. « 5. » 6. >I 7. )> 8 »> 9. <> 10. • • 11. } 12. » 13. it 14. » 15. f J 16. )> 17. )> 18, t> 19. » 20. >> 21, » 22. >> 23 »> 24. 25. 26. >> 27. » 28. >> 29 »» 30. >9 31. 91 32. 33 >> 34. 9) 35. 99 36 99 37. )> 38 99 39. 99 40 99 41 • 9 42. 99 43. 99 44 45. 99 46 47. )9 48 99 49. 99 50 99 51 99 52 The W.arble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Timotbv Meadows Th" Turnip Fly. Wirewortiis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potaio Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. 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, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Roarins and F.attening of Turkeys Profitable Breads of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ ,, Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mangels. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pasture Grngaes 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 Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing E.xperiments. fo. 53. • 9 04. 99 55. 9) 56, 9^ 57. »» 58. 99 59. 60 9) 61. »> 62. 99 63. »9 64 99 65. >9 66. 99 67. ^t 68. 9> 09. f 70. 9> 71. 99 72. 99 73. «9 74. 99 75 9> 76. 9 9 77. 91 78. 9» 79. (9 80. 9) 8L ♦ 9 82. 99 83. 99 84. 91 85. 99 86. >9 87. 99 88. 99 89 99 90. 9) 91. 99 92. 93. 99 94. )9 95. 99 96. »» 97. 99 98. 99. 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 oj Print. Fioid Experiments — Wheat. The Jlanagement of Dairv Cows. " Bed water " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : Tlie Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Oit of Print. Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in Cattle. Forestry : Planting, Management, and Preservation of Shelter-Belt and Hedererow 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 Waiting in Young Cattle. Home Buttermaking. The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato CuUure on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiera. Ensilage Some injurious Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. Tlie Home Bottling of Fruit. The Construction of Piggeries. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. Black Scab in Fotatoeia. Home Preservation of Eggs. 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 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Htrring of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Pahn Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can he obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary , Department of Agrictdture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Lublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. * A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S.E.. F.L.S., Keeper, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, _ PERCY H. GRIM3HAW, F R.S.K., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — i"? devoted to the publication of Origfinal Matter relating to the Natural Hisfo1-y of Scotland, and irtchideskPaptrs contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Lif-? Histories, etc., ;ind Notes recording the occurrence of uucomtaon species and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh: OLIVER <& BOYQ, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors of Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — * s. d. 8. d. 2 pp. 4 pp. 4 0 6 0 6 pp. 8 pp. 8 0 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15tli of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, und do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. "Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Beljast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 6. June, 1923. CONTENTS. PAGE Joseph Wright (with portrait)— R. Ll. P. . . . . 53 Canon Lett's Irish Sphagna (Determined by J. A. Wheldon) 55 Notes : Curious Sites for Robins' Nests — W. J. Mullin, Aileen Smiles, Patrick and Basil Berry , , , . , , , , The Squirrel in Ireland — R. F. Scharff , , . . , , The Cranberry in Gtenasmole — A. W. Stelfox , , ... Red Cowslips — A. L. Massy , , . . , , , , 62 63 63 63 Irish Societies : Royal Zoological Society Belfast Naturalists' Field Club 64 64 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." •s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ^ ^ .^,,6 6 Quarter Page .^ .- ... „ 4 0 A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Potiition. ALBX. THOM AND CO., UMITtCD, DUBLIN* Vol. XXXIII. No. 7. '»;; JULY, 1923. 11' m \ l\ » . .... fl fiDontbli? Journal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD. CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.LA. Price Is. The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 4C Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the fiomain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." (To all places Abroad) £ s. d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Half- Yearly ... ... 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 18 0 *** A charge of Sixpence is made for changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ a. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS BEFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMBNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1833. London : .A. BROWN & SON. Ltd., 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post fr^e Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m, {Sundays from 12 noon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in the Ape-House. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEIS ALL THE YEAR, Donations of Animals (Irish op Foreign) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membershij) of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S., i ■ . Trinity College, Dublin. DEPAKTMKXT OF AGUICULTUliE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. »> 3. IS 4. 5. » 6. r^ J» i * 1> 8 »» 9. »> 10. «• 11. J2. »» 13. it 14. »> 15. 16. )» 17. 1> 18. If 19. 11 20. >' 21. l» 22. 11 23 »> 24. 25. 26. 27. » 28. »l 29 >' 3C. 11 31. >) 32. 33. 11 34. 1> 3'i. 36 37. M 33 1> 39. 1» 40 51 41 42. 5J 43. 44 )) 45. 46 • 1 47. 11 48 11 49. 1 1 6U 1 1 51 1) 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Dise-ise or Blight. Charlock (or Presliaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiinotbv Meadows Th^ Turnip Fly. Wireworrns. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potato Blisht. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes- Basic Slag. Dishorning Cilvos. Care and Treatment of Premium Bulls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Feeding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quaxtor, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. RearlR.1 and F.attening of Turkeys Prof.ta)>Ie Bre^da of Poultry Otd of Print. 1 he Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay ,, „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mai'gela. „ Oats. ,, ,, Turnips Pprn)anent Pasture Or >S3es The Hearing and Monagement of Chicken.^ •' Hu9k " or " Hooee " in Calves. Eingworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Peat, Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultry ITouses The Leather-Ja'^ket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53 » 54 >> 55 >j 56 J* 57 91 58 » 59 >> 60 9> 61 91 62 99 63 J» 64 »9 65 >9 66 99 67 *) 68 9> 69 ,. 70. 71 72 73. 74 75 76. 77 78 79. 80 8L 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 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 oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Jlanagement of Dairy Cows. " Eedwater " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Oit of Print. Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in Cattle. Forestry : Planting, Manageroent, 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 Slieep. Barley Sowing. American Gooseberry Mildew. Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. Home Buttermaking. The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato CuUure on Small Farms. Cultivation of IMain Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage Some Injurious Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. B.arley Threshing. The Home I'ottling 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 Egg?. Packing Egge for Hatcliing, Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19, Home Cuiing of Bncon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potr.to. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary ,Departwent of Agriculture and 'I'echnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES rRITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., Keeper, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.E., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Oriofinal Matter relating to the Natural History of Scfuland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the F;«una, Observations on Lifrt Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncommon specie^ and other useiul and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER <& BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — s. d. s. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... ... 8 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 I 8 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15tli of the Month. Please address to one of the lilditors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. «p R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Beljast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 7. July, 1S2S. CONTENTS. PAGE On the Origin of the Irish Cattle—R. F. Scharff, ph.d., b.sc. 65 Notes : Homing Instinct in the Swift — ^W. M. Abbott . 76 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ••• ••• From 10 0 Half Page ^ ^ ^ „ 6 6 Quarter Page •» »« ... ,» 4 0, A Redaction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Pouition. ^■i- -■*- ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. Vol. XXXIII. No. 8. >^N ])))t AUGUST, 1923. M^' .'V'l ':>\ m ^yif fTiQ yi\ Y H fiDontbli? 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.LA. Price is. The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) wUl be sent to &cy Address lor lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son« Ltd., 4C Lower ' Sackvrille Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." £ 8. d. Yearly ... ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 {To all places Abroad) S. b d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 Half- Yearly 1 10 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 16 0 **» A charge of Sixpence is made for changing^ Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS RKFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPaRTMRNTS OP 6E0. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating bacK to 1833. London: A. BPOWN & SON. Ltd.. 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.G. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post {tpc Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m„ {Sundays from Mnoon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in tlie Ape-House. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR. Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreign) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privilep;es of Mem.bership of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon, Sec, R.Z.S,, Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF^Ttfe DE54£J^^^S^|.EAFLETS. No. « >» >» »> »> »» >> >> »> 5> J) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29 30. 3T. 32. 33 34. 35. 36 37. 38 m. 40 41. 42. 43. 44 45. 46 47. 48 49. 50 51 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding '' Stuffs.t '-.■ ' , . . Foot K,ot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiraothv Meadows. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeioiis Abortion in Cattle.^ Prevention or Potato Blight. 'rMi 01 'SM^^- f'il^fi f'ibM Manured. The Use and Purchase of Swine Fever. ^ \z^ v**.4» Early Potato Gr(y" ?< Breeding and Feeding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue f ' QtnSner « *^ - . -, Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. ^ ^Vintcr- Egg Production. R^arins and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry Out *o/' Prints The Liming of Land. Field Experiments— Barl^ " *^ n „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ''\i- The Rearing Chickens Eingworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite , ^ ^ Foul Brood or Bee Pest, " Poultry Faf^ening. Poctable£.Ppjil>ry Houses . -^ |, - The Leather-Jacket* (?Tub. U/5 i^i( Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. ti 54. >> 55. >> 56. J^ 57. 91 58. » 59. 60 >> 61. J5 62. 99 63. 99 •«l ^65. 66. 68. 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 oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows. " Eedwater " or " Blood -Murrain" i in CMtle. -i' r. VarieTies of^'Prifllt 'Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of : , . Planting Forest Trees. 67. ^O lit "of Print. "■ =" Out of Print. The Pre-vention of Tuberculosis in Cattle. Forestry : Planting, Management, -and , PEeservation of Shelter-Belt and Hed-gerow Timber. „ 71. Out of Print. „ 72. Out of Print. ,,"^7^.- The Planting ancl Man^g^naei^ of .*^T.^, ,„ ,.,,.. Hedges. ^ ^ - -^ _. ,i -_ ^ ' „ 74. Some Common Parasites of the Sheep. „ 75 Barley Sowing. ,, 76. American Gooseberry Mildew. ,, 77. SQpur and Wasting in Young Cattle. ,,78.^" SbMe Buy;erma,lsing. s '-"^ „ 79. The Cultivation of SiMfr Fruits. 80. Catch Crops. S)..^ -i^otato pul^re, jpn-^njall Farms. 82. ' Cultivation 6f RIafni Qrop Potatoes. 83. Cultivation of Osiers. 8r4s. i Ensikxg* i ,, . 85. ~ Some ttjWHous OreSiard Insects. 86. Dirty Milk. 7; jBarley Threshing. ,. 70. V' kiW^ fisf . fTte m>m :IJt)ttling»(Vf, f;rtiit ,, 89. The Construction of Piggeri genes. Turnips Per'maaNlt'^'&^pf Of lasies ♦.^- « yii-j.-PO. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. '^ ing AuW Mtm^emenrArfJklv,1 Pl- ' Black'n|cab jn ikit^toes. 3 _ _ ,,92. Home Preservation of Eggs. ' ~ ■" " Ives, n li » t9^- Marketing of Wild Fruii « C5 U IL „ ,Mi. 9mi yf mm. y.-^, . ^ ,, 95. Store C'attle of Butter, Bacon, and ti \^v ^ , Eggs. ^^ ^ 9^. 'Packing Eggs for Hatching. 97. Weeds. 98. Tuberculosis in Poultry, dft- >?Seaweed,iiat tM^Aure. 8 12. 18. 19. 21. 23. 24. Destruction of^THi^Pestsv^r- Digging and Storing of Potatoes. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. Home Curing of Bacon. Farmers and Income Ta^. -' » '^^ *^* » «e* "l "y* "^ v « » r Palm Nut Cake and Meal. --* vv-^. ,\ a-. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Poj;ato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can he obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Department of Agricidture and 'J'echnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Lublin, LettMTS of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked '• Publications." r" TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R S.E.. F.L.S., Keeptr. Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and included Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Lif/7^E; 80 Middle Abbey Street, t;--— -V^" BELFAST: 17 Donegal! Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. (.1 ' , .'> iiC r> "' » 3. „ 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 9. 10. 11. J2. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21 22. 23 24. „ 25. ., 26. „ 27. » 28. „ 29 „ 30. » 31. .. 32. ., 33 „ 34. „ 35. „ 36 „ 37. " F >) »>9- „ 40 " *i „ 42. „ 43. » 44 ,, 45. ,; 46 .. 47. » 48 „ 49. ,, 60 „ 51 „ 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celer.v Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiraotbv Meadows Th=> Turnip Fly. Wire won lis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Di=cnr,es of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slag. Disliorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bulls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Freding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Pftras'.tea — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. 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 Pern)anent Pasture Grisaes The Rearing and Mnnagenient of Chickens •' Husk •' 0- tloose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymakina The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poidtry Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53 >9 54 >> 55 >J 56 J' 57 » 58 9? 59 91 60 >i 61 62 >J 63 >> 64 >» 65 «9 66 >> 67 9) 68 >> 69 >> J J » J » 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. The Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Apple Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing of Fruit •Bpronting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out oj Print, Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows. " Redwater " or " Blood -Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. 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, Management, and Preservation of Shelter-Belt and Hedeerow Timber. Old of Print. Out iif Print. The Planting and Management of Hedges. Some Common Parasites of the Sheep. Barley Sowing. A^nerican Gooseberry Mildew, .Scour and Wa'^tinu in Young Cattle. Home Butterniaking The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato CuUure on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage Some Injurious Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. The Horn? I'ottUng 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 Eggf for Hatcliing. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed a?, Mapure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction oi Farm Pests. 12. Digging and St( ring of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Pot:ito. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Departwevt of Agriculture and 'I'chnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Ptd)li cations." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., .D.Sc, F.IJ.S.E-. F.L.S.. Keeper, Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh* PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Magazine — founded in 1 87 1 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncommon species asd other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh: OLIVER &, BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. Authors 0? Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — s. d. 8. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 4, pp. ... ... 6 0 I 8 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co.« 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural Hiitory are invited. Articles must r^ach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15th of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do uot write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeqer, National Library, Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Beljasi. Vol. xxxiiL, No. 9. September, 1923. CONTENTS PAGE Algal Discolouration of Lough Neagh and the River Bann — Denis R. Pack-Beresford, m.r.i.a. .. .. 89 The Pearl-Bordered Fritillary in Ireland — R. A. Phillips, M.R.I.A. .* •• , , , » .. •. 91 Irish Societies : Dublin Naturalists' Field Club A New Irish Field Club 92 94 Notes : Comparison of Eggs and Down of Pochard and Tufted Duck — Neven H. Foster . . . . . . , , * , , , 94 The American Grey Squirrel in Ireland — Hugh Boyd Watt , , 95 Arrival of Spring Migrants in 1923 — Nevin H. Foster ,. ,, 95 Ihe Fox in Co. Down — Nevin H. Foster , , . . , . 96 Down and Antrim Plants — Corrie D. Chase , . , , . . 96 Notes from Cos. Down and Armagh A. W. Stelfox » , 96 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST.** Whole Page Half Page Quarter Page s. d. From 10 0 1 I* 6 6 *« 4 0 ) According to Position. A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, ALEX, THOM AND CO., LiaulED, LUiJLIN, '//^ Vol. XXXIII. No. 10. OCTOBER, 1923 -r] 1 H flDontblip 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISQ NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., 0. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A.' PRICE Is. I ■ *^>= :)->i^= ^ ^T DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited, i z^'/^y"^; 80 Middle Abbey Street. ^--— -T'j^;' BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street A ~njr^. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON. KENT & CO., Limited. m(^^umulllilll«.!^lllill^^,^,||lilll|l;jili^.||^i^ The IRISH NATUKALIST lot 19^ (twelve, parts) will be sent to any Address tor lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 4C Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." {To all places Abroad) *^ s d Yearly .. ... 2 17 0 Half-Yearly ... . 1 10 0 Quarterly ... 0 16 0 ,** A charge of Sixpence is made for changirg Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ 8. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly .. 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FCR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AMD T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S.. Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMRNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.I.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1833 London : A. BROWN & SON, Ltd.. 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.G. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post ire^ Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the NatursilistrTfie Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOEMEX PARK, DUBLIN, Open daiiy from 9 a.m. Sundays from 12 noon) tHI diesk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in the Ape-House. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR, Donations of Animals flrish or Foreign) thanlcfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Mem.bershi)) of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon, Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin, DEPARTMENT OF AGIUCULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. 6. S 9. 10. 1.1. :i2. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21 22. 2.3 24. ., 25 „ 26 „ 27. „ 28. „ 29 „ 3C. „ 31. Ij ^-• ., 33 „ 34. „ 35. ,. 36 „ 37. „ 33 „ 39. „ 40 „ 41 „ 42 „ 43. „ 44 „ 45. „ 46 ., 47. „ 48 „ 49. ,, 60 „ 51 „ 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Timotbv Meadows Th- Turnip Fly. Wireworrris. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention or Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearmg. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes- Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bidls. Fowl Cholera. Wintir Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Feeding of Pigs. Blackleg Black Qiiartor, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poidtry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearhi.j av.d F.'ittening of Turkeys Profitable Breads of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay ,, „ Potatoes ,. ., Matigels. „ Oats. ,, ,, Turnios Permanent Pasture Or tBses The Rearing and Management of Chickens *' Husk •• or " Hoofe '" in Calves. Bingworm on Cattle Havmakina The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Peat Poultry Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Taf^ket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. Jo. 53 1) 54 yj 55 J3 56 57 9f 58 »> 59 60 >» 61 99 62 99 63 >> 64 >9 65 »» 66 I) 67 99 68 99 69 70. 71 72 / O 74 75 76 / 1 78 79 80 8L 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 The Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Apple Cultivation of the PvOOt Crop Marketing of Fruit-,. Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out Oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows. " Bed water " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. 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, Management, and Preservation of Shelter-Belt and Iledeerow Timber. Out of Print. Out of Print. Tlie 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 F'arms. 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 Eggs. Marketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Egge for Hatching. Weetls. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Strring of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. B'armers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Deparirnent of Agricvltvre and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Jjetters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." ^ TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R S.E.. F.L.S., Keeper. Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW. F.R.S.E., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Mag^azine— founded in 1871— is devoted to the publication of Orisrinal Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the F;»una, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncommon specie:; and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh I OLIVER &. BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE. / Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURA^ilST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — 8. d. 8. d ... 4 0 6 pp. ... ... 8 0 ... *.. 6 0 2 pp. 4 pp. 6 pp. 8 pp. 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15th of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library^ Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Street, Beljast. Vol. xxxiii., No. 10. October, 1923. CONTENTS. Ireland and Switzerland : A Botanical Contrast — R. Lloyd JtRAEGER, D.SC. «• •• •• •• •« PAGE 97 Irish Societies : Belfast Naturalists' Field Club Route Naturalists' Field Club 103 105 Notes: Rare Fishes in Irish Waters — G. P. Farran ... , , The Pearl-bordered Fritillary-^-TnoMAS Greer ' Aster laevis at Lough Neagh, Co. Tyrone — Thomas Greer Beech Fern in Co. Cavan — G. G. Blackwood 106 107 107 107 Review : The North-eastern Flora 108 Obituary : Madame Christen , , 108 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page •« ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ^ ^ «.. „ 6 6 Quarter Page •«> ...... „ 4 0^ A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Pouition. ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. ^>'));; W, Vol. XXXII. No. 11, NOVEMBER, 1923. i|i ,!>' r* I. vVi ^w H flDontblij 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. .-s. * * "^M'^ r— . . )■'/ V >y DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited. \ %0 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. Baffuaiii|iiiJ,Uiiiii|Hiii(i)(llll^iiiii|lllii.i|i/ilii The IRISH NATUEALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address {or lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 4C Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. t m NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO "NATURE." {To aU places Abroad) £ s. d Yearly ... ... 2 17 0 V Half- Yearly 1 10 0 Quarterly .../ ... 0 16 0 »** A charge of Sixpence is made for changing' Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillai^ & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ a. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 1 6 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, f!g.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS BEFEEEES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMRNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This journal is one ot the oldest Scientific Pericxlicals in the British Isles datiug back to 1833/ London : A. BROWN & SON. Ltd./ 5 FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, posi ire^ Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the NaturaJist. The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. (Sundays from 12 noon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA NEWLY ARRIVED. HANDSOME BLACK LEOPARD. Fine Young Chimpanzee in tlie Ape-House. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, AND POLAR BEARS. TWO FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRESHMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR. Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreig-n) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membership of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMEN-T OF AGIUCULTUKE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. >> 2. »i 3, »• 4 « 5. » 6. M 1) i. 1) 8 >« q t> 10. •- 11. "J 2. 19 13. >> 14. >» J5. ♦ > 16. » 17. >» 18. 19. »» 20. »5 21 19 22. 99 23 »> 24. 2.5 26. 27. »> 28. >l 29 >> 30 >> 31. *^ 32. • 3 33 J> 34. )9 35. 9) 86 >> 37. 91 38 99 39 99 40 99 41 99 42 99 43. 99 44 99 45 9) 46 • f 47 99 48 99 49 99 50 99 51 99 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keepins. Celery Leaf Spot Di.sease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiraotbv Meadows Th" Turnip Fly. Wirewornis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention or Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. 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, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearing and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breads 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 •• Husk " or •' Hoose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Peat. Poultry Fattening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60 61. 62. 63. 64 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. The ConstrucUoQ of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Apple. Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing of Fruit. Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat The Management of Dairv Cows. " Bed water " or " Blood-Murrain" In Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. 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, 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 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 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 Eggs. 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 8, Destruction of Farm Vesis. 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Potato. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the •'Secretary, Departwevt of Agriculture and T<'.chnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, LxtterK of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked '• Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM, POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, EDITED BV JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R S.E.. F.L.S., Keeper. Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh PERCY H. GRIMSHAW. F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Origrinal Matter relating to the Natural History of ^^cotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of t^e • K;«una, Observations On Lifrt Histories, etc., and Notes recordiiig tiie occurrence of uncorataon specias and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh .' OLIVER &, BOYD, Tweeddale Court NOTICE Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the foHowing prices: — s. d. " 8. d 2 pp. ... .... 4 0 I 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 I 8 pp. ... ... 9 0 Authors should apply for Reprints when returning proofs, but any subsequent correspondence about Reprints should be sent to the Printers, Messrs. A. Thorn and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (Articles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural History are invited. Articles must reach the Editors, on or before the 10th of the Month, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15th of the Month. Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do not write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library, Dublin. C. B. Moffat, 21 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. R. J. Welch, 49 Lonsdale Sfreet_ Beljast. Vol. xxxii., No. 11. November, 1923. CONTENTS. The Larva of a Hydrophilid Beetle, Megasternum boletophagum — K. C. Joyce Phillips The Balance of Nature — ^An Irish Naturalist A Plea for Moss Study —Rev. W. R. Megaw, b.a. PAGE 109 114 Notes : Foxes in Co. Tyrone — ^Thomas Greer , , A Tunny stranded at Castlerock — ^W. Swanston Galium sylvestre in Co. Derry- — ^W. R. Megaw 116 116 116 TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ••• ... ^. From 10 0 Half Page Quarter Page •» 6 6 4 0 A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Position. AL£X. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. ••\v ')W Vol. XXXII. No. 12. DECEMBER, 1923. K' ..«\ «•>> N^ ;;j(i u f-Oi \ \\ H fIDontbli? 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY 8c PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, EDITED BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.Sc, M.R.LA. PRICE Is. The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for lOs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd.. 4C Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Original Articles on all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers of the day. It also contains Reviews of all recent scientific works; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings of the Principal Scientific Societies and Academies of the World ; and Notes on all matters of current scientific interest. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO ( ( NATURE." £ 8. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... ... 0 13 0 [To all places Abroad) £ s Yearly 2 17 Half-Yearly 1 10 Quarterly ... ... 0 18 »*% A charge of Sixpence is made for changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. 0 0 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AND T. W. WOODHEAD, Ph.D., k.Sc, F.L.S., Tixh. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMRNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating back to 1833 London : A. BEOWN & SON, Ltd., 5 FARKINGDON AVENUE, E.G. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post lre«> Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOEMIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. {Sundays from Mnoon) tsll dusk. Admission, Is., WednesdaySr Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons, 6d., CSiildren always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. CHAPMANS ZEBRA AND DROMEDARY (Newly Arrived). « THREE HANDSOME LEOPARDS. FINE YOUNG CHIMPANZEES. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. BISON AND ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. BROWN, HIMALAYAN, MALAYAN AND POLAR BEARS. FINE SOMALI OSTRICHES. KANGAROOS, PACAS AND ZORILLAS AND MANY OTHER RARE AND BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS. RBFREStlMENT ROOM OPEN ALL THE YEAR. Donations of Animals (Irish or Foreign) thanlifully received. For Terms and Privileges of Membershi)) of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. Sec, R.Z.S.I., , Zoological Gardens, Phcenix Park. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANJ) TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. »» 2. » 3, *> 4 t 5. » 6. « »» ^. »> 8 »> 9. ij 10. «■ 11. J2. j» 13. >> 14. »> 15. «5 16. J> 17. J> 18. J> 19. J> 20. >> 21 9» 22. >> 23 »> 24. ?» 25 26 9? 27 »> 28 9> 29 >» 30 » 31 »J 32 • 9 83 >> 34 5> 35 9) 36 J> 37 >» 38 )> 39 >» 40 99 41 >) 42 JJ 43 99 44 99 45 >> 46 •9 47 99 48 99 49 99 50 51 99 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot E,ot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Timothy Meadows Th'' Turnip Fly. Wirewornis. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contaeioas Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. 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 Foeding of Pigs. Blackleg. Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mitea, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearina and Fattepin? of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ ,, Meadow TTay „ „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mangels. „ „ Oats. „ ,, Turnips Pernjanent Pasture Or tases The Rearing and Management of •• Husk " or " Hoose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymakiniz The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest, Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53 tt 54 i> 55 >9 56 »! 57 91 58 »9 59 t% 60 99 61 99 62 99 63 »» 64 99 65 99 66 99 67 99 68 99 69 ,. 70. 71 72 73. 74 75 76 77 78 79. 80. 8L 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 98 94 95 96 97 98 99 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 oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cows, " Redwater " or " Blood-Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestrv : Tiie 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, 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 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 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 Eggs. Marketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Egg." for Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12, Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19, Home Curing of Bacon. 21. I'armers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. 24. Leaf-Roll ahd Mosaic Diseases of the Pot.to. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Department of Agrictdture and 'I'echnical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." TO SUBSCRIBERS 15s. Od. PER ANNUM. POST FREE. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE. EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R S.E., F L.S.. Keeper. Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Musei4m, Edinbufgh, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F R.S.F., Natural History Department. Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Origfinal Matter relating to tiie Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the el.:cidatioi. of the K^juna, Observations on Lif^ Histories, etc., and Notes recording tiie occurrence of uncom'.iion speci•• From 10 0 Half Page — - -^,,6 6 Quarter Page — •- ••• »* 4 0^ A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Pouition. AL£X. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. i »'i t.inrtAK^ ,. ^Uv^ ■ ■ <«X» «?<»•■■ «Dv, -' , „'. . ^v■■^fV(^•,1»|V,•^-■' '■ ' -•-.■■■I'' •■: (■-»v\T-.v^v.,, , ,j ■■•■.'t"' \(^<^ rw*4« 'Vy;w'!S':c ^ikWi.«,ha,, • vv-i ,,>,* .»*iii