The Reading Naturalist No. 30 Published by the Reading and District Natural History Society 1978 Price to Non-Members 40p THE READING NATURALIST No. 30 for the year 1976-77 The Journal of The Reading and District Natural History Society President: Miss S. Y. Townend, B.Sc. Hon. General Secretary: Hon, Editor: Mrs. J. S. Whitfield Miss E. M. Nelmes Ashdown ‘Dormers -— Basingstoke Road 194 Cainscross Road Spencer's Wood Stroud Reading Glos. Editorial Sub-Committee: The Editor, B. Ry Bakery. Ha. Carter, Miss L. BE. Cobb, N. J. Phillips, Miss S. ¥Y. Townend Honorary Recorders: Botany: Mrs. B. M. Newman, Earley Cottage, 25 Beech Lane, ; barley, Reading Entomology: Mr. B. R. Baker, 25, Matlock Road, Caversham, Reading Vertebrates: Mr. H. H. Carter, 82 Kennylands Road, Sonning Common, Reading Contents Page Meetings and Excursions, 1976-77 7 Presidential Address: Changes in the Berkshire Flora H. J. M. Bowen 2 A Different Picture ee M. Trembath 5 Moth (and Butterfly) Flight related to Weather including Aspects of Migration | . P., A. Davey 6 Observations on the Grayling (Thymallus thymallus Linnaeus 1758) in the River Lambourn G. C. Bellamy’ 9 Fallow Deer R. H. Smith 12 Recreation Surveys on the Ridgeway GoM. Hibbert 14 Fungus Report 1977 aa . . J. P. Warrick 18 Honorary Recorders' Reports: Botany ’ Be M. Newman 19 Entomology B. R.. Baker 26° Vertebrates H. H. Carter pal Membership a7 We regret that records of weather and atmospheric pollution are not available to us this year and hope that it may become possible to include them again in future numbers of the Reading Naturalist. -1- Meetings and Excursions 1976-77 The winter session opened on October 14th with the Annual General Meeting (attendance 62), at which two films, ‘British Butterflies, the need for Conservation’ and 'The Mute Swan' were shown. Dr. H. J. M. Bowen gave his Presidential Address, on ‘Changes in the Berkshire Flora', on March 17th 1977. Other lectures during the winter were 'Plants-of..the Mediterranean Region', by Mr. S. Davey (45); 'Slow-worms and other British Reptiles', by Mr. R. H. Smith (60); ‘The Flora of Chalk and Limestone Grasslands', by Mr. T. Wells (64); 'Deer and their Management’, by Mr. Horwood (42); ‘Colour in Plants', by Professor Whatley (40); 'Volcanoes', by. Dr. T. Huntingdon (45); and *'Bird Migration on the Bosphorus', by Mr. N. Hall (40). A . joint meeting with BBONT was held on February 17th, at which ~ Mr. T. A. Potts gave a lecture on 'The Ecology of Heathland' and a film, ‘Admirals and Emperors', was shown (93). Members! Evenings of Films, Talks and Exhibits, at which coffee and biscuits were served, were held on December 9th (54) and March 3i1st. Winter walks were taken in the Mapledurham area, for general anterest, on November 15th; by the canal at Burghfield, for general interest, on December llth (c. 20); to Reading gravel pits, for birds, on January Sth; to Shiplake for lichens and general interest, on February 5th (20); and to the Silchester area, for mosses, on March 5th (c. 25). The summer field excursions were to Streatley Hill, for spring flowers, on April 16th (36); Moor Copse Nature Reserve, for spring flowers and birds, on April 30th (20); an evening © excursion to the Theale area gravel pits, for birds, on May 4th (16); Queen Wood, near Watlington, on May 14th; an evening excursion to Hartslock (BBONT’ Reserve’) on May 25th (c. 30); a coach excursion to the South Downs, Pagham Harbour and Selsey Bill on May 28th (50); a canal-side walk at Greywell, on June 11th (16); an evening excursion to Bramshill Forest, for night-jar and woodcock, and Stratfield Saye, for bats, on June 15th (13); a day and evening excursion to Bix Bottom (Warburg Reserve) for varied flora and fauna and a barbecue, on June 25th (37): an evening excursion to the Ridgeway area, for downland flora and fauna, on July 6th (24); to Noar Hill and Selborne, for chalk grassland and streamside, on July-9th (24)3;° a-joint meeting with Henley N.H.S. to Fawley Meadows (Thames-side), for riverside flora, on July 23rd te5): an evening exCussian tO -ULlLOn Vourt, Lor. moths, on July e9th (14); ‘to Sandhurst: gravel” pits, for botanical studies, on August 6th (10); ‘along the disused railway line at Hermitage, for plants, on August 20th: (14); ‘to thé’ Frensham'area, for heathland plants and.insects, on September 3rd (15); to waste ground in the Reading area, for plants, .on September 17tr (25); .a fungus. foray in College Wood, Goring Heath, on September 24th;. and a.fungus foray at Virginia Water on October 15th (22). <2 Changes in the Berkshire Flora Presidential address to the Reading and District Natural History Society March 17, 1977 by H. J. M. Bowen When my Flora of Berkshire appeared nine years ago, I suggested reasons why certain plant species were increasing, while others were decreasing in the county. Further information now makes it desirable to review the situation again. Berkshire has a relatively well-documented flora, with records dating from the seventeenth century (Druce, 1897), so. that we have quite a lot of information on increasing and decreasing species. It seems that there are three reasons for changes: hybridisation, climatic change and change of habitat. Hybridisation Hybrid plant records in Britain have recently been reviewed by Stace (1975). One hundred and twenty five hybrids have been found in Berkshire, but most of theSe. are uncommon or rare, though some are familiar such as the false. Oxlip (Primrose x Cowslip) and Red and White Campion. In terms of changes in the flora, hybrid- isation may be contributing to the slow decline of Heath Violet ( x Dog Violet), Chiltern-Gentian ( x Autumn Gentian), Golden Dock ( x Clustered Dock), Least Persicary ( x Spotted Persicary or. x Water Pepper) and the sedge Carex hostiana ( x C. lepidocarpa). On the other hand at least one hybrid, Blue | Comfrey (Symphytum asperum x officinale), is an aggressive colonist of roadsides which is spreading rapidly. The effects: of hybridisation on the flora of Berkshire are seldom obvious. Climatic change I estimate that we have ninety-seven species which are increasing in the county, and one hundred and forty-seven which a d Th i d thi i % ht ose eeReaaee: eHacen eRe Redtenegasee ly nied acts Rs ats Fala nae Sagina nodosa leads one to hope that other lost species may be refound. The species concerned show similar behaviour in the neighbouring counties of Surrey (Lousley, 1976), Oxon. and Bucks. in most cases. They can be classified according to their distrib- ution outside Britain, which gives us some idea of their climatic preferences. Thus we have species of wide European distribution; species of Northern Europe (e.g. the decreasing Bogbean, Grass of Parnassus and Ladies Mantle); species of Southern Europe (e.g. the decreasing Loddon Lily and Ladies Tresses Orchid, or'the increas- ing Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Snowdrop or Turkey Oak); and species of Western Europe (e.g. the decreasing Heath Violet and Wall Pennywort, or the increasing Rhododrendon, Holm Oak and Oxford Ragwort). Established introduced species from East Europe, West Asia, North America or still further afield are all included in the 'increas- ing' category. The following comparison can then be made. -~ B¢ Distribution outside Britain Increasing Decreasing Wide European 15 686 North European ) LO South European we! 19 West European 16 20 East Europe and Asia en. | 1) North and South America 2h 0 Total number of species 97 147 ee mre ee errs tar en ee ee RE eT eR NT ee The conclusion is that Northern elements in the, Berkshire flora.are declining more rapidly than other groups: This’ may.be -a response to the slight rise’ in mean temperature which occurred between 1900 and 1940. Mean temperatures are now falling again, and there also seems to be a decline in the frequency of westerly winds, so the climate of Berkshire may be getting more continental (Lamb, 1970). Habitat change Change of habitat, as a result of man's activities, has caused far more change to the vegetation of Berkshire than any other factor, and has also resulted in many. changes in the flora. Circumstantial evidence suggests that forest clearance on the Berkshire Downs started around 3000 B.C. and was probably extens- ive by 1000 B.C.. Other forests on heavy clay soils were: probably cleared in Roman and Saxon times, as Domesday Book (1086 A.D.) © implies that the area and distribution of woodland in the county were not very different from those existing to-day. The popula- tion density has risen from about one man per ten acres in 1086 to one man per acre in 1977. We have estimates of percentage land use in 1761 and 1809 (Mavor, 1809), and accurate statistics:-since 1866: These show a marked decline in arable land from 1890 to 1940, with a corresponding increase in grassland. Much grassland was ploughed in 1940, and the present proportion of arable to |. grass is about two to one. Permanent grassland has almost dis- appeared, but one hopes that the new motorway verges will provide refuges for some grassland species; one mile of motorway involves eleven acres of tarmac.and fourteen acres of grass verge. Wood- lands have slightly inéreased in area since 1800, and now occupy about 9% of the county. The proportion of oak has probably - declined, since the Forestry Commission plant twelve acres of conifers to each acre of hardwood. oi ENS One can subdivide the increasing and decreasing species ina variety of ways to try to estimate the effects of recent habitat changes on the flora. ie Habitat eae Increasing species ~.Deeréeasing species” Shade | £ 16 16 Open (Soil visible) 38 78 Closed grassland yh 69 Acid soil 19 AT Calcareous soil 6 30 Dry . 74 58 Wet : " dnar , 71 These figures suggest that the drainage of wet habitats has been a major factor in the decline of many species in Berkshire. Bogs, Marshes, Fens and old water meadows are now few and far between. Many village ponds and goose greens have also been lost, but this habitat may now be reappearing in abandoned gravel pits used by Canada Geese, which kéep the adjacent beaches like lawns. The weed flora of open soils has also suffered great changes as a result of increased use of fertilizers and cleaner seed. Herbicides destroy many of the showy weeds such as poppies and Corn Marigold, whose place is then taken by resistant grasses such as the Wild. Oat. The woodland flora of the county is not changing much, though we can expect fewer dramatic displays of spring flowers now that coppicing is largely neglected. References © H. J. M. Bowen (1968). The Flora of Berkshire. G. C. Druce (1897). The Flora of Berkshire. Oxford. H. H. Lamb in F. Perring (1970). The Flora of a changing Britain. Classey. J. E. Lousley (1976). Flora of Surrey. David and‘Charles. W. F. Mavor (1809). General view of the Agriculture of Berkshire. C. A. Stace’ (1975). “Hybridisation and the Flora of the British Isles. Academic Press. Mr. A. E. Moon Mr. A. E. Moon, who has provided us with weather records for the past seventeen years, has now retired and left the district, though not the Society. We offer him our grateful thanks for all his work on our behalf over such a long period and wish him many years of happiness in his new home. 5 - A Different Picture by M. Trembath Several times in my walks around the locality of Pangbourne during the spring and summer of 1977, I have been drawn to take a closer look at the banks and verges because I could not account at a distance for the unfamiliar spread of colour in places which I thought I knew well. In four cases it was the pale lilac-blue of Valerianella, called by some Lamb's Lettuce and, by others, Corn ~~ Salad. I have usually recorded this as a. few plants on the edges of arable but here were masses of these tiny plants on the grass verges. On a spur of the chalk behind Bozedown farmhouse where I have recorded twice a year since 1968 I found large areas of the steep slopes covered with Blue FPleabane (Eri eron acer) in such numbers that they coloured the grassland Lilac blue, although each flower is rather insignificant. In*previous years I had found. only two or three and sometimes none. At the same time, pink and white Centaury (Centaurium erythraea), appeared, not in masses, but overall in ones and twe twos, numbering hundreds. Down in the valley on Pangbourne Marsh, Sheep's Sorrel ( Ruriex acetosella), was giving the area an unusual appearance with wide splashes of brilliant reds. The hot sun and drought of 1976, disastrous for some plants, must have favoured all these. ; But it was the pigs and their ten- dency to. root out anything edible which could only. have accounted for the superb show of wild flowers on the steep chalk slope between the beech trecs and the hedge of Hardwick Road, Whitchurch. In 1975, this area had been reduced from grassland to an apparent desert. In 1976, the pigs were taken off, but nothing was done by the farmer to restore the area to grassland. During the summer of- 1977, it became a-veritable garden .of wild flowers. Taking a walk in that direction on August 9th, I gazed incredulously through my binoculars trying to' account for’the change. When-I arrived on the site and had recovered from my surprise, I recorded the plants. Under the-tree-line were glorious golden heads of Ragwort Senecio jacobaea). with Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Plowghman's Spikenard (Inula_conyza)} and Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa); coming down the slopé were Marjoran: (Origanum - vulgare), Wild. : Mignonette (Reseda lutea), Clustered Bellflower {Campanula . glomerata),.Common Ratlcans a (Calamintha ascendens), Pale Linaria Linaria repens), and masses of Common St. John's inde (Hypericum perforatum). Close,to the ground grew Hairy Violet (Viola hirta) Bed. otidl..an flower, Common Rock Rose (Helianthemum chamaecistus) and Pea iatirns with a few others. Growing right through these along: the two hundred or more yards of the whole slope were thousands of:. plants of Vervain (Verbena officinalis).. With their tiny pale mauve petals they gave the effect of a veil over all the others. Yet when I ‘had recorded here regularly in pre=-pig: days, when the Slope was grass grazed by an old horse, I had not found one plant of Verbena,’ and only a few of the others. What a bounty of dormant seeds the action of the pigs had brought to life and fulfilment. Would a pig in a corner be a. good substiute for a 'flymo' in one or two BBONT reserves?! Needless to say, I was not the only animal enjoying the feast. The all 5 Ae butterflies added their beauty; Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Marbled White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Brimstone, as well as bumble-bees = quite bewildering. The farm was sold last month. I hope nothing worse than pigs is put on to this slope. Moth (anda Butterfly) Plight related to Weather, including Aspects of Migration | . by P. A. Davey Until recently, little was known about the nocturnal life of moths, and the associated weather conditions that controlled their movements; indeed, there is still a great deal to be discovered about weather-related butterfly and moth migration. With the advent of mercury-vapour and ultra-violet lighting, the full distribution and hence habits of most British species became more well-known. Before these technical advances, the ways by which the entomologist could discover the life-style of moths was to go out into the field and attempt to observe them at night. The ways open to the entomologist at that time included surveying a'‘'fayourite' ivy or sallow bush in flower at certain times of the year or other attractive plants. Another more interesting method was to try to simulate the: nectar to which the moths were attracted. This he did by forming a concoction ('sugar'), which enabled him to look at all sorts of species in an area where perhaps there were no particular attractive flowers in bloom. This solution, con- Sisting traditionally of Old Jamaica rum, Barbados sugar, Fowler's black treacle or molasses and brown ale or stout, would be painted on suitable tree trunks or fence posts, and after a few hours a variable number of moths would have assembled. The naturalist in those days was not at all unlucky with this practice. At that time there were no insecticides in widespread use as there are now, and of course there was far more in the way of untouched country= Side. Consequently the overall environment was far less harsh for wildlife. So the entomologist of days gone by stood just as good a chance of seeing as many moths with his own methods as an ento- mologist of today would using expensive portable electrical apparatus. In all cases where nocturnal insects are active, they occur in greater or lesser numbers according to many parameters, i.e. moonlight, wind speed, population:and radiation. This latter factor is possibly the most important for a 'moth-forecast', as it dictates whether there will be high or low activity over-night. Radiation can be thought of in terms of heat loss from the earth at dusk. This parameter is a difficult one to measure as far as the entomologist is concerned, and there is a more easily found one which can be calculated from a wet-and-dry thermometer. This = is the dew-point temperature, a function of wet-and-dry bulk levels. Provided the airmass in the evening does not change much, a fairly accurate 'moth-forecast' can be worked out a few hours before the excursion, with population, wind speed and moonlight being taken into consideration. If the dew-point is relatively high, the air is of tropical origin and, converselyj"af it) is low, the air is of polar origin, eee eee respectively, a night. of : high and one of low activity. On some occasions, various species of moths and butterflies Migrate. Quite often this migration takes place both day and night and may be anything up to one week in duration. Most of these species will migrate only a few miles at a time to find new territory in which to breed. A few others, however, migrate many hundreds of miles to find new ground in which to continue further generations. There are various reasons and methods for these latter long-distance migrations, and there are three main categ- ories into which this topic has been split. Firstly, there is displacement by unusual meteorological conditions. Sometimes, especially with the less powerful, smaller-winged species, sudden updraughts of air, often associated with thundery weather, carry the insects from where they are fly- ing up to great heights. At some time, perhaps up to an hour of their being hurled upwards, the updraught will subside, and from there the medium or high level winds will take over and transport them possibly to places where they. are rarely observed, several hundred miles away. This is accidental displacement and occurs very occasionally. ° Secondly, conditions in a particular area might be exception- ally favourable for one or more individual species. This would be due possibly to a combination of many factors, for example: lack of predators, favourable climatic .conditions, absence of fungal infections, etc. On taking to the wing, the insect would be faced with a rather claustrophobic: situation, in. the sense that. the surrounding area would be full of emerging and flying insects, and this factor might well be responsible for initiating migratory tendencies within the swarm. Visual observations have in the past added strength to this particular method.of dispersal with some reports of many hundreds of butterflies far out at sea all ‘flying ; in an apparently purposeful direction. tae 4 | Thirdly, more commonly, certain species exhibit a migratorial tendency every year and these species possess an.inherent migrat- ory gene. The wind direction and speed then. takes’ care.of the - dispersal of the insect. In most years,.certain,moths and butter- ' flies come from countries: far away. The-Large.White and Red Admiral are two frequently seen migratory butterflies, as also. are the Dark Sword.Grass and Silver Y moths. Sometimes, especially on the south. coast of England, these species make a fine spectacle coming in from the sea and heading inland hour after hour. There have been several outstanding instances of migration of unusual moths. and butterflies to this country over the past ten years, and below is a. list of the species involved and the dates on which they were recorded. Following this there is a general ao description of the types of weather that were associated with these’ ee Gond se a. i) Vestal Moth Ni Moth Small Marbled Moth Bordered Straw Moth Scarce Bordered Straw Moth ot 1/7/68 i) ; - Vestal Moth Small: Marbled Moth Purple Marbled Moth Bordered Straw Moth Humming=bird Hawk Moth . £2: Painted Lady Butterfly 2/3/77 Ribas Hawk Moth pny te SUF os tS ‘Oleander Hawk Moth | 19/8/75 Bedstraw Hawk Moth 14/7 = 1/8 1972 Tid. ; i “4 P 4 Camberwell Beauty Butterfly: 27/6 = 31/10 1976 Taking section A, on both these’ occasions the air mass over England at that time nad originated from the Sahara, having passed north-westwards into the Atlantic, northwards over and to the west of Portugal, through the Biscay area and on north-=north- eastwards to England. The weather at the time of capture was fine with abnormally high temperatures and light to moderate’ southerly winds. Red rain fell over parts of western Britain on both occasions. In section B, the airmass was of Mediterranean origin and had a direct course across southern Germany and France on both occasions. In section C, two remarkable mass invasions were recorded, both of these taking place in similar weather types. The airmass on both occasions originated from southern Scandinavia and the © Baltic Sea area.‘ The former occurred in a summer of very cool westerly weather in Britain up to that'time, ‘but further’east it was exceptionally warm with hot southerly winds. The first recorded migrant to arrive, at Walberswick, Suffolk, was back- tracked with respect to the surface wind speed and direction. The resulting trajectory showed a possible path back to the Baltic Sea area. Winds from this time were north-easterly and continued from a north-easterly point for a fortnight, and during this period » Bic some twenty individuals were recorded. The second migration took place over a more protracted period and involved ten times as many insects. Nearly half. of these were taken in mid-August, and during this time (a fortnight) the wind was continuously between east and north=east and quite strong. A typical back-tracked trajectory passed over Denmark and the southern Baltic Sea area and this followed the trajectory of bi first example to be taken in June. From this small account of certain recorded migrations a basic pattern emerges, with respect to both insect and weather type. If one were to backtrack many more past migrant records, given accurate documentation, one would not only obtain’a clear picture as to how migration occurs, but also one might in some part answer the puzzling question as to why. Observations on the Grayling (Thymallus thymallus Linnaeus 1758) in the River Lambourn fe G. ©. Bellamy The grayling is recorded by Maitland (1972) as being "Indigenous, fairly widespread and common" in Britain. It belongs to the Salmonid group of fishes which contains the salmon and trout, but is separated at the family level into’a group of its own, the Thymallidae. The grayling is characteristically found in clean, fast-flowing, stony rivers in which it forms shoals in the deeper parts. I made observations on the spawning behaviour and shoal structure in the River Lambourn at Bagnor (Grid Reference 45 69) during 1975 and-1976, The fish were marked by clipping a-coloured plastic ring around the anterior edge of the dorsal fin. These marked fish could be identified and watched from. behind cover on the river’ bank. . | ? "ai Spawning Behaviour Unlike salmon and trout, which spawn over winter and bury _ their eggs deeply (c. 25cm.) in the river bed, grayling spawn during April and May and deposit their eggs just beneath the sur- face of the river bed. Observations made on the Lambourn confirmed those made in Sweden by Fabricius and Gustafson (1954). Mature male grayling are larger than females of the same age and can be distinguished by possessing a larger dorsal fin. In April the males leave the deeper shoaling areas, and move to areas of silt-free gravel, which are the spawning beds. These areas are often associated. with fairly fast flow over shallows. The males change colour dramatically from dull silver-grey to black, the tip of the snout becoming white. The colours of the dorsal nO oe and pelvic. fins become greatly enhanced. The dorsal: fin becomes dark and ocellated with dridescent blue spots, its leading edge being a bright crimson; the pelvic fins also become) dark and streaked with blue. The males now select and defend from other males a territory on the gravel bed. This was one to three, or more metres square depending on the size of the fish and the nature of the river bed. If the river bed is very hummocky it screens one male from another, and more fish will be: able to hold a territory than would be the case if the bed was flat. Within the spawning area some territories appeared to be more desirable: than others; these tended to be occupied by larger, more aggress-- ive males. If the resident male left this preferred territory, then his place was quickly taken by a neighbouring territory- holder. Some males were unable to maintain a territory of their own and continually attempted to force out territory-holding fish. The territories were used for courting and for spawning with females, and the relative spawning success of territory-holding males and males without territories is shown below. . Percentage of total ‘Number of spawning attempts Terri tery Fish spawning attempts by each fish so eg 20 | 38 Table: Showing the number and percentage of spawning attempts : made by individual male grayling in the spawning bed, and in which territory they occurred. Territory A was the one that was most preferred, and the two fish that held this territory in succession during the observation: period were responsible for 67% of all the observed spawning attempts. The males "Nm" and "M", who were unable to hold a territory, were only observed to attempt spawning once each. The SS ee territory-holding male "Blind" was blind in one eye and failed to spawn at all, apparently cue to his inability to detect females _nearby’ or on other territories. The term "spawning attempt" is used as it was not known whether eggs had been laid in every case. Spawning occurs when a female swims into the male's territory. She is immediately approached by the male who would then court her by erecting his brightly coloured fins and swimming close along- Side her. The male then vibrates his body rapidly against the female, flank to flank; if the female vibrates her body in a sim- ilar manner the male presses more closely and vibrates more vigorously. The male finally tilts towards the female and clasps his large dorsal fin over her back; this presses the female to the gravel bed, the vibrations of their bodies being suffieient to bury their tails up to the adipose fin. It is now that eggs and milt are released. The female is thought to signal egg release to the male by gaping her mouth open; the male will then snap his mouth open as milt is released on to the eggs. Unlike trout, grayling do not actively cover up the eggs after spawning, but at is thought that gravel falls in to cover the eggs as the fish leave the small depression made by their tails. The spawn- ing act lasts only a few seconds, although courting may be prolonged due to interference from neighbouring males who try to court the female. After spawning the pair separate and the female will swim off the spawning bed. Both may spawn several times with different partners. Most spawning occurred in the afternoons after the water temperature had reached 10°C. Individual males may remain on their territories for a week. After spawning is complete, the males resume their normal coloration and’ return to the shoaling areas, leaving the eggs to hatch on their own in two or three weeks. Shoaling Behaviour Using the same method of observing individually rinse. ish, the behaviour of grayling in the shoal areas was studied. It was found that a shoal would be made up of essentially the same individuals from day to day, and that fish occupied fairly con- stant positions within a shoal. The constancy of position was maintained by behavioural interactions between the fish which resulted in an order of dominance, or a hierarchy, being formed. The largest and most dominant fish were to be found in the deep- est parts, usually at the front of the shoal, the other fish being graded by size behind them, finishing up with the smallest ones at the rear of the shoal. That the front parts of the shoal were the most desirable locations was seen by their immediate occupa- tion by fish lower down the hierarchy when a more dominant fish was absent and feeding upstream. The fish showed a regular spacing within the shoal, ‘and it was seen that if a neighbour were to approach too closely the resident fish would threaten the intruder by erection of the fins, and opening of the mouth to reveal a dark spot on each side of the throat. If the intruder persisted the two fish would lie side by side and move upstream with exaggerated waggling movements of the body as if they were direct- ing thrusts of water at each other; this is called the “lateral on Ew display" (Fabricius & Gustafson 1954). Occasionally, after pro- longed threat, body contact would be made by ramming the opponent with the snout and thrusting with the flanks. When contact was observed it was often made in the region of the anal fin. Here the grayling has a thickening of the proximal fin ray to forma spike-like structure which is sharp enough to cause pain: while handling the fish. In a majority of cases the resident fish successfully defended its area, and usually erection of the fins and movement towards the intruder were sufficient to drive the fish off. This maintenance of a defended space within a shoal means that a given area of river can only contain a certain number of grayling, and so, by their behaviour, grayling have a mechanism for effectively limiting their population density. Many people are surprised by the complexity of social organ- isation that may be shown by fish. These observations on the natural history of thé grayling show that their types of social structure and behaviour are not dissimilar to those of birds. Simple observation in the field can still be fruitful and enlight- ening, and I hope that some readers may be stimulated to look a little more carefully at any fish they see, and try to observe something of the way they live: - a relatively untouched field of research. References: Fabricius, E. & Gustafson, K. J. (1954). Observations on the spawning behaviour of the grayling Thymallus thymallus. Institute Freshwater Research Drottningholm. 36, 75-103. Maitiand, P. SP7@972). A Key to British Freshwater Fishes. Freshwater Biological Association, Scientific Publieation No. 27. . Fallow Deer by R. H. Smith Working with wild deer has many attractions, not least of which is the opportunity it gives of spending time out in the forest watching animals in their natural environment. There are also potentially considerable, if less immediate, scientific ben- efits. A great deal is now known about red deer in Scotland as a result of extensive studies by the Nature Conservancy (now the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology), but the more common and wide- spread fallow deer has received much less attention from scientists in Britain. This does not mean that there are easy pickings to be made by the zoological entrepreneur; the reason why relatively little is known about wild fallow deer is that they are -13- particularly difficult animals to study. Most of what is known about fallow deer is based on studies in parks and zoos and there is little hard data on deer in the wild. Why are fallow deer difficult to work with? . Basically it is the same combination. of qualities which makes them such attract- ive animals. to watch, that is shyness and a graceful agility and speed. which reflects their perfect form. Few. animals retain ‘the. charm characteristic of their young when they are grown up, but fallow deer are a magnificent exception. Some people maintain that deer appear clumsy compared with gazelles, although it seems. difficult to believe. The commonest view that a walker has of the dappled variety of fallow deer in a forest is a white caudal: disc framed with black as the animal bounds away, tail held- stiffly erect to accentuate this signal to its fellows which: at the same. time warns of danger and signposts the direction of presumed safety. Thus in order to study the normal behaviour of deer it is necessary to spend long hours waiting quietly at dawn in the hope that deer will pass by without detecting the watcher. There are few occasions when it. is possible to approach deer without .them fleeing in response to the slightest sound or scent, but the rutting season in autumn provides an. occasion when ° bucks at least .are more concerned with their own species than any other. Does are still very wary and do not lose all their,;inhib--: itions in the urge to mate. After all, they will almost certainly find a willing buck eventually and will continue to ovulate periodically until February or March if not mated during the main rut.in October. Bucks, on the other hand, find-it much harder to propagate their genes and a buck who has achieved dominance at a rutting stand has to keep a constant watch on his harem to ensure that a rival buck does not slip’ in unnoticed.' Bucks do not feed during the rut and look very much the worse for wear by the begin- ning of November. . The characteristic groaning sound made by bucks during the rut is thought to be a call to does and a-schall- enge to other bucks, but it often sounds more like a simple cry from the heart of an over-weary animal pushed to the limits of his endurance! Rutting stands are at traditional sites, and it is said that both bucks and does return to the same rutting stand year after year. An interesting question arising from this is to what extent does the mating system lead to inbreeding? Since-a buck in his prime may be dominant for three or four years and yearling does normally mate at the age of sixteen months, he may mate not only with his daughters but also his grand-daughters. Such a mating System would be expected to result in ‘a high evel of inbreeding with consequent fixation of alleles -at-many loci, and yet small herds in parks and forests thrive whereas conventional wisdom would predict. loss of vigour under inbreeding. ‘The explanation may be that fallow deer in Britain are thought to have all orig- inated from small park herds imported since the Roman occupation, so that inbreeding has always been the norm. Inbreeding tends to eliminate deleterious, recessive genes, and inbred herds may have reached a state of genetic balance analogous to cases known ‘in the Lepidoptera where complex, mimetic patterns are maintained under inbreeding but break down when crosses are made between isolated populations. However no information is available as yet hip = on genetic variability in either wild or park fallow-deer populations, although different coat-colour varieties are aga in most Bede: + The intrinsic attractiveness of fallow deer creates a con- flict for most people involved in either scientific studies or management of fallow deer. However, it must be remembered that there are now effectively no natural predators and that an unman- aged herd is an unhealthy herd likely to be suffering from winter starvation or disease and causing unacceptable levels of damage to trees, crops and gardens. Nowadays most foresters have an enlightened attitude towards deer and accept that there are econ- omic and recreational returns from deer which balance a small level of damage to- young trees. Most damage occurs in’ late summer and autuinn when bucks fray trees while cleaning "velvet" from their newly formed antlers, and in winter when food is scarce and © both sexes are browsing. Damage is minimised by good management which reduces the population to a density that can be supported by: the particular forest and often selectively removes bucks to increase productivity and reduce fraying. Incidentally, the policy of managing a herd consisting of one third or one quarter bucks accentuates inbreeding by reducing effective (genetical) population size. The annual cull should never be haphazard and normally requires estimation of population size, age-structure and sex ratio as a preliminary to formulating a management plan. Culling is selective, and unhealthy, injured or old animals are removed first. The choice of weapon is restricted by law so that death is clean’adnd quick; a major problem nowadays is the suffer- ing caused by poachers using inappropriate weapons in the dark so that deer: often escape, peppered with shot, to die a slow, miserable death unless lucky enough to be spotted and finished off humanely with a high velocity rifle. Thus fallow deer provide a good example of the way in which conflicts of interest may be resolved to the benefit of all concerned by measures of active conse Recreation Surveys on the Ridgeway by CC. °M. Hibbert Almost every year, one of the Reading Natural History Society outings includes a section of the Ridgeway Path which gives. access to a fine area of downland with interesting chalk flora and fauna. Walking along the Ridgeway, we are following one of the oldest trackways in England; a green road which forms part of an ancient route leading across the country from East Anglia to the Devon coast. From Streatley westwards to Avebury in Wiltshire the track. flolows the high downs and there are still many signs of its pre- historic origins in long and round barrows,- tumuli, Iron Age forts and the famous Uffington White Horse. Today the Ridgeway is a popular informal recreation area, visited by thousands of peo- ple every year. How many visitors come? How do they get there? - 15 - Where do.they come. from? What do they come to see and do? To answer questions like these, an interview survey was undertaken on the Ridgeway in 1975 to find out more about the people who visited the Path and what they thought about it. The surveys were carried out to assist in management decis- ions concerning the Path. In 1972, the Countryside Commission had. designated it as a Long Distance Path, from Avebury in the west to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. Such. routes are desig- nated primarily for the benefit of long-distance walkers, but on most of the Ridgeway west of Streatley all forms of traffic have an historic legal right of travel. The Path is used by farm veh- icles, motor-cyclists and cars, though the bumpiness and narrow- ness of the route in places tends to deter the average motorist. The Commission and the Oxfordshire and Berkshire County Councils have received.a lot of complaints from the general public about _the condition of the Path and conflicts between walkers and motor vehicles... Use of the track by motor vehicles has caused erosion in places, but surveys have indicated that this is due mainly to farm vehicles which must use the Path for access. to fields and farm buildings. One of the main purposes of the survey was to find out to what extent the Path was being used by motor vehicles and how many people used it as a long-distance Path. The interviews were carried out on two Sundays and one week- day by officers of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire County Councils, assisted by members of the National Conservation Corps. Interviewers were located at sixteen sites along the Path which included.all the most popular locations and access points for visitors. Arrival counts were also carried out to obtain figures for the total number of visitors. In all, one thousand five hund- red and seventy five questionnaires were completed. Since only one member of each family or group was asked questions on its behalf, these represented a total of four. thousand nine hundred Visitors tothe. Ridgeway... It.is, of course,.impossible to .judge how representative these were of all visitors, but for the survey dates it was-estimated that around 60-65% of total visitors to the Sites were represented in the survey. The busiest site was Hackpen. Hill in Wiltshire, with well over a hundred cars in total on each survey Sunday, and over five hundred visitors on one of these days. Also in Wiltshire, Barbury Castle was busy as the County Council had recently opened a Country Park with a large car park right by the Ridgeway. Closer to Reading, Betterton Down and East Hendred Down were also partic- ularly busy. White Horse Hill would feature in this list, but the car park and Horse are a short distance away from the Ridgeway and interviews and counts were carried out on the Path itself. Hardly surprisingly, the vast majority of visitors had reached the. Ridgeway by car, 5% had walked to the Path and only very small numbers had motor-cycled, pedal-cycled, rode up on horseback or used public transport. On average, visitors stayed for one and three quarter hours, but nearly a quarter spent less than half-an-hour. Almost three-quarters of all visitors did walk for some distance, but others stayed close to their cars, Sitting, picnicking or playing games. Well over half of those o% walking said that they would be, or had been, walking for less a ks than two miles. Only 6% of all the people interviewed were long- distance walkers. Evidence of people driving for any distance along the Ridgeway was small, most people drove to their parking spot and then left the car. However, the Path is used occasion- ally for car or motor cycle rallies and it is these which give most cause for concern to the walker or naturalist. Nature study and archaeology were considered together in the questionnaires as minority-interest activities and were noted by only 7% of inter- viewees. There were also’ many interesting minority activities such as releasing pigeons, flying kites, playing the guitar, or the gentleman who came up to the Ridgeway for his Sunday morning bagpipe practice. . . Most visitors to the Ridgeway came from a fairly local area; overall, 43% of the groups interviewed had travelled less than ten kilometres. Sites such as White Horse Hill or Wayland's Smithy, where there are well-known features of interest, tended . to attract visitors from further afield and also more people visiting the Ridgeway for the first time. Sites on major roads, such as Gore Hill on the A34, also attracted visitors from a wider area as they were used as transit stops for travellers on longer journeys. Visitors were asked if they would like to see any changes made. Long-distance walkers, particularly, felt that water taps, camp sites and hostels should be provided along the route. Others felt that the Path needed better surfacing. The need for better Signposting or information about the Path was also mentioned. The largest number of comments concerned the use of the Path by vehicles. When asked specifically whether they objected to veh- icles driving along the Ridgeway, 68% of visitors said that they did, at any rate outside the well used parking areas. To ban traffic on any section’ of ‘the Path~invetves’ the introduction of a Traffic Regulation Order with appropriate signs banning motor vehicles. As an experiment, Oxfordshire County Council imposed such an order during the summer of 1975 on the stretch of the Ridgeway between White Horse Hill and Pigtrough Bottom. Following a public enquiry in 1976, at which bodies rep- resenting motorists and motor cyclists protested vigorously against the Order,: the. Inspector reported that he felt there. were insufficient reasons for imposing such an Order. The survey showed that, overall, the Ridgeway was chiefly a local recreation area. The average visitor drives to one of the - well-known parking areas and walks a short distance along the Path, but does not reach the more remote stretches, either on foot or by car. Use of the Path as a long-distance route was, in 1975, comparatively light. Several books have been published about the walk since the survey was carried out. It would be interesting to know whether these have encouraged more people to tackle this fascinating and most attractive walk. THE RIDGEWAY BERKErURE SURVEY SITES 5, Ashbury Hill _ 11, Leteombe Castic 6, Wayland's SmitBy © 12. Betterton Down 1, Hackpen Eiil Jo Woolstone HALL : 13, Bast Hendred Down 2, Barbury Casile(west) 48, White Herse Hill 44, Bury Down af " (oar Bark) 9, Blowingsteme Hill 15, Gore Hill | ae? " (east) 10, Pigtrough Bottom . 16, Starveall Fara i A Fungus Report 1977 byod. Pb. Warrick Far too many species were seen for all of them to be listed here, so onLaybhese mepee to be of interest are reported. + Moneaeiation' ig many thanks. tee br. B. Hora for : i dewbaer?cat bie a March o3rq a7 eal — | ed “SBepultarig sumneriana ‘eae fe oy di Cedars by University . Library } April;23rd aie ; Morchella yulgaris s Ramsbury Drive, Earley M. semi-libera _.... Garstons Hill, Ipsden. May 2nd mehr ‘ *Geopyxis carbonaria Chncomyeste); Park .Piece, Ufta@n Very attractive, dull red with creamy ring. Only two records of this species at Kew since 1945. : ; June 15th» cdg ; : Tee Grifolia sulphurea ‘St. Mary's Churchyard July, 3rd. “Crucibulun vulgare (Birdsnest fungus) Garden by Earley station October ara 2 m *Lactarius mairei a College Wood The fourth record in England for this fungus, which was found by E. Hemken and myself. It was known only in Morocco, it seems, before the late 1940's ‘and not at all in Europe. Spore print: creamy, C-D of the Crawshaw scale. October 9th *Acaricus variegatus Grass verge, Wokingham Road October 10th *Cortinarius sanzuineus Wasing Wood Small, very attractive, wholly blood-red. October 25th *Lepiota acutisquarosa Under conifers, Driffield Common October 29th *Melanoleuca grammopodium Bearwood Lyophyllum loricatum Bearwood ~O%9 bs The Recorder's Report for Botany 1976 = 77 | by B. M. Newman Once again members have explored.the countryside and collected a large number of records from a wide selection of habitats. Those-sent in by the following members are gratefully acknowledged:- Dr. J. Andrews (JA); “Dr. H. J. M. Bowen (HJMB); ieee ie Carter (HC): Miss L.'E. Cobb (LEC);:* Mr. S. R. Diserens (SRD); Mr. M. Fletcher (MF) and Mr. J. P. Warrick (JPW). The nomenclature and order are according to the "Flora of the British Isles" by Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. An alien taxan is indicated by an asterisk (*). Most of the English names are from "English Names of Wild Flowers", the recommended list of the Botanical Society of the British Isles, but if a different name is commonly used locally. it is put in immediately after the scientific name, in addition to the. recommended name. List of Members' Records Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. - Great Horsetail Ashley Hill, 11/7/77. (SRD) Brceris cretica L. Brick basement wall by O1d Town Hall (Survives weeding, but in. small quantity); brick basement wall, South Street, Reading (MF) Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L. ' Black Spleenwort Brickwork of railway bridge, Kennet mouth, Reading; wall near Cemetery Junction (One plant, 1976). (MF es Asplenium ruta-muraria L. - Wall-rue Garden brick wall, ., Hamilton Road, Reading. (MF) Ceterach officinarum. DC Rustyback Fern Wet cement crack by the Thames, Reading. (MF) *Delphinium orientale Gay Oriental Larkspur Abundant on demolition site, Queens Road, Reading. (LEC) Sent in by MF. : Ranunculus arvensis L. , Corn Buttercup In wheatfield near Peasemore. (HJMB) Ranunculus parviflorus L. Small-flowered Buttercup Casual in garden in Knowle Close, Caversham, 26/5/77. (LEC) Ranunculus circinatus Sibth. Fan-leaved Water-crowfoot Gravel pit near Sandhurst. (HJMB) | *Adonis annua L. Pheasant's-cye Several plants in field near Aston Upthorpe, 17/7/77. (SRD) Myosurus minimus L. Mousetail Field path near Shinfield, 17/5/77. (JA) Maiden Erlegh Stud ficld, Earley, 7/5/77. (JPW) Thalictrum flavum L. . Common Meadow-rue Fawley Meadows, Henley, 11/7/77. (LEC ) -2?0. = Papaver hybridum L ‘ Bristly Poppy Rough Poppy a Several plants in field near Aston Upthorpe, 17/7/77. (SRD) Papaver argemone L. paee Prickly-headed Poppy Cornfield, , Kingstanding Haddyo4/74778--es (JA) *Papaver somniferum L. Opium Poppy In quantity on a bridle way near Mapledurham, 9/7/77. (JA) Small clump at Burghfield gravel pits, 3/7/77. (SRD) Corydalis claviculata (L.) DC Climbing Corydalis In flower on Bucklebury Common, 8/4/77. (SRD) *Coronopus. didymus (L.) Sm. Slender Wart Cress, Lesser Swine-cress Whiteknights ‘Park, 12/7/77. (SRD) Iberis amara L. Wild Candytuft Hurley Chale Div. 11/7777. .,\onv) Erophila verna (L.) Chevall. Common Whitlowgrass The Mount, ‘Reading, 12/3/77+ ~€LBe) | | Cardamine amara L. Large Bitter-cress Crookham Meee ion, 8/5/77. (SRD) stead Rorippa amphibia (L.) Besser Great Yellow-cress River Kennet near Burghfield, 3/6/77. (SRD) Erysimum cheiranthoides L. Treacle Mustard Whiteknights Park, 21/6/77. (JPW) : *Sisymbrium orientale L. Eastern Rocket Garden bed in the Abbey ruins, Reading. (LEC) Sent in by MP. Reseda luteola L. Dyer's Rocket, Weld Hartslock Reserve, LALO 70 (JPW) - Reseda lutea L. Wild Mignonette Watlington Hill, 8/7/77; . Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) Viola lactea Sm. Pale Heath Violet, Pale : Dog-violet Hook Common, Inkpen Common, 21/5/77. (SRD) Viola tricolor.L. Wild Pansy Colemans Moor, 13/5/77... (JPW) Hypericum tetrapterum Fr. Square-stalked St. John"s= wort Riverside, King's Meadow, Reading. (LEC) Sent in by MF. Hypericum mon’ montanum ise Pale St. John's-wort On hard: soil on top of ridge at Bix Bottom (BBONT reserve). (HJMB) | | . Elatine hexandra (Lapierre) DC Six-stamened Waterwort In flooded pit, Yateley, Hants.; gravel pit near Sandhurst. (HJMB) Silene dioica (L.) Clairv. Réd Campion Northern end of Crowsley Forest and Peppard. Unusually common this year. 12/6/77. CHC) Og Me Silene alba (Mill.) HE. H. L. anit x lag ot ed Tae eae eel Roadsides at Benson and Culham. (HJMB) = ei ‘se Silene gallica L. Small-flowered Catchfly Roadside on g#allowstree Common (site later cleared), 12/6/77. (HC) *Silene pendula L. “ _-Drooping Catchfly . ets By side of track at Abbey Football Ground, Chalkhouse Green. | Det. HJMB. 23/6/77. The site was later cleared. (HC ) *Vaccaria pyramidata Medic. Cowherb. _ Edge of pavement, Alexandra Road, Reading. Possibly from bird- seed? (HJMB ) ren Montia fontana L. oe Blinks On damp ground near Shinfield, 17/5/77. (JA) Chenopodium ficifolium Sm. Fig-leaved Goosefoot Car park near river Blackwater, Sandhurst. (HJMB) Chenopodium hybridum L. Sowbane, Maple-leaved. Goosefoot In old garden at Dorchester. (HJMB) Malva neglecta Wallr. Dwarf Mallow In garden soil near river Blackwater, Sandhurst. (HJMB) © *Geranium versicolor L. Pencilled Crane's-bilil Dunsden, 9/9/77. (LEC) - Geranium lucidum L. Shining Crane's-bill By footpath to west end of Spring Wood, Peppard, Common. 29/5/77 - (HC ) Erodium cicutarium (L.) L' Herit. Common Stork's-bill Shinfield, 14/5/77; Chazey, 12/10/77; East Street, Reading, ° my 10777 -° CLEC) ; 3020.52 Skew Bridge, Old Bath Road, Reading, 4/7/77. (JPW) *Impatiens parviflora DC Small Balsam Elmhurst Road, Reading, 13/10/77. (LEC ) Silaum silaus (L.) Schinz &.Thell. Pepper- saxifrage In meadow by the Kennet near Burghfield, 3/6/77.- (SRD) *Lupinus arboreus Sims Tree Lupin By old pit, near Yateley, Hants. (HJMB) *Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall.. Common Melilot Sonning Eye, 11/7/77. (JPW) Mill Lane, Reading. (BMN) *Melilotus alba Medic. White Melilot By old pit near Yateley, Hants. (HJMB) *Tetragonolobus maritimus (L. ) Roth Dragon's-teeth Roadside flower-bed outside Grove Road School, Sonning Connotea 79/77. (HC) mae Bennet's Wood, near Streatley, 14/6/77. (dPW) vie hang Lathyrus nissolia L. Grass Vetchling. By old pit near Yateley, Hants. (HJMB) Aphanes arvensis L. Parsley PiLent Ramsbury Drive, Earley, 30/6/77. (JPW) Filipendula vulgaris Moench — ~ Dropwort Watlington Hill, 8/7/77. (JPW) Potentilla argentea L. Hoary Cinquefoil - Chazey, 23/6/77. (LEC) - 22 = Geum rivale L. Water Avens Moor Copse, 19/5/77. ( JPW) — Agrimonia odc odorata teausal Mill. Fragrant Agrimony Bishopswood, Sonning Common, August - October 1977. ECHC FS Bix Bottom, 13/8/77. (SRD) Rosa _rubiginosa L. carn Sweet Brian Watlington Hill, 8/7/77; Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) Border of gravel pit, Sandhurst. (HJMB) *Prunus serotina Ehrh. One tree in Dry Sandford pit (BBONT). (HJMB)- Saxifraga granulata_L. Meadow Saxifrage Streatley Hill (NHS walk), 16/4/77. (IPW). “7 Chryspenium oppositifolium L. Alternate-leaved Golden=.2- pa oe Near Ufton Nervet, 2/5/77. (JPW) Daphne laureola L. Spurge Laurel Bennet's Wood, near Streatley, 14/6/77. (JPW) Callitriche intermedia G. F. Hoffm. Intermediate Water-starwort Floating in old gravel pit, Sandhurst. (HJMB) Viscum album L. Mistletoe On Tilia, Pangbourne. (JA) Thesium humifusum DC. Bastard Toad-flax Hartslock, 10/9/77. (SRD) Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop. Sweet Cicely Surviving by roadside, Middle Assendon. (HJMB) Torilis arvensis (Huds..) Link Spreading Hedge-parsley Fallow field near Appleford. (HJMB) ‘eat hae ke *Smyrnium olusatrum L. of . | Alexanders Established at Ufton Nervet, 8/5/77. ~ (SRD) Petroselinum segetum (L.) Koch Corn Parsley Fallow field near Appleford.: (CHJMB):.+., - Buphorbia cyparissias L. _» Cypress Spurge CopERER TE/S7 79s CUSED) 2 REE AUREL *Buddleja davidii Franch. Buddleia, Butterfly-bush Established in Davenport Wood, 13/8/77. (SRD) Centaurium erythraea_ Rafn Common Centaury — Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) Blackstonia perfoliata (L.) Huds. Yellow-wort Watlington Hill, 8/7/77. (JPW) Cynoglossum officinale L. Hound 's-tongue. Caversham Warren, 19/5/77. (LEC) Pentaglottis sempervirens (L.) Tausch Green Alkanet Caversham Warren, 19/5/77. (LEC) Anchusa arvensis (L.) Bieb. | Bugloss Chazey, 12/10/77... (iEC) Lithospermum officinale L. Gromwell — Bennet's Wood, near Streatley, 14/6/77. (JPW) = ae Echium vulgare L.. . Viper's-bugloss Hartslock, 10/9/77. (SRD) Watlington Hill, 8/7/77. ( JPW) Cuscuta_ europece ly Greater Dodder ; Large clump on bank of Thames below Hartslock, 10/9/77. (SRD) . Cuscuta epithymum (L.) L. Dodder . Silchester Common, 5/7/77. (JPW): Chalk grassland near Mapledurham, 9/9/77. (JA) Atropa belladonna L. Deadly Nightshade Blounts Farm, and several long-established sites in Cxausiey, Forest, near Sonning Common. (HC) Bank of Thames below Hartslock, 10/9/77. (SRD) Bennet's Wood, near Streatley, 14/6/77. (JPW) *Physalis alkekengi L. Cape-gooseberry An aggressive weed by a footpath at Dorchester. (HJMB)- *Datura stramonium L. es Thorn-apple Waste ground, Kings Road, Reading. (LEC) Sent in by MF.. Verbascum thapsus L. Aaron's Rod, Great Mullein Scrubland at rear of 82 Kennylands Road, Sonning Common, 12/9/77. Three plants appeared here for the first time following the accidental burning of a large patch of brambles and. the resulting death of the associated trees in 1976. (HC ) Verbascum nigrum L. Dark Mullein. Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. aE.) Antirrhinum orontium t= Weasel's Snout, = PReP ea eae ee Roadside near Theale. (M. Sell) (HJMB) «= Field edge by M4 near Burghfield-¢ravel pits. (SRD) Linaria repens (L.) Mill. ) Pale Moadfiag (fr 3 VR) Field near Aston Upthorpe,’ 17/7/77; . Hanover Hill road verge, near Finsest, 13/8/77; Cholsey Station, 29/8/77. (SRD) Chaenorhinum minus (L.) Lange Small Toadflax. Henley Road chalk pit, 10/7/77. (SRD) *Erinus alpinus L. Fairy Foxglove On walls at Windsor Castle. (HJMB) Orobanche minor. Sm. : Common’ Broomrape Many specimens at the Childe Bedie Trust, 10/P/A7A« CORD) Verbena officinalis Ls ; Vervain Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) Calamintha ascendens Jord. Common Calamint Dunsden, 9/9/77 (LEC ) Acinos arvensis (Lam.) Dandy Basil Thyme Grassy bank near Aston Upthorpe, 17/7/77. (SRD) Lamium amplexicaule L. Henbit, Henbit: Dead=nettle Caversham Warren, 19/5/77; Christchurch Gardens, Réading, 20/5/77; Knowle Close, Caversham, 26/5/77. (LEC) Campanula trachelium L. Nettle-leaved Bellflower * Roadside at Crowsley hamlet, and on 28/8/77 in ReadesS Lane, both Sonning Common. (HC) a Bh Campanula glomerata L. Clustered Bellflower Chalk eed near Mapledurham, 9/7/77. (JA) Asperula_cynanchica L. Squinancywort. | Large clumps at Hurley chalk pit, 11/7/77. (SRD) Watlington Hill, 8/7/77. (JPW) Adoxa moschatellina L. . Moschatel Streatley Hill (NHS walk), 16/4/77. (JPW) Valerianella dentata (L.) Poll. . Narrow-fruited Cornsalad Hollies Hill, 20/6/77. (JPW) Cornfield, Kingstanding Hill, 4/7/77. CIB) BS ; Dipsacus fullonum L. .. | Tease, Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) *Galinsoga parviflora Cav. Gallant Soldier Christchurch Road, Reading, 13/10/77. (LEC) Senecio vulgaris L. (var. radiatus Koch) Rayed Groundsel Garden beds near Maidenhead Town Hall. (LEC) “Sent in by MF. Senecio integrifolius (L.) Clairv. Field Fleawort About a hundred plants at Whitehorse Hill. (HJMB)). *Doronicum pardalianches L. Leopard's-bane Large group by road at Streatley, 7/6/77. (SRD) Petasites fragrans (Vill.) C. Presl Winter Heliotrope Road verge near Rotherfield Peppard, 22/2/77. (SRD) Erigon acer L. Blue Fleabane Lollingdon Hill, 7/6/77. (SRD) . . Chrysanthemum segetum L. Corn Marigold Field near Arborfield, 14/7/77; roadside near Sonning, 27/9/77. (SRD) Artemisia absinthium L. Wormwood One plant by road at ‘Shillingford; frequent at Sopeimenaen (HJMB) *Echinops sphaerocephalus L. ‘ “Blue.Globe Thistle 4) One plant on waste -ground, Kings: Road, Reading. (LEC). Sent in. by MF. Carduus nutans L. . Musk Thisthe Abbey Football Ground, 13/7/77; mcdginr land at west end of Spring Wood, 16/7/77 « (HC) Hollies Hill, 28/6/77. (JPW) Carduus acanthoides.L. x nutans L. Combe Gibbet, (Mrs. P. Small) Sent in by HJMB. Onopordon acanthium L. - Scotch Thistle, Cotton Thistle Several huge specimens (over 8ft.) in a field near Arborfield, 24/9/77. (SED) Centaurea cyanus L. Cornflower On disturbed ground near gravel workings, Theale, 21/6/77. (JA) Cichorium intybus L. Chicory In a field near Arborfield; on the M4 bridge, Cutbush Lane, Shinfield, 14/7/77. (SRD) Lactuca serriola L. Prickly Lettuce Chazey, 2/10/77... (EEC) ="29 *Sagittaria platyphylla (Engelm. ) peat dn. ; In gravel--pit near Seioer etteaiea . Butomus umbellatus Mo. ag "A" Flowering-rush Planted .in. gravel pit near Sandhurst . (HJMB) Potamogeton obtusifolius Mert. & Koch Blunt-leaved Pondweed In flooded pit, Yateley, Hants.; gravel pit near Sandhurst. (HJMB) Ornithogalum umbellatum L. Star- of- Bethlehem --: By a stream at Pingewood, 3/6/77; bank of Thames below Hartslock, 7/6/77... (SEDI By a path at Sindlesham, Lefslers (JPW) *Allium nigrum L. aig A few plants in a hedge, Middle Assendon. (HJMB)- *Pontederia cordata L. In gravel pit near Sandhurst. (HJMB) Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill. ) Druce White Helleborine NE end of Crowsley Forest, flowering May-June. (HC) Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz_ Broad-leaved Helleborine NE end of Crowsley Forest, with SSL Ten biete but flowered later in the year. (HC) Epipactis purpurata Sm. | Violet.Helleborine More than fifteen plants in Crowell Wood, near Chinnor, 18/9/77. (SRD) Spiranthes spiralis (L.) Chevall. Autumn Lady's tresses Turville Hill, 18/9/77. (SRD) Ophrys apifera Huds. ' Bee Orchid Several large specimens at Hurley chalk aa LLAF/ 2b e+ SRD) Anacamptis pyramidalis (L.) Rich. Pyramidal Orchid Watlington Hill, 8/7/77; Hartslock Reserve, 14/7/77. (JPW) © Eleocharis acicularis (L.) Roem. & Schult. Needle Spike-rush On island in pit, Yateley, Hants.; forming a sward by gravel pit, Sandhurst. (HJMB) Carex pseudocyperus L. Cyperus Sedge Margin of gravel pit, Sandhurst. (HJMB) Pos compressa L. _ Flattened Meadow- a grass By track above Bix Bottom at edge of BBONT Reserve: (HJMB) Plants seen at Nuney Green chalk pity eee? (See also records from Mr. H. Carter, 1972, Reading Naturalist: 24, 45) Iberis amara L., Wild Candytuft; Sorbus. tominalid@.) Crantz, Wild Service-tree; Monotropa_ hypopitys L., Yellow Bird's-nest; - 26 - Blackstonia perfoliata (L.). Huds, paces Verbascum nigrum L., Dark Mullein; Acinos arvensis (Lam. ) Dandy , Basil Thyme ; Prunella vulgaris L., Selfheal; Prunella laciniata (L.) L., Cut-leaved ‘Selfheal; Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce, White Helleborine; Ophrys apifera Huds., Bee Orchid; Anacamptis pyramidalis (L.) Rich., Pyramidal Orchid. Plants seen in a nearby field:- Geranium columbinum L., Long-stalked Crane's-bill; Sedum . telephium L., Orpine; Verbascum nigrum L., Dark Mullein; Kickxia elatine (L.) Dum., Sharp-leaved Fl Fluellen; Kickxia spuria (L.) Dum., Round-leaved Fluellen; Anthemis arvensis L., Corn Chamomile; Anthemis cotula L., Stinking Chamomile. The Recorder s Report for Sin 1976 - afd by Bs -&. ‘Boke Order Odonata (Dragon-flies) Sympetrum striolatum (Charp.) | | Moor Copse Nature Reserve, 22nd October. Several specimens . observed basking on the trunks of tall ash trees which were in the direct rays of the late afternoon suh. as Order Hemiptera (Plant Bugs, etc.) Idiocerus vittifrons Kirschbaum Sonning Common, 15th October (HHC). Allygus modestus Fieber Forbury Gardens, Reading, 13th September (HHC). Order Coleoptera (Beetles) Despite discouraging weather, Glow-worms Lampyris noctiluca (ie were again encountered in South Oxfordshire at Crowsley, Dunsden and Bishopswood from 2nd July to:10th Atgust (HHC). Order Diptera (True Flies) Asilus crabroniformis L. Hartslock Nature Reserve and Streatley, 13th September (BTP) Pe ae Callicera_aenea (Fabr.)) Padworth Common, north of Benyon's Enclosure, 15th July (S. R. Miles). Order Hymenoptera (Saw-flies, Bees and Wasps) Vespa crabro L. Hornet Tilehurst, 18th October, 1976 (RL). A further specimen found in a tool shed at Ramsbury Drive, Earley, 24th May, 1977 (BIP). Urocerus gigas gigas (L.) Giant Horntail A female specimen of this large and impressive mec A Wood Wasp was seen (and heard) flying around the Recorder's garden at Matlock Road, Caversham, on 3rd August.’ It briefly inspected some recently erected larch-pole fencing, but did not attempt to oviposit thereon and flew off with much buzzing into pee housing gardens. Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)” Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer ) #ab@x Skipper . Reported to be in the South Ascot area during duky (Ps). Thais is a very interesting record and would ;appear.to;be)\the first for the County. The species has probably been overlooked in the “past as it closely resembles the Small Skipper which is widespread and abundant. H. comma (L.) Silver-spotted Skipper Watlington Hill, 10th August (BTIP). Gonepteryx rhamni (L.) Brimstone Several records received, the earliest being Yeomanry House, Reading, 2nd February (SYT). Matlock Road, Caversham, 2nd oY February (HGB). This butterfly normally enters into hibernation in September but a late record has been received from Bracknell where a specimen was observed on 22nd October (MD). Quercusia. quercus (L.) Purple Hairstreak Much scarcer in Pamber Forest than in 1976 (BTP). olyo ommatus icarus (Rott.). Common Blue This. species is normally. double brooded and may be seen on the wing from May to September. A. male in good condition was observed at Owlsmoor on the very late date of 13th October. <. | Lysandra_coridon (Poda). Chalkhill Blue —_ Watlington Hill, 10th August, Hartslock Nature Reserve, 12th August (BTP). L. bellargus (Rott.) Adonis Blue Larvae nearing full growth observed.among Horseshoe Vetch on the Pt Drs Downs, 4th May. Second-brood adults observed from 4th - 17th September. Celastrina argiolus (L.) Holly Blue Spencers Wood, 29th April (JW). Caversham, 1st May and 4th August (HGB). Bracknell, 23 and 24th May (MD). Mortimer, 2nd May; Earley, 2lst and 22nd May, 2lst August; worn specimen near Streatley, 13th September (BTIP). ; Hamearis lucina (L.) Duke of Burgundy Fritillary Aston Upthorpe Downs, 3rd June. (BTP). Ladoga’ camilla -(L.) White Admiral —— Scarce at, Bearwood, 25th July; in eood pee at Pamber Forest, 5th July < 26th ee (BIP). Apatura_ iris (L.) Purple Emperor Observed high over the oaks at Pamber Forest, 3rd August (BIP). On three consecutive days in early August a ue Emperor again appeared at the Warburg Reserve. The specimen was visible at close quarters on the wall of the office, on the roof of the: building and in the vegetable garden. (NP) Vanessa atalanta (L.) Red Admiral Ramsbury Drive, Earley, 6th July and.7th September; Whiteknight's Park, 5th September, (BITP). Matlock Road, Caversham, 14th September, 4th, 22nd, 25th, 27th and 28th October (HGB). Bracknell, 6th, 9th and llth October (MD). Aldermaston, 1st September (GE-F). Over a dozen examples noted on the buddleias along Vastern Road, Reading, 14th September,. Cynthia cardui (L.) Painted Lady - Mapledurham, 4th August (TJGH). Near the Hartslock Nature Reserve, 29th August (MET). Vastern Road, Reading, 14th September... | Matlock Road, Caversham, 29th September. ‘All the above records refer to single specimens. » OFGL a oom . Argynnis aglaja (L.) Dark Green Fritillary Hartslock Nature Reserve, 5th and 17th July. Watlington Hill, 10th August (BTP). Sphecia bembeciformis (Hubn.) Lunar Hornet Clearwing A female observed flying around a sallow bush at 4. p.m. on 23rd July in a wood near Baughurst. : Bembecia_ scopigera (Scop.) Six Belted Clearwing A new colony discovered at Hardwick, Oxon., léeth August. Zeuzera pyrina (L.) Wood Leopard Aldermaston, 15th July. (GE-F) Cyclophora puppillaria (Hubn.) Blair's Mocha A single specimen of this rare immigrant was taken in a mercury «= 2One “ vapour light trap at Matlock Road, Copenahery, on the night of 24/25th October. New Gounty oad. Perizoma didymata (L.) Twin Spot Carpet Near Baughurst, a single specimen on 17th July (TJGH). Angerona prunaria (L.)’ Orange Moth Near Baughurst, a female at rest in the daytime on a bracken frond, 10th July (TJGH). Sphinx ligustri L. Privet Hawkmoth Eggs and a third-instar larva, Hartslock, 17th July. ces also noted at Crowsley Park. Larvae, nearly full grown noted at the side of the road to Wenbese: near the Fair Mile, 8th September (BIP),s Hyloicus pinastri (L.) Pine Hawkmoth Aldermaston, llth May (GE-F). Elgar Road, Reading, 8th August (RL). These two records give an indication of the long emergence period of this species. Deilephila porcellus (L.) Small Elephant Hawkmoth Aldermaston, 3rd June (GE-F). Leucoma salicis (L.) White Satin Moth East Hagbourne, 12th August. Parasemia plantaginis (L.). Wood Tiger Watlington Hill, 8th July (JW).. Xestia agathina (Dup.) Heath Rustic Aldermaston, 3rd August (GE-F). Mythimna vitellina (Hubn.) Delicate Wainscot Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, a single example taken in a mercury- vapour light-trap, 23rd October (TJGH). This immigrant wainscot _ is recorded in most years on our southern and south-western coasts but inland records are infrequent. The Pinkneys Green Sr goog would Bapess BG constitute a new County, Pes Cucullia chamomillae CDi Bom: éhamomile BHErk - Aldermaston, 11th May (GE-F). C. verbasci (L.) Mullein, Shark Aldermaston, 14th May (GE- F). . Larvae on Great Mullein ats Wokingham, 15th June; and at Harley,*16th June;(BIP).: Lithophane semibrunnea (Haw. ) Tawny Pinion — Aldermaston, 6th October (GE-F). L. leautieri (Boisd.) Blair's Pinion One Specimen at mercury-vapour light-trap, Caversham, night of ° 7 . ] ~ 30%2 18/19th October; second record for the County. This species was first recorded in Britain at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, in 1951. Over the past twenty-five years, and particularly so in the last decade, there has been. a steady northward spread from the centre of origin. The caterpillars feed on the flower-buds and foliage. of Cupressus macrocarpa, a tree found commonly in built-up areas, and there seems no reason why the spread of this interesting addition to our fauna should not continue. Eustrotia uncula (Clerck) Silver Hook Goring Heath in a beech wood, 22nd July (TJGH). This is an inter- esting record from an atypical habitat. .In previous years we have recorded Silver Hooks from Snelsmore, from boggy areas bordering Pamber Forest and from damp fields’ westwards from Pamber. In all of these areas there has been a good growth of sedges and coarse grasses upon which the larvae of uncula feed. Parascotia fuliginaria (L.)} Waved Black Moth Aldermaston, 20th July (GE-F). The Society's Entomological Evening The venue chosen this year was Ufton Court, Berkshire, where the surrounding woodlands and open stretches of heather were known te hold much of interest for the entomologist. .Mr. A. H. Bush, Warden of the Residential Centre at the Court, kindly provided facilities for us to operate a mercury-vapour moth-trap from one of the outbuildings and Mr. W. Beer,. Head Forester of the Englefield Estates, allowed access to the woodland where a second generator-powered light was operated. Although the night, 29/30th July, did not ce ideal flying conditions for moths (the temperature dropped to 9 FC ap the assembled party seated around the sheets were able to see.a steady stream of insects coming to the lamps and to record thirty-three species 9f moth. Two of the records were new. to the list published in Reading Naturalist No. 29 thereby increasing the Ufton Lepidoptera List to three hundred and six species. The new records are: Nola _cucullatella (L.) the Short Goaked, and Polychrysia_ monet moneta (Fabr.).the Golden Plusia. Contributors Mrs. H. G. Baker (HGB ); H. H. Carter (HHC); Dr. M. Dumbleton (MD; Lt. Col. G. G. Eastwick-Field (GE-F); T. J. G. Homer (TJGH); R. Leeke (RL); N. Phillips (NP); B. T. Parsons (BIP); P. Standley (PS); Miss S,. ¥. Townend (SYT); Mrs. E. M. Trembath (EMT); J. Warrick (JW); Mrs. J. S. Whitfield (JSW). Our thanks are due also to the Director of Reading Museum & Art Gallery for allowing us to incorporate any relevant records from the Museum's collections. = Pr 2 The Recorder's Report for Vertebrates, 1976-777 by OH. oH. sCarter FISH. During the very dry spell of 1976 the fountain in the Forbury Gardens was cleared of fish and cleaned out. The goldfish were returned, but the interesting variety of native species described in an earlier report is no longer to be seen. A systematic study of the angling columns of the "Reading Chronicle" has made possible the following analysis of the dis- | tribution of those species large enough to attract the angler. Thymallus thymallus (L.) Grayling. In the Kennet on the Craven Estate, Hamstead Marshall. Esox lucius L. Pike. Common in the Kennet from Hamstead Marshall to Burghfield, in gravel pits at Burcot near Dorchester and at Theale, and at Englefield. Cyprinus carpio L. Carp. Small numbers in the Kennet from Hamstead Marshall to Woolhampton, commoner in the Thames from Oxford to Reading. "Mirror" and "Golden" varieties have been taken. Carassius carassius (L.) Crucian Carp. Uncommon, recorded only from Ufton Nervet and Yateley. Barbus barbus (L.) Barbel. Common in the lower reaches of the Kennet below Woolhampton, also present in the Thames (Oxford and Clifton Hampden) and Loddon. Gobio gobio’ (L.") Gudgeon. As for Barbel, but extends ae the Thames to- in and up the Loddon to ge ralied gti. o Tanca tinca (L.) Tench. Small numbers in the Kennet below Ufton Nervet, also in the Thames (Culham and Pangbourne) and Loddon (Sindlesham and Yateley) and in a lake at Thatchan. Leuciscus cephalus (L.) Chub. Common in the Kennet from Hamstead Marshall ts its mouth, and in the Thames from Radcot to Reading. in Leucrscus’ (L's) * Dace. Common in the Kennet ‘from Thatcham to Reading, also in the Loddon at Sindlesham. ee Le. rutilus CL.) “1Redeh: Common in the Kennet from Froxfield tc Reading, the Thames from Lechlade to Cookham, and the Loddon at Sindlesham. L. erythrophthalmus (L.) Rudd. The only record is from Cottage Lane gravel pit, Burghfield. Sitges bjoernka (L.) Silver Bream. The only record is from Amey's pit, Theale. Alburnus alburnus (L.) Bleak. _ Amey's pit and River Kennet at Burghfield. Commoner in the © Thames. from Radcot to Shiplake. Abramis brama (L.) Bream. Widely distributed: but uncommon in the Kennet from Kintbury to Ufton Nervet and in Amey's pit, Theale. Commoner in the Thames from Radcot to Shiplake. Cobitis taenia (L.) Spiny Loach. A record from the Kennet at Newbury requires confirmation. Perca,tluvieataiis.L. Perch Present in the Kennet at Hamstead Marshall, and has reappeared at Burghfield where it has long been absent. Also a record from Ascot. Two young specimens hatched in Woe taketh ye Lake on 7th May are now on display in Reading Museum. Gasterosteus aculeatus L. Three-spined Stickleback. Observed in company with the two following species. Pygostous pungitius (L.) Ten-spined. Stickleback. idk Moor Copse Reserve in the River Pang, taken by B.R.B. Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) Minnow. Seen at the mouth of the Holy Brook in breeding coloration, AMPHIBIANS . Bufo buto (i.) Boad: Migration to breeding grounds across Folders Lane, Bracknell, 2énd and 25th February, 3rd March, (M.D.) Middleculham Farm, Remenham, Qth June (BE. Fox). Rana temporaria lL. Pree. Only one in a garden where previously abundant, Spencers Wood (J.W.). One dead in Green Road, 2nd March; sixteen adults and much spawn in a pond at Leighton Park, 19th March; many young - 33 - of this and the previous year in a garden at Ramsbury Drive; spawn at Cutbush Lane in 1975 (B.P.). Bred in Mortimer Common Pond (R. & ss). Frogs croaking in the Horse Pond, Gallowstree. Common, on the night of 24th March. Triturus sp. Newt, Large numbers. (about one hundred) in garden pond, Cockney Bail, Ti churst (M.0.).. At this locality, T. helveticus is marginally more likely than T. vulgaris. REPTILES. Anguis fragilis L. . Slow Worm. © Several seen or taken near Mortimer, up to 2nd September. One of these gave birth to young in Reading Museum on 30th September. A colony near Hamstead Marshall level crossing in the railway embankment (always a favourite site for this species). (All R. & ss.) Lacerta vivipara Jacq. Common Lizard. Several seen in different. places on Silchester Common, 19th cgi (bP). Vipera berus (L.) Adder. One on Silchester Common above Beggar's Bridge, 19th July (B.P.). The association with lizards is characteristic. Natrix natrix (L.) Grass Snake. One in ditch by Park Wood near Pangbourne, 2nd May (E.M.T.). One in Moor Copse by the Pang (Mr. & Mrs. Payne per E.M.T.). One at Thos. Lawrence's brickworks, Bracknell, 16th October 1977 (M.D.). A female about a metre long, freshly dead by the. M4 at. Earley, lith July (J.P.). A female at Barkham, about five hun- dred to six hundred millimetres long, 14th August. One at Bearwood, injured, 30th June; one dead in Cutbush Lane, Earley, 29th July (B.P.). Six adults curled up together at edge’ of wood near Wargrave (no date given, Mrs. Wyatt per B.P.). Bred at Mortimer during the year (R. &gs.). ' gore MAMMALS. Talpa_ europaea L. Mole. -epaetl ihe Eger One, dead at Thatcham Marsh, August or September (D.H.). Present at Spencer's Wood throughout the year (J.W.). Recent molehills in Crowsley Forest, 3rd January and llth February. Sorex araneus L. Common Shrew. _Two. or three found dead, perhaps killed: by cats, at Spencer's Wood during the year (J.W.). One at. Crowsley Forest, 9th May; several in.Rumerhedge Bottom, Checkendon, 30th July. ee en Se minutus L.,. Pygmy Shrew. One dead at Thatcham Marsh, August or September (D.H.). Erinaceus europaeus L. Hedgehog. A large adult at Spencer's Wood, 3rd April; a large adult circling a. smaller one as though to attack it from behind, the smaller constantly turning to face it, grunting and making butting movements with its head when too closely approached, Spencer's Wood, 9th July; many other sitings later in the year (J.W.). One seen in Warfield Road, Bracknell, 19th July, was only the second that M.D. has seen in seventeen years there. Droppings in Crowsley Forest, 8th January and 11th February; twenty-three sightings of living and dead animals in Emmer Green and the Sonning Common area from 5th April to 26th September. toa Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schr.) Pipistrelle. Small bats probably of this species at Spencer's Wood and . Sonning Common throughout the summer (J.W. & recorder). Nyctalus noctula (Schr.) Noctule. Up to four (less than in previous years) seen on various dates at Spencer's Wood (J.W.). A large bat, probably of this species, seen patrolling Ramsbury Drive on a steady course three to five metres from the ground (B.P.). Plecotus auritus (L.) -Long-eared Lat. One found dead in Warfield Road, Bracknell, 26th September by M.D. who also found corpses at Nine Mile Ride in September 1969 and in the centre of Bracknell, 26th September 1976. Vulpes vulpes (L.) Fox. One heard barking in Spencer's Wood, November and December 1976; barking.ceased after a fox was found dead on the road in mid-December; one. there 30th April (J.W.). .Single animals seen at Aston Upthorpe Down 4th December 1976, Sulham Hill 19th January, Manor Farm 30th, January, Sth February (very tame) and 17th April (K.P.). Vixen with cubs seen by the Society at Hartslock, 25th May. One at Warfield, 27th June, in the garden of M.D. who also found an earth with cubs near Bracknell Station, 8th April 1976. One in Greenfinch Drive, Tilehurst, 8th May (R.A.). .One at Borocourt Hospital, 28th March (E.C.). Vixen at Padworth, 8th October 1977 (M.H.). Common at Goring Héath prior to 1977, but none this year. Foxes heard or signs seen in the Sonning Common area, 2nd January, 9th January,26th July, 4th October and 7th October 1977. 'M.B. found one dead, on the Burghfield Road, 16th September. 3 Meles meles (L.) : Badger. Sett in use at Mill Farm, Mapledurham, 26th December 1976 (B.K.). Tracks seen at Benyon's Enclosure, 12th March (K.P.). Cub about six weeks old seen at sett by Grass Hill, Caversham (an extension of the Kelmscott Close sett) 25th April (Mr. Armstrong). One dead on Hardwick Road, Whitchurch, 12th August (Mrs. Edmondson). One seen near Coppice Hall, Binfield Heath, 28th - 35 - September; an additional sett found in Crowsley Forest. Mustela erminea L. Stoat Tracks seen in Buscot Gully, Bradfield, February (K.P.). One seen on road between Mortimer and Beech Hill (B.P.).. Mustela nivalis L. Weasel. One killed by cat in autumn of 1976 at Spencer's Wood. (J.W.). Tracks seen in Buscot Gully, February (K.P.). Seen on road between Beech Hill and Mortimer on two dates in July (B.P.). Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) Rabbit. Abundant this year around Spencer's Wood (J.W.). Present at Stoke Row, eend January. Three hundred and twenty-eight sight- ings in the Sonning Common area in every month from January to October, maximum on 3rd June with fifteen in Crowsley Park, five near Morgan's Wood, and sixty on the edge of Crowsley Forest. Maximum in the Chalkhouse Green/Bishopsland Farm area, eleven on 18th April. Lepus capensis Pall. Hare. One at Bellehatch Farm, Binfield Heath, llth July; one at Bishopsland Farm, 26th September. Clethrionomys glareolus Schr. Bank Vole. One dead on Peppard Road, Chalkhouse Green, 28th September. Microtus agrestis (L.) Short-tailed Vole. One found in its system of runways under a discarded notice board at Gallowstree Common, 3Oth July. ; Apodemus_ sylvaticus (L.) Wood Mouse. Nest, probably of this species, containing acorns and acorn husks, at Spencer's Wood, 26th January (J.W.).. The same observer reports that her cats bring in dead mice and voles at the average rate of one a day. Examples shown to me were juvenile Wood Mice. One dead in Bur Wood, Sonning Common, lst April. A. flavicollis (Mel.)- Yellow-necked Mouse. Still abundant and entering houses at Buscot Copse, Bradfield (K.P.). Rattus norvegicus Berk. Brown Rat. Frequent at Spencer's Wood, where. cats' bring in ten to twenty each year (J.W.). Qne.at Emmer Gréen, 25th February; one déad there, 19th April; one dead -on Peppard Road, Chalkhouse' Green, — 2nd April; one dead at Coppice Hall, Binfield Heath, 12th April and 21st: June. M . 34% 9.2 i. 0... Mus musculus L. House Mouse. Continues common in the Old Town Hall building although this oc ep is now largely vacated. Sciurus carolinensis Gm. Grey Squirrel. Scarce this year at Spencer's Wood, where none was seen until September (J.W.). One at Binfield Road, Wokingham, had a strongly marked rufous tinge, 16th August (R.S.). Thirteen sightings in Emmer Green and forty in the Sonning Common area, all months from January to September. Dama dama (L.) Fallow Deer. Three at College Wood, one killed by a car, mid February, and a young one there later in the year (H.B.). Several, mostly males, in a garden at Goring Heath cn various dates. Two in woods behind ‘Borocourt Hospital, 15%% September (E.C.). Present in and, around Cee rey, Forest throughout the year, maximum four on 2nd Apri. Capreolus capreolus (L.) Roe Deer. Slots in Greathouse Wood, Bradfield, February; slots at Ufton Common, 10th March; adult male at Benyon's Enclosure, Padworth, where slots and rings were also found, 1éth March; slots and rings on Bramshill Common, 3rd April (all K.P.). Buck and three does on the Moon estate west of Tilehurst, 8th July (A.E.). Cervus nippon (Tem.) Sika. Slots at Ufton Common, 1Oth Mirch, and slots and droppings at. Benyon's Enclosure, léth March, attributed to this species by K.P. who has received reports of its Estrin from foresters and naturalists. Muntiacus reevesi Og. Muntjac. One at Dark Entry bridge on M4 at Bradfield, 26th December 1976; one at Beche Park Wood, 6th February;, one: at Captain's Gorse (both near Upper Basildon) (K.P.). One at Moor Copse, 24th June, and again in July (E.M.T.). One at Hardwick in August (Mrs. Begbie per E.M.T.). Twelve seen or (more often) heard in the Sonning Common area from January to October, maximum three in Stony Bottom, Peppard on lst June. One on Ashampstead Common on 6th Aueust <2. i.). Thanks are due to the following contributors for a good crop of vertebrate records in a year which for devotees of other groups has been rather disappointing. Contributors Mr. Armstrong; R. Aubrey'(R.A.); B. R. Baker=(B.R.B.)s Mark Baker; Mrs. Begbie; Mrs. E. M. Carter (E.C.); Dr. M. Jd. Dumbleton (M.D.); Mrs. Edmondson; A. J. Elkins (A.E.); H. JasMs oBowen‘(HsB?) sh