,:.,'ci^ l-af.. "*; ixtrc;; 1^ ^■•'-■S-.s^'.'V ■ ;;i.w 'y^v' ' ,.*,.,, ill /^vJt ^ ft: '. i <.•--, ■ *' • ■ ,^',.>r^ f-^rcafjifa^'"- '' I THE IRISH NATURALIST ^ Mtontl)!^ Journal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY ORGAN OF THE Royal Zoological Society of Ireland ; Dublin Mici'oscopical Club ; Belfast Naturalists' Field Club ; Dublin Naturalists' Field Club ; Cork Naturalists' Field Club KDITED BY GEORGE H. CARPENTER. D.Sc. M.R.I A. R. LLOYD PRAEGER. BJi., D.Sc, M.R.LA. AND ROBERT j. WELCH, M.R.I.A. VOL XXXI. DUBLIN: EASON & SON, LIMITED. 80 MIDDLE ABBEY STREET. BELFAST. 17 DONEGALL STREET. LONDON : SIMPKIN. MARSHALL. HAMILTON. KENT & CO.. LTD. 1922. 7 ''y? CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PRESENT VOLUME. Abbot, W. ]M., Fermoy. Baring, Hon. Cecil,' Lambay. Bell, Robert, Belfast. Bingham, J. N., Belmullet, Co. Mayo. Brunker, j. P., Dublin. Bi'RKiTT, J. P., Ennibkillen. ITl'tler, James G., Bagnalstown. C, J., Belfast. Carpenter, Prof. George H., d.sc, Dublin. Chase, Corrip: D., Belfast Clampett, G. T., Dublin. Cole, Prof. Grenville A. J., d.sc, Dublin. Cott, H. B., Athlonc. Delap, M. J., \'alcntia Island. Dixon, H. X., Northampton. Farran, G. p., Dublin, F08TER, Nevin H., Hillsborough. Friend, Rev. Hilderic, Birmingham.. Grekr, Thomas, StcAvartstown. Halbert, J. N., Dublin. Harrison, Athole, Dublin. HiNCH, J. DE W., Dublin. Johnson, Rev. W. F., Rostrevor. Langham, Sir Charles, Bart., Tempo Manor, Enniskillen. Lee, William A., Roek Ferry, Cheshire. Le Fanu, T. v.. Bray. Loewenthal, Joan Elsa, Belfast. ]\Iassy, a. L., Baily, Co. Dublin. Moffat, C. B., Dublin. Pack-Beresford, Denis R., Feiiagh, Co. Carlow. Pack-Beresford, R., Athlone. Phibbs, Geoffrey, Dublin. Porter, Lilian, Cork. Scharff, R. F., PH.D., Bray. ScLATER, W. L., London Scully, Reginald W., Dundrum, Dublin. Stelfox, a. W., Dublin. Stendall, J. A., Sidney-, Belia.'st. Stone Y, C. V., Raphoe. Welch, Robert J., Belfast. ILLUSTRATIONS Page Hypoderma bovis and H. lineatum . . . .26 Calliphora sp. . . . . . . .27 Hypoderma bovis ...... 28 Hypoderma bovis . . . . . .29 PLATE. Ernest W. L. Holt . . . . .to face 97 INDEX. Abbott, W. 'M. : Squirrels in Co. Cork, Baring, Cecil : Kiuens at Lanibii}', Bats : Common, 12 ; Hairy-armed, in Co. Down, J5 ; Long-cared, Habits of, 103. Bees and Clovers, 8g. Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, 24, 31. 15. 7".- ^^"». ^7' 9^'. 131. 139. Bell, Alfrt-.l : " British Oysters, Past and l^resent " (noticed), 33. Bell, Robert : Swans on Strangford Lough, 140. Bingham, J. X. : Combats of Butter- flies, Si. Birds : Birtl Life of Dublin City, 37 ; Bird Protection in Ulster, ^^^ ; fUrds of Hillsbonjugh, Co. Down, 12 ; Birds of InishboJin, 3 f ; Rare Binls in Ulster, 113 ; Song of Birds, jj, 117. Bombus sylvarum in Ireland, 10. Botanical Notes from S.E. Wexford, 100. British Association, 103. Brunker, J. P. : Plants of County Dublin, 94. Burkitt, J. P. : Song of Birds, jj, 117. Butler, James G. : Eskers of Ireland, Butterflies : Combats, bi ; Habits, 81 ; Habits of Red Admiral and Painted Lady, Gi. C, J. : Hares in the Cit\- of Belfast, 84. Calocoris striatus at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, 32. Carpenter, (leorge H. : Furtlier Observations on Life-History ot Warble-Flies, 77. Chase, Corrie D. : County Down Plants, 93. Clampett, G. T. : Irish Cieography. " The Provinces of Ireland," ed. by G. Fletcher (review), 91. Clo\ers, Bees and, 89. Coccus, Felted Beech, in Ireland, 96. Cole, Grenville A. J. : Alleged Eruption of Knocldayd, 85 ; " British Associa- tion ... — A Retrospect . . . ," by O. J. R. Howarth (review), 103. Collembola, Some Irish, 2]. Corncrake in December, ji>. Cott, H. B. : Notes on the Birds of Inishbofin, 34. Curlew's ICggs in ^^'ild L>uck's NeSt, Cybele Hibernica, cd. II., 116. Deliip, M. J. : Breeding of Fulmar Petrel in Ireland, 130 ; Swans in Valentia Harbour, 140. Diptera at Poyntzpass in 1921, 66. Dixon, If. N. : Butterlh Habits, 81. Duck, Wild, Curlew's Eggs in Nest of, Dublin Microscopical Club, 7, 2ji, 31, 137- Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, 46, 60, 80, 137. Encliytraeids, Irish, in the Faroes, 112. Erui)tion of Knocklayd, Alleged, 83. Eskers of Ireland, ^^^, 36. Eucalyptus globulus in County Wicklow, 131. Euchloe cardamines, Ciyiiandroniorphs of, in East Tyrone, 139. Farran, G. P. : Ijnest W. L. Holt (Obituary'), 97. Fletcher, G., ed. of " Provinces of Ireland " (reviewed), 91. :ii35'7 VI Index. Foster, Xevin H. : Birds of Hills- borough, Co. Down (noticed), 12 ; An Earl}^ Swallow, 55 ; Hairy- armed Bat in Co. Down, ^^. Friend, Hilderic : Irish Enchytraeids in the Faroes. Light on the question of Distribution, 112. Fulmar : Breeding in Ireland, 129, 130 ; Breeding on Rathlin Island, 56 ; Egg^ — an Irish Example, 96. Geography, Irish, 91. Gonia fasciata in Fermanagh, 32. Greer, Thomas : Gynandromorphs of Euchloe carda mints in East Tyrone, 139- Gull and Golf Ball, 140. Halbert, J. N. : Calocoris striatus at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow, ^z ; INIagdalis carbonaria and Other Insects at Powerscourt, 8. Hares in the City of Belfast, 84. Harrison, Athole : Bird Life of Dubhn City, 37. Hawk-Moth, Humming-bird, in De- cember, 54. Helicella heripensis : supposed Occurrence in Ireland, 11. Hinch, J. de W. : Eskers of Ireland, ■ 30. Holt, Ernest W. L. (Obituary Notice), 97- Horniman Museum, 116. Howarth, O. J. R. : " British Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science. — A Retrospect, 1831-1921 " (rcviewecl), 103. H3anenopte»-a : at Poyntzpass in 1921, 66 ; Parasitic, from Co. Wexford, 55' Hypoderma, Larval INJouth-Hooks of, 25- Insects at Carlingford, Co. Louth, 13. " Irish Naturahst," 65 ; Thirty Years' "Work of, I. Jameson, Henry Lyster (Obituary Notice), 49. Johnson, W. F. : Corncrake in Decem- ber, 56 ; Diptera and Hymenoptera at Poyntzpass iu 1921, 66 ; Humming-bird ITawk-2^Ioth in De- cember, 54 ; Insects at Carlingford, Co. Louth, 13, Knock^ayd, Alleged Eruption of, 85. Lacerta vivipara at Whitehead, 82. Langham, Sir Charles : Forms of Pieris napi taken in County Fer- managh, 42 ; Gonia fasciata in Fermanagh, 32. Lee, \Villiam A. : Eucalyptus globulus in County Wicklow, 131 ; Irish Sphagna, 18. Le Fanu, T. V. : Squirrel in Ireland, 83- Lichens on Veronica Travcrsii, 48. Littorella lacustris, 130. Lizard, Brown, at Whitehead, 82. Loewenthal, Joan Elsa : Hares in the Citv of Belfast, 8_i. Miigdahs carbonaria and other Insects at I'owerscourt, 8. JMassy, A. L. : Black Redstart on Hill of Howth, 36. IMilhgan, H. N. : " The Horniman ^luseum : A Handbook to . . . Collections illustrating . . Animal Kingdom" (reviewed), 116. ^Nlites as guests in Ants' nests, 10. iNIoffat, C. B. : Habits of Long-Eared Bat, 103 ; HaWts of Red Admiral and Painted Lady Butterflies, 61 ; Two sma'l Parasitic Hymenoptera from Co. Wexford, ^j ; What Bats are common, 12, .Aluseuin Handbook, A review of H. X. Milligan's " The Horniman Musouni . . . ," IT^). National Museum, Dublin, 47. Ntchols, A. R., 47. Index. Vll Obituary: Holt, iMiiest W . L., 1,7; Jameson, Henry J.ystcr, _j(j. Oysters, Britisli, Past and Present, 33. Pack-Beresford, Denis R. : New and Rare Irisli Spiders, 126. Pack-Beresford, R. : Curlew's Eggs in Wild Duck's nest, 72. Petrel, Fulmar, see Fulmar. Pliibbs, Geoffrey : Farval Moutli- Hooks of Hypoderma, 2^. Pieris napi. Forms of, taken in County Fermanagh, ^2, Plants : Count}' Down, 95 ; Count}' Dublin, 94 ; S.E. Wexford, 100. Poa compressa, 93. Porter, I^ilian : Licliens on Veronica. Traversii, 48, " Provinces of Ireland," ed. b}' G. Fletcher (reviewed), 91. Ravens at Lambay, 34, Redstart, Black, on Hill of Howth. 36. Reviews : O. J. R. Howarth's " British Association, ..." 103 ; H. X. ]\Iilligan's " Horniman INIuseum . . .," 116 ; " Pnninces of Ireland," 91. Royal Zoological Society, 30, 37, 113. Scharff, R. F., 17. Scharfl, R. F. : Henry Lyster Jameson (Obituar}'), .|9 ; Is the Squirrel a Native Irish Species, 31 ; Notes on the Irish Sheep, 73 ; Thirt}' Years' Work of the " Irish Naturalist," i ; The Wolf in Ireland, 133. Sclater, W. L. : The " Zoological Record," 72. Scully, Reginald W. ; Air. Stelfox and Cybele II., 11 9. t^neals, Alfred : " R*are Birds in Ulster" (noticed), 113. Sheep, Irish, Notes on, 73. Shoebotham, John W. : Some Irish Collembola (noticed), 24. Sphagna,, Irish, 18. Spiders, New and Kare Irish, 126. Squirrels : In Co. Cork, 83 ; In Ireland, ^}, ; Native Irish Species, 31. Stelfox, A. W. : Bees and Clovers. A Day on the Murrough of Wicklow, 89 ; Bombus syl varum in Ireland, 10 ; Botanical Notes from S.E. Wexford, 100 ; Helicella heripensis . . . II ; IJttorella lacustris in Co. Dublin, 130 ; Elites as guests in Ants' nests, 10 ; Poa compressa survives, 93. Stendall, J. A. Sidney : Egg of Fulmar Petrel — an Irish Example, 96 ; Felted Beech Coccus in Ireland, 96 ; Fulmar breeding on Rathlin Island, 56. Stoney, C. V, : Breeding of Fulmar Petrel in Ireland, 129 ; Breeding of Roseate Tern in Ireland, 129. Swallow, An Early, 33. Swans : In Valentia Harbour, 140 ; On Strangford Tough, 140. Tern, Roseate, Breeding of, in Ireland, 129. Trichoniscus roseus at Belfast, 82. Ulster Society for the Protection of Birds, 33. Veronica Traversii, Lichens on, 48. Warble-Flies, Observations on Life- History of, 77. Welch, Robert J., 63. Welch, R, J. : Brown Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, at Whitehead, '^2 ; Gull and Golf Brdl, i.|0 ; Trichoniscus roseus at Belfast, 82. Wolf in Ireland, 133. " Zoological Record," 72. 8[lj^ Irislj VOLUME XXXI. THIRTY YEARS' WORK OF THE " IRISH NATURALIST," BY R. F. SCHARFF. It is a difficult task briefly to review the contents of the thirty volumes of the Irish Naturalist, or give credit to the many scientific workers who contributed to its pages. But it was suggested to me to attempt such a review so as CO give those who may not be acquainted with this Journal some idea of its aims and of the amount and usefulness of the information contained in it. The Journal was founded in the year 1892 to enable the many observers in all branches of Natural History in Ireland to compare notes and to make known to the public the results of their work. It was felt by those who met together in Dublin to discuss the matter that a journal of this kind would bring the young naturalists in Ireland into closer touch with one another and with the great national institutions, the Dublin Museum, and the Botanic and Zoological Gardens. Fortunately two distinguished naturalists, namely, G. H, Carpenter of Dublin, and Robert Lloyd Praeger who then resided in Belfast, were willing to edit the journal. It thus brought together the many observers living in these two great centres of education, while all the natural history societies of Ireland supported the movement. The governing bodies of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society, the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, the Dublin NaturaHsts' Field Club, the Dublin 2 The Irish 'Naturalist. January^ Microscopical Club, and the Cork and Armagh Naturalists' Field Clubs, accorded a hearty welcome to the new magazine^ The editors reminded us that a study of natural science has a most important bearing on the industries of the countr}'^ and that they hoped by spreading scientific information and encouraging scientific tastes, to have some influence for good on the labours of the people generally. In a scientific journal like the Irish Naturalist with a necessarily small circulation neither the editors nor the contributors receive any remuneration. Their labour is- given free of charge because they are keenly interested in spreading a taste for natural history among the people and because they enjoy work which advances our knowledge of nature. During the thirty years' existence of the journal many articles and notes of the greatest interest have been published. Scores of species of animals and plants new to science have been described in its pages and hundreds that had not previously been recorded from this country. At the conclusion of the twenty-fifth volume an author index was published, and anyone who is anxious to know the names of the contributors and the subjects of their contributions in the twenty-five volumes can refer to it. I need, therefore, only give a general survey of the subjects dealt with and mention the names of a few of the more prominent authors. Natural Hibtory in a wide sense includes Zoology^ Botany and Geology, and nearly all the papers that appeared in the thirty volumes can be easily grouped under these three headings. A few are of wider scope or are only indirectly connected with these subjects. Mr. Praeger was chiefly instrumental in bringing about an Union of the various Irish Naturalists' Field Clubs. This Union met from time to dme at different places when subjects of scientific interest were discussed, and special observations were made on the natural history and archaeology of the district. Full reports of these conferences were published in the Irish Naturalist. The journal also contains most valuable reviews of the natural history books issued during the past thirty years and reports of the Proceedings of all the Irish natural history societies. The Royal Irish 1922. ScHARFF. — Thirty Years' Work of the Irish Naturalist. 3 Academy's Fauna and Flora Committee and the Fisheries Branch of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction published a large number of valuable papers on the natural history of Ireland. Abstracts or reviews of all these as well as of all papers relating to Irish zoology, botany or geology in British or foreign journals are to be found in the pages of the Irish Naturalist. It will only be necessary now to allude to the more prominent original papers contained in the journal. General Subjects. — The editors have contributed articles on the meetings of the British Association in Dublin and Belfast and on the Clare Island Survey. Prof. Carpenter WTote on the peculiar mingling of animals of southern and northern origin, on the " Dublin Museum and Irish Naturahsts " and on " Useful Studies for Field Naturalists." Mr. Praeger's papers dealt with Irish Field Clubs, the Irish Field Club Union, the Fauna and Flora of Clonbrock, the Conferences of Kenmare, Sligo, Galway and Rosapenna, Irish Caves, the Bog-burst disaster in County Kerry, an Expedition to Rockall, ten years' work of the Fauna and Flora Committee, a method of representing Geographical Distribution, the origin of the Fauna and Flora of Lambay, and Derc Ferna, or the Cave of Dunmore. Historical notes on Lambay was the title of a paper by the Honourable Cecil Baring. The subject of caves was treated by several authors. Among them may be noted accounts of visits to Mitchelstown Cave by E. A. Baker and by E. A. Martel ; Blackwater Cavern by J. H. Comyn and by R. W. Evans, H. J. Molony and E. C. Ronayne ; Ovens Cave by R. W. Evans ; and the Cave of Cloyne by F. H. Maberley. R. J. Ussher wrote on Castlepook Cave in County Cork and on " Cave Hunting." " The Aran Islands, a study in Ethnography " was the title of an article b}^ Professor A. C. Haddon. N. Colgan chose as subjects " An Irish Naturalist in Spain," " The Folk Lore of Irish Plants and Animals," and " Irish Animal Names." C. B. Moffat's contributions entitled " The Struggle for Existence " were the hrst published exposition of that principle of claim to " territory " by birds during the breeding season, which is now regarded as most important by many omithologLst.-i. A 2 4 The Irish Naturalist. January The late Sir R. LI. Patterson dwelt on the changes on the foreshore of Belfast Lough- and W. F. de V. Kane on Recent Progress in Irish Natural History. Recent Irish Glaciers was the subject discussed by the late G. H. Kinahan. R. Welch described the Gobbins Cliffs and Caves and a new Irish Museum in Belfast. Prof. Gregg Wilson communicated an essay on the proposed Marine Laboratory for Ulster. A few more subjects may be mentioned, namely, Three Weeks in South Kerry by F. Bouskell, the State of Ireland by R. Southern, and finally Provincial Museums and the Irish Names of Animals by myself. Zoology. — As might be expected in a magazine devoted to the natural history of a definite geographical area, the zoological papers in the Irish Naturalist have been largely faunistic in scope. The Reports of the Field Club Union Conferences at Galway, Sligo and Kenmare included lists of animals of various groups with many new records, and the Survey of Lambay in which many observers collaborated was a fairly complete piece of faunistic work, which led up to the monographic work on Clare Island afterwards under- taken by the Royal Irish Academy. Among local records of various groups of animals may be specially mentioned papers on collections from the Mitchelstown Cave by Carpenter, and from the MacGillicuddy's Reeks b}' Carpenter and Scharff. Many papers on Irish Vertebrates have appeared during the thirty years. Among Mammals, the most noteworthy work has been done on the Irish Bats ; the series of papers by the late N. H. Alcock and C. B. Moffat on the habits of native species — the Whiskered, Long-eared and Hairy- armed — contain valuable material for the student of European Mammals. Articles on Birds have, of course, been very numerous, papers setting forth detailed statistics as ' to species breeding in various districts of Ireland by R. J. Ussher and R. Warren, and articles on migrants by R. M. Barrington are m.emorials of tlie work of those three great ornithologists and of the keen interest which they showed in this magazine. Much of their work was subse- quently incorporated in their well known books. Mention must also be made of the vivid account of the habits of 1922. ScHARFF. — Thirty Years'' Work of the Irish Naturalist. 5 many common birds contributed by C. B. Moffat and J. P. Burkitt, and the observations on migrants at lighthouses by Prof. C. J. Patten. Articles of much interest were contributed also by the late Rev. Dr. C. W. Benson, and G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton, by D. C. Campbell, W. E. Praeger, R. F. Ruttledge, and many others. Early in the career of the Irish Naturalist the present writer discussed the " native " standing of the Common Fiog in Ireland, and was opposed in his opinion by W. F. de V. Kane. E. W. L. Flolt wrote on new Irish Fishes, and C. T. Regan on Irish Char. Turning to invertebrate animals, my list of Irish Land and Freshwater MoUusca published in the first volume has been followed up by a series of valuable papers on particular species or the fauna of special districts by Rev. E. W. Bowell, Prof. A. E. Boycott, R. A. PhilUps, A. W. Stelfox and R. Welch. Important anatomical and s^^stematic work on Vitrina, Limnaea, Pisidium and other genera is included. Marine Mollusca have been dealt with in papers by N. Colgan, G. W. Chaster, A. R. Nichols and other conchologists. Our knowledge of Irish Insects has been materially advanced by the work of F. Balfour Browne, G. H. Carpenter, J. N. Halbert, Rev. W. F. Johnson, the late W. F. de V. Kane, D. R. Pack-Beresford, and others embodied in an extensive series of systematic and bionomic articles and local lists. Besides the more familiar Lepidop- tera and Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and the lowl}/ Apterygota are dealt with in these papers. Irish Arachnida have been dealt mth by G. H. Carpenter, D. W. Freeman, J. N. Halbert and D. R. Pack-Beresford, and Crustacea by R. H. Creighton, W. F. de V. Kane and others. The terrestrial Crustacea (Oniscoidea) have been listed and described bv the writer of this article and N. H. Foster, while Rev. FI. Friend, R. Southern and others have dealt with various groups of worms. R. Hanitsch's paper on Irish Freshwater Sponges is noteworthy as the earliest pronouncement on the definitely American element in the Irish fauna, though his supposed three transatlantic species have been reduced to one by the subsequent work of Mrs. Scharff. 6 The Irish Naturalist. January, Botany. — As is usual vdth journals devoted to natural history in its wdder sense, Flowering Plants have bulked large in the pages of the Irish Naturalist. Most of the discoveries of the last thirty years have been announced in its pages, and such important works as Colgan's " Flora of the County Dublin," Scully's " Flora of County Kerry," and Praeger's " Irish Topographical Botany " have been foreshadowed by papers by the respective authors in this magazine. Floral survey work has indeed taken a leading place, and the papers published include accounts of the flora of the Fergus Estuary and the barony ol Shanid, Central Clare, Achill Island, Clare Island, Inishturk, the Mullet, the Ferm.anagh hills, the Antrim plateau, and County Armagh ; revisions with many additions of the flora of the Blaskets, Inishmore (Aran Islands), Inishbofin, Lambay ; and im.portant contributions to the flora of Kerry, Wexford, Westmeath and Dublin. Among the writers of these papers are N. Colgan, Miss Knowles, H. C. Levinge, C. B. Moffat, Miss C. O'Brien, R. A. Phillips, R. LI. Praeger, and R. W. Scully. Other papers have discussed the characters or occurrence or distribution in the country of certain special plants, such as Potamogeton imdulatns (A. Bennett), Vicia Orobus (C. J. Lilly), Lathyrns maritirmts (R. W. Scully), Spiranthes Romanzoffiana (W. J. C. Tomlinson), Erica Siuarti (E. F. Linton), Lastrea remota, Asplenium Adiantum-nignim var. acMtum, and Equisetum litorale (R. LI. Praeger), Adclanthiis dugortiensis (H. W. Lett), Peziza Adae (J. Strachan) or of groups of plants, large or small, such as Helosciadium (H. J. Riddelsdell), Fumaria (R. LI. Praeger), Characeae (J. Groves and G. R. Bullock- Webster) , Rubi and Rosae (R. A. Phillips, W. Moyle Rogers, R. W. Scully, &c.), and many papers on the lower Cryptogams, including Mosses and Hepatics, (J. H. Davies, H. W^ Lett, D. McArdle, C. H Waddell, &c.). Fungi (J. Adams, W. B. Grove, E. J McWeeney, G. Pirn, Carleton Rea, &c.) ; Lichens (J Adams, M. C. Knowles, &c.) ; Algae (E. A. L. Batters J. Adams, A. D. Cotton, Miss Duke, M.Foslie, Miss Hensman T. Johnson, &c.) ; and Mycetozoa (W. F. Gunn, Carleton Rea, Mrs. Stelfox, C. Torrend, &c.). Except among the 1922. ScHARFF. — Thirty Years' Work of the Irish Naturalist. 7 Lichens and lower Algae, in which groups the Irish workers have been too few in recent years, there is hardly a genus in the whole Irish flora which has not come in for some attention in the pages of the Irisli Naturalist. In Geology the record is not so extensive, as that science has fewer votaries than zoology or botany. Nevertheless, the geological contributions form a large arra}^ when brought together. They reflect excellently the field-work of the last thirty 3'ears, which has been largely concerned with the elucidation of the surface deposits of our country, and man}^ of them deal with the period which ranges from the pre-Glacial raised beacli of the South of Ireland to recent Kitchen-middens. Glacial deposits and their contained fossils, or Glacial phenomena, are discussed by Joseph Wright, Maxwell Close, Prof. Sollas, Prof. Cole, Mellard Reade, Callagan, Kilroe, Hallissy, W. B. Wright, A. Bell, Hinch and Praeger, and the succeeding warmer period which culminated in Neolithic times is discussed by Hinch and Praeger. There are contributions on the older rocks by R. C. Carruthers, H. B. Muff, A. H. Foord, R. Kidston, R. Welch, and others, and Prof. Cole writes on the fascinating subject of meteorites. IRISH SOCIETIES. DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. December 14. — The Club met at Leinster House, the President in the chair. Paul A. Murphy showed a rust which was found plentifully on leeks in two cases during the month of December, 192 1. In spite of the time ol the year only the Uredo stage was present. This, however, agreed well with Puccinia Porri (Sow.) Wint., except that the spores were found to have up to six germ pores. The size of the spores was on the average 3ijLt x i^jx- This rust does not appear to be common or to do serious damage, at least in the later stages of the host's growth. Sir F. W. Moore shovv-ed a section of the bark of Eucommia ulmoides in which the solid particles of gutta in many of the cells were clearly visible. The plant, which forms a small tree, comes from fairly high altitudes in central and western China and is hardy in the British Islands. It has received attention as a possible source of supply of gutta percha W. F. GuNN showed a slide of radium salt and demonstrated the disintegration of atoms by loss of helium particles. The emanation was clearly visible against dark background with a No. 3 Leitz objective. 8 The Irish Naturalist. January MAGDALIS CARBONARIA AND OTHER INSECTS AT POWERSCOURT. BY J. N. HALBERT, M.R.I. A. While collecting in the Deerpark at Powerscourt, Co. Wicklow, on the 9th of June, 1919, I found two specimens of the weevil Magdalis carbonaria L., by sweeping bracken growing under Birch, on which tree it usually lives. This insect is an addition to the Irish list ; it should perhaps be mentioned that rather large examples of M. armigera, Fourc, found in the Santry demesne some years ago were mistaken for M. carbonaria and were so recorded. This error was duly corrected in the general list^ of Irish beetles published in 1902. The discovery of undoubted M. car- bonaria in Ireland is, therefore, of interest. It is of very local occurrence in Great Britain, ranging from the Midlands of England northwards and becoming more frequent in Scotland where it has been reported from several localities. Another species which I had long expected to find in the Dublin district is the handsome Elater praeustus, F. Two specimens, evidently just emerged from the pupa stage, were dug out of an old Alder stump lying in the partly dry bed of the River Dargle. The identification of the Irish specimens of this Elater seems to need some further enquiry. Meanwhile Mr. Donisthorpe, in dealing with his Kerry captures, has given reasons for referring them to the above-named species.^ It has been recorded as Elater pomorum, Herbst, from several Irish localities and may be found under this name in the Irish list. Apparently the following species have not been previously recorded from the Dublin district — the longhorn Rhagium inquisitor, F., of which a single specimen was captured flying round an oak tree, and the little boring beetle, Trypodendron domesticum, L., was very busy in a decayed Alder trunk. A specimen of Dryophilus pusillus, Gyll. ^ Proc. R.I. A. (3), vol. vi., p. 817. ^ Irish Naturalist, vol. xxvi., p. 99. 19^^- Halbert. — Magdalis carhonaria and other Insects. 9 was beaten out of Fir, the only previous Irish records are from Meath and Cavan, where it was recently taken by Dr. Nicholson. 1 The rove beetle, Stenus hifoveolatus , Gyll, and Liodes humeralis, Kug. a local species, occurred by sweeping plants in a marshy place to the right of the River Dargle. There were also the following species, which are perhaps worth recording : — Philonthus longicornis Steph., in the bed of the Dargle ; Anaitis ocellata, L., on Larch ; Choleva tristis, Panz. ; Byrrhus pilula, L. ; Helodes mar- ginata, F. ; Telephorns pellucidus, F. ; T. nigricans var. discoideus, Steph. ; and Deporaus hetulae, L. A few of the more interesting beetle denizens of the Deerpark were in evidence, notably Thanasimus formicarius, L. One was swept from bracken and another was sunning itself on an old Holly tree. Melanotus rnfipes, Herbst, Sinodendron cylindricum, L., and Rhopalomesites Tardyi, Curt., were found in their usual habitat — decayed trees. A look-out was kept for the rare ground beetle Calosoma inquisitor, seen flying amongst Oak trees many years ago by Tard}^ ; it still awaits rediscovery. In other insect orders the most interesting capture was the plant bug Calocoris striatus, L., by sw^eeping plants near oak trees. Mr. Haliday included this fine species in his manuscript list of Irish insects, which is now in the library of the Irish National Museum, and there is a specimen in his collection, but no definite locality w^as mentioned by him. Early in June, 1916, I found one on Hawlhorn flowers at Ardfry, in Co. Galway, and Sir Charles Langham tells me it occurs at Tempo in Fermanagh. The only notable Hymenopteron was the large sawfly Cimbex sylvarum, Fab., found on Birch, and referrable to the form with the antennae, tibia, tarsiand the middle segments of the abdomen yellowish — apparently " aberration d " of Cameron.- The two-winged flies (Diptera) were represented by a few in- teresting species, more especially the ichneumon-like Xiphura atrata, seen flying heavily at a little distance from the ground, also at rest on trees. I had previously met ^ Irish Naturalist, vol. xxvi., p. 30. ^ " British Phytophagous Hymenoptera," vol. hi., p. 9. 10 Th& Irish Naturalist, January, with this species in a wood near Tullamore in King's County ; there was also Neoitamus cyanurus, Lw., quite common, but not easy to capture, as it " hawked " after its prey or basked on tree trunks in the hot sun. The Deerpark is in many ways the most interesting locaKty for woodland insects in the vicinity of Dublin, and in spite of the casual visits of entomologists it is a place which should repay further search. National Museum, Dublin. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Mites as guests in Ants' nests. Many animals belonging to diverse orders are known as welcome " guests " in the nests of various species of ants, yet the economic relationship between the ants and their guests is still obscure. In one of the nests o[ Donisthorpea mixta — near Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny — referred to above by Mr. Phillips, I found two species of mites belonging to the well known myrmecophilous genera Antennophorus and Urodiscella. My specimen of the former is a male Antennophorus uhlmanni Hallen : no species of Antennophorus has been recorded from Ireland before. Mr. Halbert (see Clare Island Survey : Acarinida, Proceedings Royal Irish Acad., vol. xxxi., part 39, p. 92), has taken Urodiscella philoctena (Trouess.) in several localities in Ireland in the nests of D. flava, but he is not satisfied that my specimen belongs to the same species. National Museum, Dublin A. W. Stelfox. Bombus sylvarum in Ireland. The late Mr. H. Gore Cuthbert frequently recorded a species of Humble Bee under this name, from various localities in Ireland, generally describing it a,s common. Mr. C. B. Moffat, however, has proved to me that the bee Cuthbert intended was that known as Bombus derhamellus, a closely allied species, though in this country coloured quite differently from B. sylvarum. Freke in his list of Irish Hymenoptera Aculeata {Irish Nat., vol. v., 1896). and Sladen in his book on the British Humble Bees (London, 191 7) both give Cuthbert's records under the true B. sylvarum, the latter stating that B. sylvarum is widely distributed in Ireland. Besides Cuthbert's records 1922. Notes. II for Counties Wexford and Cork, Freke also gives " Portballintrae (Co. Antrim), Rev. W. F. Johnson." A specimen bearing this label stands under B. sylvarum in the National Museum and was passed as correctly named by Sladen when he revised the Irish collection of Humble Bees in 191 1. The specimen in question is, however, nothing more than a very pale dilapidated worker of B. agrorum. How Sladen came to pass it is difficult to imagine. It will be seen, therefore, that the existing Irisli records for B. sylvarum are all erroneous, and on Mr. Moffat's advice I had decided to withdraw the species from the Irish list, when there arrived by post a beautiful living queen of the true B. sylvarum L. This specimen was captured by Mr. R. A. Phillips at Rosslare, Co. Wexford, on the 6th of October last. On this queen, I believe, rests the sole claim of B. sylvarum for inclusion in the Irish fauna. A. W. Stelfox. National Museum, Dublin. Helicella heripensis : supposed Occurrence in Ireland. Helicella heripensis Mabille is a snail closely related to our common H. inter sect a Poir. [H. caper ata Mont.). In Great Britain it occurs abundantly in the south-eastern counties, extending its range westward into Wales and northward to Yorkshire. In March, 1920, Prof. A. E. Boycott wrote me saying that amongst the MS. for a new edition of the " Census," left by the late Mr. W. Denison Roebuck, he had discovered an authenticated record for H. heripensis for Co. Kildare. Subsequently he found the specimens which he forwarded to me for examination — two " dead " shells (one broken) : both typical H. heripensis. The label attached to the shells read as follows : — " Camp ground about 3 miles north of Kildare. E. Stainton, 1 4/3/1 8. Under stones and debris in a dry ditch. Situation rather dry, but sheltered." The shells were associated in the box with some Hygroniia hispida. apparently collected at the same time. The label shows Mr. Stainton to have been a careful collector, but on inquiry he was unable to give me any further information about the shells, and apparently was not aware when he collected them to what species they belonged. It is now necessarj^ to ask merely whether two dead shells collected on a camp ground can be taken as proof that the species is native or even lives in Ireland. Would it not be safer to await confirmation in the shape of living speci- mens from a more natural piece of ground ? Yet in the Census of the Conchological Society, just published, the shell is definitely recorded for Co. Kildare, so that the record cannot be ignored, though personally I am inclined to regard the Kildare specimen as having been imported from England or the Continent with war stores, possibly fodder for horses. A. W. Stelfox. National Museum, Dublin. 12 . The Irish Naturalist. January, 1922. Birds of Hillsborough, Co. Down. In an interesting paper by Nevin H. Foster {Proc. Belfast Nat. Hist. and Phil. Soc, 1920-1921) a list of the birds of the neighbourhood of the village of Hillsborough, with notes on the habits and distribution of the different species is given. The district referred to is a small circular area eight miles in diameter with Hillsborough as centre, and situated chiefly in Co Down but partly also in Co. Antrim. The list contains 109 species (exclusive of those whose status is doubtful;, of which 76 have been known to breed in the district, a large number for so small an area. The paper has been mostly compiled from the writer's notes since 1902, and all the available avifaunal records have been consulted and included, so that the list cannot but be regarded as nearly complete. It may be stated that all the specimens of Coal Titmouse obtained in the district are referred in the paper to Pavus ater britannicus,' also that no specimens ol P. a. hiberniciis has been observed although closely looked for, and that no mention is made of the occurrence of an inter- mediate form. The size and weight of eggs taken in the district are recorded. What Bats are common ? The difficulty of distinguishing different species of bats on the wing is a cause of much uncertainty as to which species are common in Ireland, and which the reverse. I, therefore, think it well to ask the Irish Naturalist to publish the result of a record I have kept of the bats (fifty- five in number) that were brought to me for identification at Ballyhyland since I began paying special attention to these animals. They were as follows : — Pipistrelle {Pipistrellns pipistrellus) . . 37 Long-eared Bat [Plecotus auritus) . . . . 10 Hairy-armed or Leisler's Bat [Nyctalus Leisleri) 6 Whiskered Bat [Myotis mystacinus) . . . . 2 55 I think these figures are satisfactory evidence that the Whiskered Bat is much the scarcest of the four species named (at least in County Wexford), and the Pipistrelle considerably the commonest. The Long-eared Bat, however, would have been brought to me more frequently but for the fact that it is so easily recognised and is well known not to be rare. The high-flying habits and strong flight of the Hairy-armed Bat are also probably among the reasons for its being seldom captured. Neither of these considerations will apply to the Whiskered Bat, which flies low, like the Pipistrelle, and in similar situations. Daubenton's Bat, though known to occur in the neighbourhood, was never taken, and is probabl\ still less common than the Whiskered. C. B. Moffat. Dublin. February, 1922. The Irish Naturalist. [3 INSECTS AT CARLTNGFORD, CO. LOUTH. BY REV. VV. F. JOHNSON, M.A., F.E.S. I SPENT June, 192 1, at Carlingford, and was much disap- pointed at the results of my search for insects there. The prevaiHng winds were easterly, and the sun was often ob- scured by cloud ; these conditions were unfavourable to my collecting, as my attention was especially directed to the Hymenoptera, and they are creatures which, in the main, only move about in sunshine. Another cause of lack of insects was the drought, which set in at the latter part of May. It seemed not only to dry up the ground, but the insects also. I suspect a good many were unable to emerge owing to the hardness of the earth. It was only by diligent collecting at favourable opportunities that I was able to get together the insects noted below. My best locality was a field path running from what is called the Blind Lane to the Greenore Road. The pathway was along the hedge, and this contained the usual miscellaneous assortment of bushes and plants, and at one part had quite a quantity of Bracken fern growing on it. I walked to Greenore one day, hoping to meet with some Aculeata, but just took two and a Dipteron, not very encouraging after tramping four miles along a dusty road ; I need scarcely say I did not go back again. Among the Butterflies I met with only the common species, except the Painted Lady, of which two battered specimens made their appearance at the end of the month. I was very pleased to meet with the beautiful White Plume Moth, Aciptila pcntadactyla, though I only got a single specimen. I had not met with it since I took it in numbers at Rosses Point in 1905.^ I knocked it up one afternoon on the field path. Ennychia cingulata occurred on the lower slope of the mountain ; I only met with one specimen, I was surprised that I did not see any moths in the evening ^ Irish Naturalist, xiv,, 1905, p. 252. 14 The Irish Naturalist, February, at the Red Valerian, which grows so abundantty on the old walls at the castle and elsewhere. Possibly if I had gone out about midnight (summer time) I might have seen some, but being no longer young I preferred to go to bed. I picked up a few Dipt era, mostty, it will be seen, belonging to the Syrphidae, for that is the section I am best acquainted with. I give Catahomba selenitica and Syrphus labiatarum with some reserve, as they are somewhat critical species and I have no types. Among the Stratiomyidae are some very beautiful flies, e.g., Odontoniyia viridula in green and black, and Chloromyia formosa in most brilliant shining green. Its furry body gives Bomby litis canescens a very remarkable appearance. I had hoped to get a good many Aculeata, but the meagre list presented tells the tale of my disappointed hopes. I think that the fine warm weather of May had brought them on earlier than usual, so that most were over when I arrived on the scene. The wet season of last year undoubtedly helped to reduce their numbers, for I did not see anything like the usu?l number about Poyntz- pass. The most p^lentiful bee was Andrena faccata, especially males ; they were all over the place, and I kept catching them, only to find that I had got what I did not want. I got a few A. nana, a species I had not met with before, and which, so far as I know, has only been recorded frc>m the extreme south of Ireland (Cork and Kerry). I did much better with the Sawflies, though I was, of course, too late for the early spring species. Most of these were taken along the field path, but Pachyprotasis rapae was captured on the old Omeath road in a rather peculiar manner. First one flew on to Mrs. Johnson's dress, and, as she had not her net with her, she called to me, and I duly captured it. Three days later we were strolling along the same road, from which there were very beautiful views up and down the lough, when Mrs. Johnson pointed out to me a Sawfly sitting on a frond of Bracken ; I duly captured it, and it proved to be a second specimen of this species. My best capture was Amauronematus vidnatus Zett., a 1922. Johnson. Insects at Carlingford, Co. Louth. 15 species which is not mentioned by Cameron/ but which, according to Konow,^ ranges through middle and northern Europe to Mongoha and Siberia. Quite a number of Selandria stramineipes occurred among Bracken along the held path, but I could only get females. T hoped at first that I had got S. analis, but found I was mistaken. Rhogogaster auctipariae and Tenthredopsis Coquehertii were abundant, and Allantiis arcuatus and A. Perkinsi were beginning to appear before I left. As most of my attention was given to the Ichneumon Flies, their list is naturally the longest. I was greatly delighted to capture a second speci- men of Euryproctiis (Hypamblys) buccatus Hlgr. I took it on June 7th, in the afternoon between 3 and 5 p.m. My notebook says, " hot sun, cold wind, not much about." This specimen is a male ; the one I took at Po\mtzpass^ was a female. The Stenichneumon culpator which I took is entirely black, but being a female, the coxal processes identify it, and Morley^ mentions such a form. Ambly teles subsericans is an uncommon form, having the scutellum entirely black. It will be noticed that my list of Pimplinae is very short, but they seem not to appear so early. I always get plenty of them in July and August, and even later. Among the Tryphoninae Bassiis variicoxa occurred in numbers at a bed of thistles on the shore. Probably they were attracted by Syrphid larvae feeding on the Aphides which infested the thistles. Catoglyptus fortipes was very abundant, flying among the Bracken along the field path, in fact I got quite to know their flight and so avoid catching them. I only met with one solitary Braconid, Meteorus jaculator, of which I captured a male on the field path. COLEOPTERA. Otiorrhynchus ligneiis Ol. Clonus scrophulariae L. 1 ■' Monograph of British Pliytophagous Hy menoptera. " 2 Wytsman's " Genera Insectorum," Tenthredinidae. ^ Irish Naturalist, xxix., 1920, p. 19. * " British Ichneumons," vol. i., p. 43, A i i6 Tke Irish Naiurahst. Februaiv, LEPIDOPTERA. Pieris brassicae. P. rapae. P. napi. Euchloe cardamines. Vanessa urticae. Pyrameis cardui, Pararge egeria. P. megaera. Epipnephele janira. Chrysophanus phlaeas. Polyommatus icarus. Anaitis plagiata. Amoebe (Larentia) viridaria. Aciptila pentadactyla. Ennychia cingulata. DIPTERA. Syrphidae. Pipiza noctiluca L. P. notata Meig. Chrysogaster calybeata Meig. Chilosia variabilis Panz. Platychirus albimanus Fab. Catabomba sclenitica Meig. Syrphus ribesii L, S. labiatarum Verrall. Baccha obscuripennis Meig. Chrysotoxum bitinctum L. Syritta pipiens L. Sericomyia borealis Fallen. Oxycera tnlineata Fab. Stratiomy ; furcata Fab. Stratiomyidae. Odontomyia viridula Fab. Chloromyia formosa Scop. BOMBYLIDAE. Bombylius canescens Mikan (female, taken at Greenore). HYMENOPTERA. Tenthredinidae. Dineura testaceipes Kl. Pontania vesicator Bremi. Amauronematus viduatus Zett. Pachynematus vagus F. Athalia lineolata Lep. Selandria stramineipes Kl. Thrinax macula Kl. Strongylogaster cingulatus F. Empria (Poecilosoma) pulverata Retz. Dolerus picipes Kl. D. aeneus Hartig. Rhogogaster aucupariae Kl. Tenthredopsis Coquebertii Kl. T. palmata Geoff. T. gibberosa Knw. T. tiliae Panz., var. inornata Knw. T. tiliae Panz., var. dorsata^ Knw. Pachyprotasis rapae L. Allantus arcuatus Foest. A. Perkinsi Morice. Tenthredella livida L. T. moniliata Kl. ^ 1 have worked out the last four species according to Mr, Morice's Tables in his " Help Notes." 192 2. Johnson — Insects at Carling/ord, Co. Louth. 17 Pemphredon lethifer Shuck. Crabro dimidiatus Fab, Halictus fulvicornis K. Andrena jacobi Perkins, var. Perkins. A. fucata Sm. A. nana K. ACULEATA. A. wilkella K. Nomada goodeniana K. N, ruficornis L. (also at scotica Greenore). N. fiavoguttata K. Psithyrus barbutellus Fourcrier (Greenore). ICHNEUMONIDAE. Stenichneumon culpator Schr, Cratichneumon sicarius Gr. C. fabricator F. Barichneumon albicinctus Gr, Ichneumon suspiciosus Wesm. I. caloscelis Wesm, I. computatorius Mull. I. subquadratus Thoms. Amblyteles subsericans Gr, Dicaelotus rufilimbatus Gr. Alomyia debellator Fab, type and var, nigra Gr. Microcryptus arrogans Gr. M, brachypterus Gr, Glyphichnemis profligator Fab. Phygadeuon rufulus Gmel., var. afflictor Gr, P. brevitarsis Thoms, P. inflatus Thoms, Exolytus laevigatus Gr. Pycnocryptus peregrinator L., and var. analis Gr. Cryptus albatorius Vill,, var. titubator Thnb. Goniocryptus plebejus Tschek, Pimpla arctica Zett. P. turioneliae L., also var. rufitibia Morley, and strigipleuris Thoms. P. maculator Fab, P. oculatoria Fab. Phytodiaetus coryphaeus Gr, Exochus prosopius Gr. Bassus variicoxa Thoms. Homocidus biguttatus Gr. H. pectoratorius Gr. H. tarsatorius Panz. H. dimidiatus Schr. H. pictus Gr. Mesoleius virgultorum Gr. M, rufonotatus Hlgr. M. dorsalis Gr. M. ignavus Hlgr. Catoglyptus fortipes Gr. Euryproctus (Hypamblys) buc- catus Hlgr, Polyblastus variitarsus Gr. P. sphaerocephalus Gr. P. pastoralis Gr. Campoplex erythrogaster Forst. Sagaritis Holmgreni Tschek. Casinaria ischnogast'^r Thoms. Omorga mutabilis Hlgr. O. multicincta Gr. Olesicampa fulviventris Gmel. Angitia insectator Schr. A. rufipes Gr. A. fenestralis Hlgr. Anilasta ruficincta Gr. Mesochorus fulgurans Curt. Braconidae. Meteorus jaculator Hal. Killincoole, Co Louth 1 8 . . ;...: The Irish Naturalist. February, IRISH SPHAGNA. BY WILLIAM A. LEE. When the late Canon Lett read his Census Report on the Mosses of Ireland before the Royal Irish Academy in 1914 his list of Sphagna, named chiefly with reference to Dr. Braithwaite's " Sphagnaceae of Europe and North America," included, in all, 42 species and varieties. Since that time there has been much controversy as to classification and nomenclature in this group, which even yet is not ended. The practical field-worker has the choice of. retaining the older nomenclature, with the disadvantage of hearing disparagements from competent systematists as to the usefulness of his lists, or he may accept a more recent system with the closer application and more minute study which its use involves. In a paper read before the Liverpool Botanical Society in 1917, Mr. J. A. Wheldon, f.l.s., gave a valuable contribution on the " Collection, Taxonomy, and Ecology of the Sphagna," which was afterwards ex- tended and reprinted from the Lancashire and Cheshire Naturalist in March, 1918. The attitude of this experienced sphagnologist is embodied in a brief quotation here given, which probably expresses the views of many other workers in the same group : — " The numerous forms and varieties recognised by Continental sphagnologists were regarded with disfavour for a long time in this country (England), and even now only receive tardy and partial recognition. I hold no brief for the defence of the Warnstorfian systeni ; it has some defects and many inconsistencies. But, like the Linnean system of classifying Flowering Plants, it is of practical utility, and provides a niche and a name for the vast number of forms that are met with. It is therefore, a useful starting point from which a more perfect system eventually may be evolved when the true affinities and range of variation in species are better understood." The Synopsis of the European Sphagna, compiled for the Moss Exchange Club by Mr. Wheldon, contains a number of Irish records ; but so far as can be ascertained no separate K)^:;. I.EE — Irish Sphagna. rig list of Irish Sphagna, named on the Warnstorfian system, has hitherto been pubhshed. The desirabihty of having such a working record is obvious, and, although the material for its preparation is as yet scanty, perhaps the contempla- tion of its blanks may prove an incentive to Irish bryologists to make further additions. No botanist whose attention has once been directed to the singular beauty of Sphagna, either in the field or under the microscope, will be likely to forego the pleasure and interest to be derived from their study. Mr. Wheldon, who has examined many Irish specimens, speaks of the possibility of very considerable additions, both to the number of records and the knowledge of the life history of the group, and remarks [in lit.) that "the situation of Ireland, its longer isolation from the Continent, its peculiar climate, and certain differences which distinguish its higher flora from that -of the larger island, all point to the probability of interesting results from a careful exploration of the Sphagna. The lowland bogs, now very rare in England, should be especially and carefully investigated, from which valuable observations are to be anticipated.'' The subjoined list is based mainly on specimens identified b}^ Mr. Wheldon, to whom I am much indebted for his courtesy in assisting me in the preparation of thjs record, and permission to make use of his material. In every instance in which a collector's name is given, Mr. Wheldon has seen and examined a specimen. The record's without detailed authority have been collected from published lists by him, and are regarded as probably reliable. In the case of a few of the old collective names such as " S. acuti- folium'' " 5. subsecundum," etc., it would be desirable to have them verified. S. fimbriatum Wils. — 20, 30 (Tetley), 33(Tetley), 34, 35 (Hunter), 39. var. intermedium Russ. — 34 (Lee), var. tenue Grav. — 38 (Waddell). S. Girgensohnii Russ. — 20, 34, 38 (Lett and Waddell), 39. S. Russowii W. — 34, 39. S. fuseum v. Klinggr. — i or 2' (Knight), 18, 32, 33 (Tetley). 34, 39. var. medium Russ. . . f. fuscescens, sub-f. drepanoeladum W. — 18 (Lett), sub-f. heterocladum W.— 39 (Lett). ^o The Irish Naturalist. February, S. rubellum Wils. — 1-3, 6-8, 16-18, 20, 21, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33-39. var. viride W. — 34 (Lee). var. violascens W. — 18 (Lett.). var. flavum Jens. ap. W. f. pallescens W. — 34 (Lee). var. purpurascens Russ. — 2 (Gasking), 28 (Lee), 34 (Lee), var. versicolor W. — 27 (West), 28 (Lee), 34 (Lee), 36 (Lett). f. immersum Schlieph. — 34 (Lee). S. acutifolium Ehrh.— 16, 18, 27, 33, 35, 37, 38 (Lett), var. viride W. f. heterocladum W. — 28 (Lee), var. pallescens W. — 38 (Lett). f. alpinum W.— 38 (Lett), var. rubrum Brid. — 28 (Lee). var. versicolor W, — 28 (Lee). var. flavo-rubellum W. — 28 (Lee), var. flavescens W. — Kerry i or 2 (Moore). S. quinquefarium W. — 1-3, 6-7, 14. 16, 27, 29, 33-36, 38-39. var. viride W. — i (Gasking), 28 (Lee), var. roseum W. — Kerry i or 2 (Lett). f. speciosum W. — Kerry i or 2 (Lett). var. versicolor Russ. — 28 (Lee), 37. f. homocladum Russ. — 28 (Lee). S. plumulosum Roll., emend. W. — 1-3, 6-8, 12-13, 15-16, 18, 25-27, 28, 30-31. 33-39. var. viride W. — 1 (Gasking), 28 (Lee), 38 (Lee). f. squarrosulum W. — i (Gasking). f. laete-virens W.^28 (Lee). var. pallens W. f. pungens Wheldon — 34 (Lee). var. coerulescens Schlieph — 37 (Houston), var. lilacinum Spruce in Herb. Stabler. f. orthocladum W.— 38 (West). f. compactum W. — i (Gasking), 28 (Lee), 34 (Lee), 38 (West). f. delicatum Wheldon — 34 (Lee). var. purpureum W. — 28 (Lee). f. gracile W. — 34 (Lee), var. versicolor W. — i or 2 (West), 28 (Lee), 34 (Lee), 37 (Houston), 38 (Lett). f. validum W. — 34 (Lee). f. tenellum W. — 34 (Lee), var. flavofuscescens W. — 38 (Lett). var. ochraceum W. — i (Gasking), 38 (Lett). f. immersum W. — 31 (Lett). var. cameum W. — 37. S. molle Sull.— 34, 35, 37. 39. var. moUuscoides W. f. tenerum W. — Connemara, 1871. (C. Purphrey in Herb. Birmingham, sub. nom. S. molluscum). i 1922. Lee — Irish Sphagna. 21 S. compactum DC. — 2, 20, 21, 27, 28, 31-35, 37-39. var. squarrosum Russ, — 37 (Lett), 27, 31, 33, 35. (Not seen by me.— J. A. W.). var. subsquarrosum W. — 27 (West), 31, 35, 37 (Houston). f. densum W. — 28 (Lee). .^ var. imbricatura W. — i (Gasking), 16, 27, 31, 36-38, 39. f. purpurascens W. — 27 (West). f, flavescens Wheldon — 37 (Houston).. S. squarrosum Pers.— 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, r6, 20-22, 27, 31, 33-34, 36, 37-39. var. spectabile Russ. — 7, 8 (Lett.), 33-34, 36-37. 39- var. subsquarrosum Russ. ap. W. — 27 (Waddell), 33 (Lett), 37, 39. f. elegans Russ. — 38 (Lett). var. imbricatum Schimp. — 8, 38. S. teres Angstr. — 20, 34, 37, 38, 39. var. subteres Lindb. — 37, 38, 39 (Lett). S. amblyphyllum Russ. — i (Gasking), 6, 7, 28 (Lee), 39 (Lett), var. mesophyllum W. f. sylvaticum Russ. — i (Gasking), 28 (Lee), var. parvifolium W. — 39. S. pulchrum W. — 3, 31, 34, 38 (Lett), var. f uscoflavens W. f. brachyhomalocladum W. — 38 (Lett). S. recurvum P. de Beauv — 6, 7, 27, 35, 37-39. var, majus Angstr. f. silvaticum Russ. — 34 (Lee), var. parvulum W. f. viride W. — 34 (Lee). S. cuspidatum Ehrh. — i, 2, 7, 8-14, i6-i8, 20, 21, 25-29, 30. 31-34, 35, 36-40. var. falcatum Russ. — i, 2, 8, ii (Tetley), 13 (Tetley), 14, 17 (Tetley), i8, 20 (Moore), 25-27, 29 (Tetley), 30 (McArdle), 32 (Kane), 33 (Lett), 35, 38 (Lett), 39. f. molle W.— 18 (Lett), 27 (West). 34 (Lee), sub-f. capitatum Wheldon — i (Gasking). sub-f. polyphyllum W. — 27 (West). f. rigidum W. sub-f. pungens Grav. — 34 (Lee). var. submersum Schimp. — i. (Lett), 8, 18, 27, 33, 34 (Lee), 35, 36-39. f. crispatum W. — 37 (Houston). f. rigescens W. — 37 (Houston). sub-f. robustum W.— 37 (Lett), 38 (WaddeU). var. plumosum Schimp. — 14 (Tetley), 20, 26 (Tetley), 28 (Tetley), 33. 37-39. S. molluscum Bruch. — i, 2, 6, 14 (Tetley), 16, 18, 20, 21, 26 (Tetley), 27, 28 (Tetley), 30 (Lett), 32 (Bingham), 33-35, 36 (Stewart), 37-39., var. vulgatum W. f. compactum W. — 28 (Lee), 39 (Lett). 22 The Irish Naturalist. February, S. Holtii \V. — [2 (West.) somewhat doubtful]. S. Obesum (Wils) W.— 14 (Tetley), 17 (Tetley), 21 (Hutton), 26, 27, 30 (Tetley), 33 (Tetley), 35 (Glover), 37, 38, 40 (Lett). var. canoviridis W. — (37 doubtful). S. subsecundum Nees. — 37, 38. • (I have not myself seen this Iro.n Ireland. —J. A. W.). S. inundatum R. et W. var. ovalifolium W. • ^-" f. brachycladum W. — i (Gasking). f. densum W. — 25 (Houston), 28 (Lee), var. diversifolium W. — i (Gasking). S. auriculatum Schimp. var. ovatum W. f. variegatum W. — 28 (Lee), S. aquatile W. — 38. S. contortum Schultz — 3, 6 (Lett), 8 (Armitage), 20 (Davies), 21 (Orr), 28 (Tetley), 29 (Tetley), 31 (Lett), 39 (Lett), 34, 35 (Hunter), 38, 39. S. crassicladum W. — 6, 17 (Tetley), 25 (Tetley), 27 (Lett), 30 (Bellerby), 33 (Tetley), 35, 38. var. magnifolium W. ^ f. fluctuans W.— 17 (Tetley). f. lonchocladum W. — 34 (Lee), var. diversifolium W. — 37 (Houston), var. intermedium W. — 2 (West), 37 (Houston). S. rufescens Nees et Hornsch — 30 (Tetley), var. magnifolium W. — i, 6, 8, 12, 16, 27, 28, 30, 33, 36-39. f. bicolor W. •■■'f ■^- 1 ;cc J-r-'t- sub-f. intortum W, — 37 (Houston), t« v^.'* l'^-^^'^-'' f. virescens W.— 28 (Lee). 'V-^-'^"-'- '•^- Vat. parvulum W. f. densissimum W. — 28 (Lee). S. imbricatum Russ.— 18. S. papillosum Lindb.— I, 2 (West) — 7, 13, 16, 18, 20, 27, 33, 34 (Lee), 37-39. var. normale W. — i, 2 (West), 20 (Lett), 27, 38, 39 (Lett), f. ma jus Grav, 5ub-f. elegans Wheldon — 34 (Lee), f. brachycladum W. sub-f. pallescens Wheldon — i (Gasking). sub-f. flavofuscum Wheldon — 34 (Lee), 38 (West). ^y,^:^j: ,,,;,. f. confertum W. — 20 (Lett). ^ f^'^j, sub-f. pallidum Wheldon — 34 (Lee). sub-f. fusculuteum Wheldon — i (Gasking), 27 ,:^ ^A^iil^ ■ ■■ ^ (W^'^)' 38 (West), 39 (Lett). ' '".^c..y^^--SUblaeve Limpr. — i (Gasking). 28 (Lee). ' f. validum W. sub-f. submersum W. — i (Gasking). 192 2. • Lee — Irish Sphagna. 23 S. cyrabifolium Ehrh. — 1-4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15-21, 27-29, 31-35, 37-39. var. glaucescens W. — i (Gasking), 37 (Houston). 1. squarrosulum Pers. sub-f. pycnocladum W. — 37 (Houston), f. brachycladum W. — 28 (Lee). var. pallescens W. — 34 (Lee). f. laxum W. — 34 (Lee). f. eonfertum Wheldon — 2 (West), 25 (Houston), 34 (Lee), var. flavescens W. — 2, 37 (Houston), 38 (Lett), var. fuscescens W. — 37 (Houston), 38 (West). S. subbicolor Ha:>)pe. — i, 27. (I have not seen Irish examples. — J. A. W. ). S. medium Limpr. — i, 3, 8, 9, 10, 18, 25 (Houston) 27 (West), 30, 33-35, var. obscurum W. — 37 (Houston). var. roseum W. — 27 (West), 34 (Hunter), 37 (Lett). f. abbreviatum W. — 27 (West). var. purpurascens W\ — 2=, (Houston), 27 (West), var. versicolor W. — 37 (Houston). t. brachyorthociadum Wheldon — 28 (Lee). Rock Ferry, Cheshire. IRISH SOCIETIES. DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. January ii. — The Club met at Leinster House. P. A. Murphy showed the formation of " secondary " conidia by the germinating zoo- spores of Phytophthora infestans, the Potato Bhght fungus. This observa- tion, which has not been previously recorded, is beUeved to be of con- siderable importance in prolonging the existence of the fungus in the soil and in facilitating tuber infection. Dr. G. H. Pethybridge exhibited " seeds " (mericarps) of Sheep's Parsley {Petroselinum sativum), on the surface of which perithecia of the common powdery mildew [Erysiphe Polygoni) were present in abundance. Salmon, in his Monograph of the powdery mildews, states that this species is found on no less than 602 different hosts, but Sheep's Parsley does not appear to be one of them, and must therefore now be added to the list. Examples of seeds carrying parasitic fungi either on their surfaces or in their tissues are, owing to the investigations of recent years, better known now than was formerly the case, but the exhibitor had not previously met with any instance in which a powdery mildew was carried by seeds. It would seem probable that the mildew might be distributed over con- siderable distances in this way, especially seeing that the sample of seed was a commercial one ; but actual proof that such seed when sown would give rise to plants which become mildewed has not yet been obtained. 24 ^^^ Irish Nahiralist. February, 1922. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. November 16. — W. Bulla lectured on " The Art of Burial," referring especially to prehistoric custom as exemplified in Ireland. A discussion followed in which the President (S. A. Bennett), A. McI. Cleland, and Rev. Canon Carmody took part. Thirteen new members were elected. January 20. — E. A. Armstrong, B.A., delivered a lecture on the subject, " At home with Fur and Feather." The chair was occupied by the Vice-President (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A.), who, before introducing the lecturer, referred to the recent losses the Club had sustained through the deaths of Joseph Malcolmson and E. F. Green, votes of condolence being passed to the relatives of both families. The lecturer first explained some of the difficulties of bird photography, and showed how it was possible, even with the most unsuitable apparatus, to obtain good photographs of birds and animals in the wilds. He then referred to camping as an aid to nature study, and explained how, by living amongst the wild things, sleeping in the open or in a small tent, the naturalist may learn the ways of nature and have opportunities of effec- tively photographing birds and animals. He then asked the audience to accompany him, first round his home, and then farther afield to the mountains, to Lough Neagh's banks, to Strangford Lough, and through the depths of Epping Forest, seeing and hearing the various wild creatures to be found in these localities. The lecture was illustrated by coloured lantern views from the lecturer's own photographs ; also by records of the songs of birds. A discussion ensued, in which the Vice-President, J. A. S. Stendall M.B.O.U., J. Loughbridge, H. Coey, and J. Holness took part. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Some Irish Collembola. -A paper on Irish Springtails by John W. Shoebotham which was published in the Ann. Mag. A^at. Hist. (8) vol. xiii., 1914, has not yet been referred to in this Journal. During the author's several visits to Ireland he succeeded in obtaining four species, viz., Achorules manubrialis, Tullhergia Krausbaiteri, Lepidocyvtus albus and Megalothorax minimus which had not previously been obtained in this country. March, 1922. Tlp' Insh Naturalist. 25 THE LARVAL MOUTH-HOOKS OF HYPODERMA. BY GEOFFREY PHIBBS, The larvae of the two species of warble fly, Hypoderma bovis, De Geer, and Hypoderma Uneatum (Vill) have long been known to pass through four stages before pupation. \Vith the recent demonstration by E. W. Laake (4) of the Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture, that two distinct stages are included in what had previously been known as the '* second" instar, five stages, at least must be recognised in the larval history of the " warble-flies." Laake points out that the second instar has rows of minute spines on the segments, while the third is entirely smooth except for the spines at the mouth and those on the tail segment. He is mistaken, however, in supposing that his second stage larva " has not been recognised before." It was briefly described and roughly figured by Carpenter and Prendergast (i) in 1909. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Laake for generously sending beautifully mounted specimens of American larvae of Hypoderma in these tw^o stages. When newly hatched from the Q^g the young Hypoderma larva is, perhaps, less than one-thirtieth of an inch long. At the end of the fifth stage when nearly ready to pupate it may be over an inch in length, and half an inch in diameter. Between the first stage and the last the mouth parts undergo considerable modification. In the newly hatched larva the mouth armature is very conspicuous and relatively large. In the first stage, as also in the second (Figs, i, 2, and 3) and third stages, it consists of a horny somewhat lozenge-shaped spine {p>. s.) situate between, and in the same plane as the two chitinised mouth-hooks {h). These hooks lie with their backs to the central spine and with their tips coming to a level with its extremity. On either side of the base of the spine, which projects backwards some way beyond the hooks, is the beginning of a long oarTike pharyngeal sclerite (ph. s.). These two sclerites, narrow near the mouth and broadening towards their bases may be nearly a quarter as long as the 26 The Irish Naturalist. March, entire maggot ; in fact the mouth parts in the first stage are not only relatively but also actually larger than in any Fig. I. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. I. — Hypoderma bovis, second-stage larva, mouth armature, side view, X 240. Fig. 2. — H. bovis, second-stage larva, mouth armature, dorsal view, X 240. Fig. 3. — H. lineatum, second-stage larva, mouth armature, dorsal view, X 240. h. mouth hooks ; ph. s. pharyngeal sclerite ; p.s. parastomal sclerites. other stage. Laake has pointed out, in the paper above re- ferred to, that in the first stage larvae the most conspicuous distinguishing feature between the two species is to be found in the shape of the mouth-hooks. " The forked r922. Phibbs. — The Larval Mouth-Hooks of Hypoderma. 27 anterior end and the blunt rear end of the mouth-hook of H. bovis are so distinctly different from the sharply pointed anterior end with a well-formed tooth some distance below and the slightly pointed rear end of the hook of H. lineatum that the two species can be separated almost at sight in the first instar." Laake's observations of the second instar were made on specimens of H. lineatum only. From an examination of several specimens of H. bovis, taken from the gullets of Irish cattle, it is clear that this distinction is equally evident in the second stage. Speaking of the mouth parts of the first stage larva Carpenter and Hewitt (2) say — " We find that in H. bovis the mouth-hooks articulate directly with the phar3mgeal sclerites, the paired' hypostomal sclerites that intervene in most half-grown or full-grown muscoid larvae not being present ; according to Lowne these sclerites are not recognisable in the Blow^-fiy maggot till after the second moult, so that their absence in the young warble-maggot might have been expected." Fig. 4. — Calliphora sp., mature larva, mouth armature, side view, x 40. Ji, mouth hook ; ph. s. pharyngeal sclerite ; p.s. parastomal sclerite ; h.s. hypostomal sclerite. The paired parastomal sclerites which are present in most muscoid larvae, that of the blue bottle, Calliphora (Fig. 4, p. s.) for example are well represented in all the larval stages of Hypoderma by the central spine (Figs, i, 2, 3 p. s.) previously mentioned. The mouth-parts of the second larval stage as also of the newly discovered third stage do not differ noticeably from those of the first stage except that in respect of size they are somewhat smaller. It is after the third moult that considerable modification is A 3 28 The Irish Naturalist. March. found. In the fourth stage (Fig. 5) larva the anterior ends of the hypostomal sclerites {h.s.) have become fused together forming a comparatively wide chitinous band on the lower lip or ventral aspect of the mouth. ph s Fig. 5. — Hypoderma bovis, fourth-stage larva, mouth armature, ventral view, X 100. h, mouth hook ; ph. s. pharyngeal sclerite ; p.s. parasiomal sclerites ', h.s. hypostomal sclerite. The pharyngeal sclerites (ph. s.) have largely lost their opaque horny structure and have become a pair of wide almost transparent plates. The mouth-hooks (//) themselves have become greatly reduced in size and are further removed from the central spine (p. s.) the sclerites composing which have become more closely fused together. All the mouth parts have both relatively and actually undergone a great diminution of size. It is in the fifth and final larval stage that the greatest change is noticeable (Fig. 6) . Each of the pharyngeal sclerites {ph. s.) has become very broad with its outer margins forming almost a semicircle. Their appearance now is that of two wing-like outgrowths from the wall of the gullet, 1922. Phibbs. — The Larval Mouth-Hooks of Hypoderma. 29 The fused hypostomal sclerites (h. s.) have also become more massive ; they are much shorter and no longer project over the pharyngeal sclerites. The actual mouth hooks have entirely disappeared though the central spine {p. s.) is slightly larger in this than in the fourth stage. In connection with this absence of the mouth-hooks in the fully-grown larva N. Joly (3) writing in 1846, says : — " Indcpendament des nombreux caracteres qui peuvent deja nous servir a differencicr la larve de 1' Hypoderma bovis d'avec les larves gastricoles ou cavicoles il en existe un autre plus essentiel peut-etre : je veux parler de I'absence des crochets mandibulaires. Ici, en effet, la ps hs Fig. 6. — H. bovis, fifth- stage (mature) larva, mouth armature, ventral new, X 50. ph. s. pharyngeal sclerite ; p.s. parastomal sclerites ; h.s. hypostomal sclerites ; g. gullet ; s.d. salivary duct. bouche consist e en une simple ouverture, extremement petite, et tres-difficile a mettre en evidence chez I'insecte vivant." There has been some doubt expressed as to the accuracy of the statement that there are no mouth-hooks in the 30 The Irish Naturalist. March, mature larva, but it seems that Joly was essentially right, though his statement that the mouth is " extreme ment petite " is hardly justifiable ; relatively it is not remarkable for its smallness. The difficulty of observing it in the living insect is due to its situation in a fold of cuticle. The disappearance of mouth-hooks is not surprising when it is considered that the insect in its final larval stages no longer requires strong jaws for piercing its way through the tissues of its host, and that any food taken by the full grown larva is of an entirely fluid nature. Royal College of Science, Dublin. REFERENCES. 1. G. H. Carpenter and W. F. Prendergast. — ■" The Warble-flies : Further Experiments as to Life-history and Treatment." Joiirn. Dept. Agric. and Tech. Instv., Ireland, vol. ix., No. 3, 1909. 2. G. H. Carpenter and T. R. Hewitt. — "Reproductive Organs and Newly Hatched Larva of the Warble Fly." Sci. Proc. R. Dublin Soc, vol. xiv., 1914. 3. N. Joly. — " Recherches sur les Oestrides." Annates de la Societe Royale d' Agriculture, Lyon. Tome ix., 1846. 4. E. W. Laake. — " Distinguishing Characters of the Larval Stages of the Ox- Warbles Hypoderma bovis and H. lineatum, with description of a New Larval Stage." Journal of Agricultural Research, Washington, vol. xxi., July, 1921. IRISH SOCIETIES. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Recent gifts include a Leopard from Mr. R. H. Ellis, a Spotted Hyaena from Dr. E. B. Bate, a Badger from Mr. A. B. A. Cottingham, Hedgehogs from Messrs. E. M. Robinson and T. Mc Williams, a Belgian Hare from Mrs. Sharman Crawford, a pair of Blue Rabbits from the Misses Smith, Rabbits from Mr. J. A. Lewis, Rabbits and Guinea-pigs from Lt.-Col. J. C. Craster, Hooded Crows and Jays from Mr. W. W. Despard, Barn Owls from Mrs. McNaboe, Dr. R. de C. Wheeler and Mr. T. Grieve, a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo from Miss P. M. Byrne, a Roseate Cockatoo from Mrs. Church, a Blue-fronted Amazon from Mr. J. N. Colles, eleven Tumbler Pigeons from Mr. H. Mayston, Japanese Silky Fowl from Mr. J. A. Scott, Game Bantam and Silky Fowl from Dr. R. R. Leeper, a 1922. Irish Societies. 31 Pheasant from Miss J. Stronge, a Peregrine Falcon from Mr. K. E. Longfield, Sparrow Hawks from Dr. R. R. Leeper, Mrs. Bagster and Mrs. Brady, Kestrels from Mr. W. W. Despard and Mr. T. Grieve, two Diamond Pythons, a Boa and two Blue-tongued Skinks from a member of Council, and 8,000 Salmon Ova from the Irish Fisheries Office. A Rhesus, and a Kra Monkey and a Roseate Cockatoo have been deposited, and a pair of Silver Pheasants received in exchange. A Bison Calf has been born. Among recent purchases are a second young male Chimpanzee, two Sooty Mangabeys, two Lion Marmosets, a Raccoon, a Badger, a Crested Porcupine, three Ariel Toucans, a Patagonian Conure, six Quaker Parrakeets, a Bantam Game Cock, four Guinea-fowl, two Bateleur Eagles, and a ]\Iartial Hawk Eagle. A valuable consignment of Australian animals form an especially noteworthy purchase, including pairs of Woodward Kangaroos, Black-striped Wallabies, Black Wombats, Phalangers, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Lilac-crow^ned Pigeons, and Yellow- bellied Fruit Pigeons. A healthy young Kangaroo has been born since the arrival of these animals. DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. February 8. — The Club met at Leinster House, the President in the chair. J. N. Halbert exhibited a new acarid belonging to the genus Rhaphignathus found recently under stones amongst heather on Howth Head. The species is a remarkable one on account of its very small size, the sculpturing of the epidermis, and the presence of beautifully pectinated hairs on the body in which it differs from all the known species of the genus. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. January 17. — J. A. S. Stendall, M.B.O.U., gave a lecture on Spiders. The chair was occupied by the President (S. A. Bennett, B.A., B.Sc), who, before introducing the lecturer, proposed that J. K. Charles worth, M.Sc, Ph.D., F.G.S., and R. J. Welch, M.R.I.A., should be transferred to the class of honorary members, this proposal being unanimously adopted by the meeting. The lecturer commenced by explaining that the spider does not belong to the insect group, as is very generally supposed. The life history of a spider was given. The eggs, ranging in number among different species, were deposited in a silken egg-sac specially prepared for their reception. The young are very tiny, but are almost complete spiders in miniature. They live in harmony in the silken sac for a little while and then moult, after which they are able to use their own spinning organs and to eat. They are great cannibals, and if enough food does not come their way they will eat one another. All young spiders, irrespective of species. 32 The Irish Naturalist. :Marclii migrate, which they accomplish by means of a =silken parachute, the threads of which constitute " gossamer." Poison facts and myths were discussed, the lecturer stating that any spider living in the British Isles could be handled with impunity ; but some foreign species were doubtfully dangerous, but probably not so to a healthy man. The " Katipo " of Australia was stated to be the most deadly spider known, some specimens of which were exhibited, having just been received from a place many miles from any civilisation. Tlie lecturer lucidly explained the method of snare construction and the various wiles which spiders adopt to capture their prey ; also spider courtships. Trap-door, wolf, leaping, and water spiders were all discussed and interesting facts given respecting them and many other spiders, with concluding remarks on spider instinct and intelligence. The lecture was profusely illustrated with lantern slides, and terminated with a remarkable cinema film showing spiders performing various operations, including web-building and capturing prey. At the conclusion of the lecture a short discussion followed, in which the President, Messrs. Hoskins and Holness, and the Hon. Secretary took part, the proceedings terminating with the election of four new ordinary members. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Gonia fasciata in Fermanagh. ]\lr. J. N. Halbert of the National Museum, Dublin, informs me that the fly, Gonia fasciata, is unrecorded from Ireland. It is common here on a dry grass}^ bank facing south, but so far I have only seen it in this one spot, it seems excessively local. It appears every year in April, on sunny days, crawling among the dry grass stems and is very sluggish and only flies a short distance when disturbed. It disappears entirely, unless the sun is out. I have taken Gonia capitata on the Finner sandhills near Bundoran, Co. Donegal. Charles Langham. Tempo Manor, Co. Fermanagh. Calocoris striatus at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow. In my note on Powerscourt insects in the January number of the Irish Naturalist (p. 9, supra) it is stated that the plant-bug Calocaris striatus had been found at Tempo in Co. Fermanagh. Sir Charles Langham writes to say that this is an error, the insect was taken by him not at Tempo but at Woodenbridge in Co. Wicklow, on the same date as my capture of the species at Powerscourt. On the following days he found several more by beating oaks and other trees in different parts of Colonel Proby's woods in the same locality. From this it would seem that this species, though undoubtedly local, is not as rare as had been imagined in this country. Very possibly the Irisli specimen in the 102 2. Notes, 33 Haliday collection was also foniul in Wicklow, as we know that he collected a good deal in that connt\'. J.. N. Halbert. National Museum, Dublin. British Oysters, Past and Present. The above is the title of an exhaustive paper by Alfred Bell on the subject of the variation of the shell of oysters. It appeared in the Essex Naturalist, vol. xix, 1921, and deals with the species found in the Britisii and Irish marine area. A few supplementary notes were afterwards published in the same journal. Mr. Bell's statement (p. i88) that the Irish Oyster fisheries have fallen off past recovery is surely too sweeping. He quotes Da Costa who wrote at the end of the i8th century about the past oyster supply of Ireland noting particularly a bed of rock oysters as large as horseshoes at Howth, Ireland's Eye and Malahide, which were said to have been " green-finned and of a delicate flavour." What age an oyster can attain has never been definitely established, but Mr. Bell is of opinion that the limit of age is certainly more than 30 years. Everyone knows that the shell of the common oyster {Ostrea edulis) is very variable and that several well-marked varieties have been noted and recorded from Irish waters. Mr. Bell found the variety parasitica of Turton in the Irish estuarine clays. He also described two new varieties, viz., vars. celtica and estuarii both of which occur on the Irish coast. The latter variety is that alluded to by R. LI. Praeger as being found in the estuarine clays of the North-East of Ireland. Only two species of oysters were recognised hitherto in the Irish marine area (see A. R. Nichols — " List of the Marine Mollusca of Ireland "). Mr. Bell now describes eight new species of British oysters and several others which had not so far been reported from the British marine area. Some Irish examples are doubtfully referred to Ostrea atlantica, Bell. He is of opinion that the oyster figured by Miss Massy {Fisheries of Ireland Scient. Invest., igr's) as a variety of Ostrea edulis is Ostrea scaeva, Monterosato. A ]\Iediterranean oyster [Ostrea cockleai, Poli) was once dredged off the west coast of Ireland during the " Porcupine " Expedition. According to Mr. Bell it is common in the Fast Anglian Crag. Several others of his new species should occur in the Irish marine area. Bird Protection in Ulster. We are glad to note the formation in Belfast of an " Ulster Society for the Protection of Birds." The Secretary is Mr. P. F. Neill, 3-, Candahar Street, Belfast, with Messrs. Nevin H. Foster and J. A. S. Stendall as scientific coadjutors. The Dublin society founded seventeen years ago for the same purpose has done such excellent work that we may look forward to equally useful activities in the North. Possibly, , according to prevailing fashion, they will be able to take over northern functions hitherto carried out by the Dublin organization, such as the protection of the Red-throated Diver in Donegal. 34 The Irish Naturalist. March, Ravens at Lambay. I think the Ravens which Mr. Pack Beresford [Irish Nat. Nov., 1921 p. 136) says that he saw on September 20th at Howth were probaby, the pair which make their home at Lambay. These birds were at first taken for Carrion-crows, and were so reported in the Irish Naturalist of February 1913. The identification was (very properly) called in question by ornithologists, and it may now be dismissed as erroneous. The Ravens have been observed as frequenting Lambay since 191 2 ; in 1920 and 192 1 they nested on the island and on each occasion reared two young ones, which were able to fly early in May, and are driven away from their home by their parents in September. On the 4th of June, 192 1, one of this year's birds (a male) had the misfortune to be caught in a rabbit-trap. The two old birds can be seen or heard daily at Lambay. Through the winter they help themselves to the rats and rabbits that are caught in gins. Cecil Baring. Bishopsgate, London, E.C. Notes on the Birds of Inishbofin. I had an opportunity of spending three days on Inishbofin in the second week in June, 1920. As it is a somewhat out-of-the-way spot, the following notes may be of interest. Chough {Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). — Fairly numerous. Several pairs are breeding. I was shown two nests, one in the old " Signal Tower " near the harbour, and the other in the cliffs on the north of the island. Wheatear [Oenanthe c. oenanthe). — Exceedingly common all over the island, and breeding in large numbers in the crevices, under the rocks, etc. Corncrake {Crex crex). — Very numerous. These were to be heard calling from every part of the island, especially in the evening. I found one nest with eggs in the bank of a little stream in the centre of the island. Manx Shearwater [Puffimis p. puffinus). — 1 was shown one nesting hole in the north, which contained one egg. (Recorded in " British Birds," vol. xiv., page 188). There were several other disused burrows, but I was unable to see any other birds. Other species seen on the island were : — Hooded Crow (Corvus c. cornix). Starling {Sturmis v. vulgaris), House Sparrow {Passer d. domesticus), Yellow Bunting (Emberiza citrinella) , Reed Bunting [Eniberiza s. schoeniclus) Skylark [Alauda a. arvensis), Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis), Rock Pipit {Anthus spinoletta petrosus) , Pied Wagtail {Motacilla alba lugubris), Greater Whitethroat {Sylvia c. communis), Blackbird (Turdus m. rnerula). Stone- chat {Saxicola torquata hibernans). Wren {Troglodytes t. troglodytes). Cuckoo {Cucuhis c. canorus). Kestrel {Falco t. tinnunculus), Gannet {Sula bassana). Cormorant {Phalacrocorax carbo). Shag {Phalacrocorax graculus). Ringed Plover {Charadrius h. hiaticula). Curlew {Numenins arquata). Oyster Catcher {Haematopus 0. ostralegus), Artie Tern {Sterna paradisaea). Guillemot {Uria t. troille). Black Guillemot {Uria grylle). Herring Gull {Larus argentatus). Lesser Black-backed Gull) Lams fiiscus). Greater Black-backed Gull {Larus marinus). 1922. Notes 35 Having heard that an old man living in the " West Quarter " had a " strange bird " which no one could identify and which had never before been S3en on the island by any of the inhabitants, I went to investigate, and found the mysterious creature to be a Little Grebe {Podiceps minor) ! The unfortunate bird was hanging up in a little basket cage, and had apparently been kept thus for a considerable time. However, it was very difficult to persuade the owner to talk, and when he did I could scarcely understand a word he said, and so could not obtain any accurate informa- tion. Owing to lack of time I was unable to make a thorough search of the island, thus, no doubt, overlooking many other species which I feel sure are inhabitants. H. B. COTT. Victoria Barracks, Athlonc. Hairy-armed Bat in Co. Down. On 29th January a bat was captured about two miles from here and brought to me. It proved to be a specimen of the Hairy-armed or Leislcr's Bat Vespertilio leisleri Kulil. This species has twice previously been recorded from the neighbourhood of Hillsborough, September, 1903, Irish Naturalist, vol. xii., 320, and June, 1905, ibid., xiv., 20, Probably this bat is not so rare as has been supposed, but its capture in lively condition on this occasion is interesting. Nevin H. Foster. Hillsborough, Co. Down. GEOLOGY. The Eskers of Ireland. Mr. J. de \V, Hindi's article in the Irish Naturalist for December, 192 1 (vol. XXX., p. 137), is most interesting. The region between ^luHingar and Tullamore and Tyrrellspass and ]\Ioate contains very many striking examples. x\s an ordinary layman I have studied these Eskers for 15 years. Their summits are 400 feet above sea-level in places. They extend mainly in lines between north-west and south-east, which disproves the tunnel theory, as rivers from the great melting glacier should run at right angles to these lines — the glacier probably hundreds of feet in thickness, coming down from Scandinavia. They contain all kinds of material between the finest sand, and pebbles and stones many tons in weight. I have never seen a shell-fragment. I have seen New Red Sandstone pebbles in the Barrow valley sandpits ; this river has its origin in or near the region above-mentioned. The Brosna river cuts through a high Esker at one place. The central region being a flat plain, extensive lakes could not be hemmed in ; they certainly could reach the flat shores of the Shannon if not the Boyne. Beyond doubt, the Eskers are the terminal moraines of the great melting glacier. In places they 36 Hie Irish Nahtralist March, 1922'. run for miles in lines so even and straight as to suggest rule measurement ! And this condition is what one should expect on a level plain where the face of the glacier should have an even and uniform shape, and deposit its burden correspondingly, James G- Butler. Garryhill, Bagnaisto^^n. The note by Mr. Butler on the Eskers in the neighbourhood of Mullingar, Tullamore, and other localities in the central plain is a welcome indication of interest in this complicated question, and his statement that alter having had these deposits under observation for 15 years, he has not found a shell fragment is m.ost important. It is v.ell known to those who have done work in this direction, that the local conditions frr successful collecting of Glacial mollusca vary very quickly, and that a good collecting ground may be destroyed or overgrown in the space of a few years, and that therefore continuous observation of the sections available, is of primary importance. With certain other conclusions of Mr. Butler I do not find myself in agreement. It is true that many books on the Ice Age contain maps which show north-western Europe covered with an ice-cap radiating from Scandinavia and extending from Cracow in the south-east to the Atlantic ocean in the west. This map is a generalized statement of fact, but while we may agree that Scandinavian ice reached south-east almost to the Carpathians, it has to be borne in mind that the British Isles and Ireland produced their own local ice-cap ; and that while the eastern coast of England was invaded by Scandinavian ice, no Scandinavian ice reached either Wales or Ireland. Regarding the proposal by Mr. Butler to consider the Eskers as the Terminal Moraines of the melting ice-sheet, it m.ay be pointed out that the terms " Esker " and " Moraine " are both well defined terms in geology, and that it will only lead to confusion to regard them as inter- changeable, and that while a few Eskers have been mistakenly classed as Moraines and a few Moraines classed as Eskers, the number which have to be transferred in either case is not great, and does not effect the general bread division. It should also be remembered that any theory of the origin of Eskers does not effect the relation, in the field, of Eskers to Terminal Moraines, and that when high-pitched ridges of sand and gravel trend at right angles or nearly right angles to the Terminal Moraine they should be regarded as Eskers. If in any locality there are ridges called Eskers, but composed to any marked extent of angular rocky material, the view that they are Moraines rather than Eskers may be reasonably held, and the relation of these ridges to the undoubted Eskers should then be examined. J. DE W. HiNCH. Geological Survey, Dublin. April, 1922. The Irish Naturalist. 37 THE BIRD LIFE OF DUBLIN CITY. BY ATHOLE HARRISON. Observers of our local avifauna have a very prolific hunting-ground in Dublin, even in the city itself. It might be thought that but few species would be found in a city such as this is, but, far from being so, the number of species recorded from the city is, as far as I can ascertain, 80, a total which might seem incredible until one thinks of the numerous attractions Dublin offers to the birds with its man}/ parks and squares and, more than all, its rivers. In this paper is included the whole of the area within the city boundaries, with the exception of one or two areas which, while inside the boundary, are not strictly of the city ; such as Clontarf and Dollymount, and the extension of the Pigeon-house wall. These two areas alone could most probably bring the total from 80 to over 120, so that their exclusion is fulty justified on that score alone. The area dealt with is bounded by a line running approximately from the North Lotts, along the N. C. Road, to Kings- bridge and Dolphin's Barn, and thence by the Grand Canal to Ringsend. Of the commoner species, which one vvould expect to find, Dublin has most. Song Thrushes, Missel Thrushes, and Blackbirds abound in the gardens and parks, where their beautiful songs may be heard, especially on spring mornings, and to a lesser extent in the dusk. In the same localities we meet with the Robin, Hedge Sparrow, Chaffinch, and the less popular Magpie and Woodpigeon. About in the streets, and on the roof tops, are the House Sparrows, Starlings, Jackdaws and Rooks. Others, less common, are the tiny Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Wren, while the spring brings us the Willow Wren, Chiff- chaff, and Swallow, as well as the less-known Swift, which one sees and hears dashing and screaming about the house- tops at dusk, after returning from the hills and fields where it has spent the day looking for food. In autumn, the dull- 38 The Irish Naturalist. April, coloured Sand-Martin often hawks for insects in the streets. Rutty, in his " Natural History of Dubhn," says the shy and gaudy Jay used to occur about Dublin in his day, though it has long ceased to do so. Some of our large parks and squares can add many interesting species to the list, and, of these parks, St. Stephen's Green is the mosc interesting. During summer the Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher may be seen among the trees, while on and around the lake are other interesting birds. Waterhens, Coots, and Little Grebes occasionally visit the lake in winter, and may be seen feeding there, not in the least discomposed by the numerous people walking around. It is probable that some Wild Ducks may visit the waters, especially at night, but it is difficult to dis- criminate between the tame and wild ducks on the water. At night the Snipe has been found there. Gulls are of course numerous, especially the Blackheaded species, and they have become very bold in robbing or forestalling the ducks of the titbits throw^n them by the visitors. They are also very clever at catching crumbs of bread thrown into the air, which they rarely fail to seize before reaching the water. They do not appear to attack, or otherwise interfere with, the young ducklings which make such a pretty sight in the early summer. This is more than can be said of somie cf the Lesser Blackbacked Gulls which from time to time appear there. One of these, which visited the Green in the summer of 1907, caused such havoc among the broods of ducklings that finally it had to be executed by order of the Board of Works. The Common Gull has on occasion been seen there also, more often than it appears on the Liffey. In Trinity College Park, I am informed that Redwings are quite frequently seen, while Fieldfares also occur, though only occasionally. During a match in the grounds, a spectator there saw a Woodcock among some under- growth. Birds of prey are more plentiful than one would think. Sparrow-hawks are constantly seen over the busiest streets, while along the quays they take their toll of the numerous smaU birds which are to be found there. The Kestrel, 192 2. Harrison. — TJw Bird Life of Dublin City. 39 or \\'ind-hover, is less common, but may be seen in a few places, such as the end of the North Wall, and that neigh- bourhood. The Barn Owl quite regularly patrols the streets at night. It is most often seen about Brunswick Street and Stephen's Green, while for some years the tower of St. Patrick's Cathedral was tenanted by one of these weird birds. The Long-eared 0^^'l occurs on the canals just outside the city area, and probably comes inside the boundary at times. Many of the smaller passerine birds are to be found along the Quays, particularly in winter when they obtain a fairly good living from the scattered grain, etc., which is plentiful enough. Among these are the ubiquitous Sparrows, also Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets, Yellow- hammers, and Reed Buntings. Another of the Fringillidae I have seen there is the Lesser Redpoll, though only on one occasion. Pied Wagtails can be seen at most times of the year, except summer ; and in autumn they roosf in large numbers on the house-tops in some parts of the city. The Grey \\^agtail is fairly common in winter, when it may be found also along the rivers and canals. House Martins used to nest in Ganly's, and though they do not do so now, they still nest in the city area in parts of the North Circular Road. On more than one occasion I have observed a Missel Thrush singing on the roof of the chapel on City Quay, opposite the Custom House. The waste land at Ringsend and the North Lotts both contribute a goodly list, including the Meadow Pipit and the Skylark. The Snow Bunting used to occur at the Ringsend portion of the Pigeon-house wall ; whilst the Corn Bunting is reported by Dr. C. W. Benson as having been heard singing at the North Lotts, where also, according to Watters, in his " Birds of Ireland," the Short -eared Owl occurs in winter, as he also says it does along the Pigeon-house wall. Rutty records the shooting of the rare Avocet in the winter of 1767 at the North Lotts. ^Ir. E. \Mlliams in the Irish Naturalist sa^^s he has seen the Black Redstart in winter at the same place. The small pieces of strand at Ringsend which are exposed at low tide attract several of the waders such as A 2 40 The Irish Nahiralist. April, the Oyster-catcher, Ringed Plover and Redshank. A few Rock Pipits also occur. This latter species was also seen in the city in another part, by Mr. C. B. Moffat, who tells me he saw one for some time in Hardwicke Street, running about a puddle. The buoys at the mouth of the Liffey are often occupied by Cormorants and Shags, and occasionally by the Great Black-backed Gull, which sometimes comes into the mouth of the river in winter. The Cormorants are often seen fl^dng over the city on their way to inland feeding grounds, as also is the Heron, especially near the Custom House. Hooded Crows and Lapwings arc to be seen flying over also on occasion. The Red-breasted Merganser is a regular winter visitor to Dublin Bay from September to April and odd birds frequently occur in the region of the Alexandra Basin. Mute Swans often come down the river, even as far as the end of the North Wall. Mr. Moffat tells me of having seen a flock of geese (probably White-fronted) flying over the river, while Watters reports a flock of Bernacle Geese which he saw flying quite low down over Ringsend in January, 1850. Mallards and Pochards come to the river in hard weather, and Watters saw Scaups in some numbers within gunshot of the North Wall, and he also tells of a Common Scoter being taken while searching for food in the bottom of a ditch at Beggar's Bush. Nine species of gull are represented from the River Liffey. The Herring and Black-headed Gulls are com- monest, and are seen all the year round, though only non- breeding and immature birds remain m the breeding season. Most of the breeding birds have left by April, Many people erroneously think that the Black-headed Gull in its winter plumage is a distinct species from this gull in its breeding plumage, when it has assumed the hood, which the adult birds do in February, though the immature birds are a month later in assuming it. The next commonest is the Lesser Black-backed Gull, which is most numerous in spring and summer, w^hen it occurs on the canals also. It is almost, if not entirely absent in December, January, and most of February. A favourite haunt of this bird is 1922. Harrison. — The Bird Life of Dublin City. 41 the sewer-outfall at ^^^ellington Quay, a great place for gulls of all kinds. The Great Black-backed Gull I have already referred to. The Kittiwake ventures as far up as the L.N.W.R. boats, but is seldom seen any higher. The same applies to the Common Gull, with the difference that the latter species also occurs on the canals and in Stephen's Green on occasion. Though it does not regularly come far up the river, it frequently visits the Wellington Quay part referred to above. Of the rarer gulls, Watters reports a (jlaucous Gull shot near the North Wall in the winter of 1849. ^^^- ^- J- Ussher, in his " Birds of Ireland," records that a Little Gull was observed feeding on the Liffey with other gulls at Ringsend on December Gth, 1876. In more recent times Mr. W. J. Williams, in a letter to the Irish Naturalist, reports the occurrence of an Iceland Gull near Grattan Bridge in May, 1906. The only other bird of the river I have to mention is the Razorbill, which is often in the mouth of the river and has been seen as far up as the Custom House. Of " ships that pass in the night " we have not a few. The lights of the city attract migrants on cloudy and misty nights, and their clamorous calls resound all through the early spring, and again in the autumn. In spring we hear the so-called " weird and mournful " cry of the Curlews, and the entirely different call of the Whimbrel or " Seven Whistler." We also hear these birds in autumn as well as the Fieldfare, Redwing, Skylark, Golden Plover, and some few others whose names I have already mentioned in other parts of this paper. The Siskin and one or two others have frequently been seen and are, in some cases, common, just over the boundary, and it is probable that they occur at times inside the city area. Dublin. 42 The Irish Naturalist. April, SOME FORMS OF PIERIS NAPI TAKEN IN COUNTY FERMANAGH. BY SIR CHARLES LANGHAM, BART. In the following list I have endeavoured to describe the various forms of Pieris napi which I have taken in this district during the past few years. The spring, summer and autumn of 1921 were very favourable to this butterfly. I never saw so many in any other year ; they were literally swarming in places, especially on wet low-lying ground. The butterfly first appeared on April 20th and they continued with only a short break up till October 15th on which day I saw a newly emerged male. As this butterfly is usually nearly over by the end of x^ugust, one cannot help thinking that the swarms one saw in September and the beginning of October formed a partial third brood of the year ; the fine hot weather inducing insects to emerge that should have remained in the pupal state until April following. This was the only butterfly that was numerous here last summer, other common species being decidedly scarce : except Vanessa atalanta, which although usuall}/ very rare here appeared in some numbers in the autumn. I have so far never come across the var. Jlava of Pieris napi, though I have been on the look-out for it for years, any yellow specimens I have obtained being nothing like such a bright yellow as Mr. Kane's insect, which is now in the Natural History collection of the National Museum in Dublin. There is in both sexes a good deal of variation in the size and shape of the wings, especially in the hind wings, also in a great many specimens there is a very distinct darker spot in the apical blotch ; this spot is not mentioned in the description of P. napi in any book I have, and in my English specimens it does not show up so clearly as in the Irish insects ; in the list of forms given below I have not taken this spot into account except in No. 4 of the females ; in this specimen the spot is so very distinct that I had to mention it. Taking the forms of the male butterfly first : — 1922. Langham — Forms of Pieris napi in Co. Fermanagh. 43 1. The apical blotch small and no spots on the fore or hind wings ; this is not very common here and appears usually in the first emergence. 2. Apical blotch larger and with one small spot on each fore and hind wing ; this is the commonest form of the male and is usual in both spring and summer emergences. 3. Apical blotch large and black and a large black spot on all the wings and another spot near the inner margin of the fore wings ; appears chiefly in the summer emergence and is usually common. 4. Apical blotch large and spots all very black and the ends of the nervules much blackened and forming radiated stripes at all the outer margins ; decidedly scarce. 5. Upperside of all wings decidedly pale yellow ; not uncommon. 6. Underside of hind wings pale yellow ; very common. 7. Underside of hind wings bright primrose ; very common. In the female forms there is a much greater range. 1. Apical blotch small and pale, with the two spots and dorsal marginal bar on fore wings and the two spots on the hind wings, small and not very black, the nervules not heavily shaded ; generally common. 2. All the markings and spots large and very black, and the nervules heavily shaded ; common in both emergences. 3. All the markings and spots very grey and the nervules broadly shaded and the base of the fore wings especially very grey — giving a rather washed out appearance ; most common in the spring emergence. 4. Apical blotch dark, and with a distinct spot within its area forming with the other two spots and the dorsal marginal bar a continuous dark band or bar. This I have only taken on three occasions all in the summer emergence. 44 The Irish Naturalist. April, 5. With the costal margin bright yellow; this form is fairly common in the spring emergence and decidedly so in the summer brood. I have bred this form from larvae fed on water-cress. 6. All spots small and pale and with the costal margin and fringes on all wings bright yellow, a very pretty form. I have only one specimen, which was bred from a larva fed on water-cress. 7. Ground colour of all wings creamy and all markings small and very pale grey ; scarce but taken in both emergences. 7 A. Ground colour yellowish and markings grey, except the two spots on upper wings, which are very black. 8. Ground colour creamy yellow and all markings and nervules very dark ; scarce and appears most often in the summer emergence. 9. Ground dirt}^ yellow or buff colour, apical blotch and spots grey and the nervules and base of forewings heavily shaded with smoky grey ; this is the nearest approach to the alpine variety bryoiiiae that I have come across ; and I have only taken one specimen, which I captured in the month of May. 10.- All the usual markings very large and black and the extremities of all nervules with broad black streaks especially on the fore wings ; fairly common in the second emergence. 11. With two spots on the upperside of each hind wing common in both emergences. 12. With three distinct spots on the upperside of each hind wing one on the costal margin, one in the middle area and a third near the anal angle ; scarce and generally in the summer emergence. 13. Centre area of all wings on the upper side creamy yellow, the rest of the wings white ; one only taken, in the summer brood of 1921'. 14. The underside of hind wings pale yellow and the nervules much shaded with green ; very common. 1922. Langham. — Forms of Pieris napi in Co Fermanagh. 45 15. The underside as in No. 14, but with the nervules only very shghtly shaded with green ; very common. 16. The underside of hind wings bright yellow and nervules heavily shaded with green ; very common.- 17. The underside of hind wings decidedly pale orange colour and nervules heavily shaded with green. I have only one taken in August, 192 1. Tempo, Co. Fermanagh. IRISH SOCIETIES. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. February 21. — J. A. S. Stendall presided. J. C. A. Brierly, M.Sc, gave an interesting paper of " Radio- Activity in relation to Geology." Starting with the discovery of helium in the sun's atmosphere by Sir Norman Lockyer he gave the history of the observation of the photo- graphic and electric effects of certain minerals ; the separation of helium by Hillebrand, and its subsequent identification as helium by Lockyer and Ramsay. The discovery and identification of argon by Rayleigh and Ramsay, and the separation of the crude argon into argion, krypton, xenon, and neon were described, and the identification of radium " emana- tion " as niton was demonstrated ; these six new elements filling their respective vacant spaces shown in the periodic law of Newlands and ]\Iendeleeff, thus proving that no further member of this group remains unknown. He then dealt with JNIons. and Madame Curie's work on pitchbende and other viranium minerals and the discovery of radium, afterwards describing the earlier work of Becquerel and Crookes on the " Becquerel rays," demonstrating their analysis into (j^ and R and y rays, and following up with the discovery of polonium and ionium, and the identification of the latter as an " isotopic " form of lead. The work of Rutherford and Soddy on thorium and the separation of radio-active thorium X were described, and then the electric charge, mass and velocity of the a particles, and the fact that the u J L 11 T^ > Field at Ragweed, Tulv. Bombus derhamellus K. J 6 - j . B. hortorum L. — Field at Angelica, August. TENTHREDINIDAE. Trichiosoma lucorum L. — On flowers of Broom, May. Trichiocampus eradiatus Ratz. \ Emerged, April. I also took the Pontania vescicator Bremi. J latter by sweeping grass in May. P. viminalis Htg. — Emerged, May. Pteronidea oligospilus Forst. — Emerged April, May. P. fagi Zadd. — Emerged July. Pachynematus clitellatus Lep. — Emerged May ; field at Angelica, August. P. Obductus Htg. — Emerged May. P. trisignatus Forst. — Field at Angelica, August. Lygaeonematus compressicornis F. — Roadside "^ Dolerus picipes Kl. — On lawn in water trough }-May. D. oblongUS Cam. — Roadside J Tenthredopsis palmata Geoff. — Emerged May. This specimen has two , cross nerves in the radial cell of the left forewing. T. spreta Sep. — Hill, July. Allantus Perkinsi Morice. — On flowers, May and August. Tenthredella livida L. — Roadside, May. CYNIPIDAE. Rhodites rosae L. — Emerged May. 1922. Johnson. — Diptera and Hymenoptera at Poyntzpass. 69 ICHNEUMONINAE. Barichneumon lepidus Gr. — Field, August. Spilichneuraon occisorius Feb. var. nigrinus Berth. — Field at Hogweed, July. Amblyteles amatorius Mull. — Field, September. A. armatorius Forst. — Field, July. Phaeogenes stipator Wesm. — September \ P. melanogonus Gmel. — August J Dicaelotus pumilus Gr. — Moss from Demoan Wood, January. Centeterus opprimator Gr. — Field by sweeping, September. CRYPTINAE. Helcostizus brachycentrus Gr. — Hill, September. Microcryptus nigrocinctus Gr. var, jucundus Gr. — Sweeping grass, September. M. micropterus Gr. — Sweeping, 8.30 — 9 p.m., July. Phygadeuon rusticellae Bridg. var. subtilis Gr. — Hill, April. P. inflatus Thorns. — Field at Angelica, August. Orthopelma luteolator Gr. — Emerged April, May. Hemiteles bicolorinus Gr. — Study table, September. H. areator Panz. — Study window, October. H. cingulator Gr. — In store-room, January 6th. Cecidonoraus gallicola Bridg. — Hill, May. PIMPLTNAE. Ephialtes carbonarius Christ.— -On window, June. Perithous mediator Fab. — In window, June ; flying in sunshine at ivy, SeptemberT Pimpla oculatoria Fab.— Fields, July, August. Glypta fronticornis Gr.— Field, August. G. trochanterata Bridg. — Field at Knapweed, July. Lissonota variablis Hlgr. — Sweeping, S.30 p.m., July, at Angelica, August. TRYPHONINAE. Exochus podagricus Gr. — Roadside at Hogweed, August. E. squalidlis Hlgr. — Field, August. Bassus tricinctus Gr. var. neraoralis Hlgr. — In house. May ; field, September. Homocidus obscuripes Hlgr.— Sweeping, May. H. elegans Gr. var. rufonotatus Hlgr. — At Angelica. August. H. signatus Gr. — Field, September. Promethus albicoxis Thorns. — Field at Angelica, August. Mesoleptus ruficornis Gr. var. comptus H.gr. September ^ M. indefessus Gr. — August ^in fields M. typhae Fourc. — May | Exenterus flavilabris Hlgr. — September J 70 The Irish Naturaltst. June, OPHIONINAE. Campoplex foveolatus Forst. — On Ragweed 8.30-9 p.m., July. Sagaritis declinator Gr. — Fields June and August. S. latrator Gr. ^ S. annulata Gr. J^'^^^^ ^* Angelica, August. Limnerium albidum Gmel. var. juniperinum Hlgr. — Field, Juh'. L. xanthostoma Gr. — Garden on grass. May. Omorga mutabilis Hlgr. — At Angelica, August. 0. raulticincta Gr. "I Caught by hand on herbage in Septem- Meloboris ischnocera Thorns. J ber. Angitia fenestralis Hlgr. — Sweeping grass ^ Anilasta ruficincta Gr. — Roadside j ^^' -Holocremna clandestina Hlgr, — Window, August. H. erythropyga Hlgr. — Field, September. Ophion scutellaris Thoms. — Garden, on under-side of laurel leaf, July. Mesochorus anomalus Hlgr. — Window, July. BRACONIDAE. Bracon variegator Nees. — Sweeping \ B. anthracinus Nees. — At Hogweed j "^"^ " Sigaliphus striatulus Nees. — Garden, April. Rhogas irregularis Wesm. — Field at Hogweed, July, August. IRISH SOCIETIES. • BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. April 25. — Annual Meeting. — The annual meeting was held in the Museum, College Square, North — the Vice-President (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A.) in the chair. The reports presented by the Committee showed that the Club was still in a very satisfactory position, the total membership being now 456, an increase of 130 members over the previous year. The officers appointed for the coming session were as follow : — President, Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A. ; Vice-President, J. A. S. Stendall, M.B.O.U. ; Hon'. Treasurer, T. Edens Osborne, F.R.S.A.I. ; Hon. Librarian, W. M. Crawford, B.A. I.C.S., F.E.S. ; Hon. Secretary, A. MT. Cleland ; Hon. Secretaries (for geology), R. Bell, F.Min.S. ; (botany), S. A. Bennett, B.A., B.Sc. ; (zoology), W. A. Green ; (archaeology), A. Albert Campbell, F.R.S.A.I. ; (junior section), J. R. H. Greeves ; Ordinary Members of Committee, Miss S. Blackwood, Professor J. K. Charles worth, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. ; ;F. Adens Heron, J. P. ; A. Percy Hoskins, F.I.C., F.C.S. ; and W. Porter. 1922. Irish Societies. yi There was on view during the evening a fine collection of mounted photographs on loan from the North Staffordshire Field Club. The Hon. Secretary showed an Orthoceras recently taken from local boulder clay. R. J. Welch, M.K.I. A., exhibited an album containing almost one hundred book plates designed by John Vinycomb, M.R.I. A., an hon. member and ex-President of the Club. These included a number of book plates of well-known Irish naturalists and antiquaries. With the election of two new members the meeting was brought to a close. March 21. — ^Nevin H. Foster gave a lecture on " Birds, extinct and living." The Chair was occupied by the President (S. A. Bennett), who, before introducing the lecturer, referred to the fact that two of the members (A. Deane and Professor J. Small) had recently been elected to the Royal Irish Academy. Mr. Foster said that birds had evolved from reptiles, for the skeletons of both bear a close affinity ; bat birds had progressed much further, as, owing to their possessing a four-chambered heart, they were able to keep their bodies at a uniform temperature despite the varying heat of their surroundings. Birds and mammals agreed in this respect, and together were classed as warm-blooded animals. The covering of reptiles consisted of scales, and it was probable that the feather had been developed from a frayed scale. Though of this no actual proof could be advanced, it was worthy of note that the feet and legs of birds are still covered with scales similar to those borne by reptiles. From fossils which had been found it was possible to make the picture of the oldest-known bird, the Archaeopteryx. This bird, which was about the size of a Rook, was clothed in feathers precisely the same as are found on all birds, but it showed remarkable differences to all living birds in the possession of true teeth in the jaws and the structure of the tail. Other extinct birds alluded to included the Hesperornis, Ichthyornis, Moa, Dodo, and the Garefowl, or Great Auk, &c. — bones of the last-named of which had been found in County Antrim. Mr. Foster then proceeded to speak about some living birds, choosing for representation a few species found respectively in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. The lecture was illustrated by a series of very fine slides, and at its conclusion a discussion followed, in which J. A. S. Stendall, J. Holness, and S. M. Macoun took part. The meeting concluded with the election of John Vinycomb, M.R.I. A., as honorary member, and G. W\ C. Porter and W. J. Knight as ordinary members. March 28. — Annual Conversazione. — The members held their fifty- ninth annual conversazione and exhibition, when a company of 160 members and friends met at 6 o'clock in the Carlton Hall. A large series of zoological, botanical, geological, archaeological, and historical exhibits were shown. The President (S. A. Bennett) in a short address, reviewed the work of the past session. Five new members were elected. 72 The Irish Naturalist, June, 1922. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Curlews' Bg^^s in Wild Duck's Nest. Some three weeks ago 1 found a duck's nest (Mallard) in the bog here and it contained ten duck-eggs. About a week later I again passed the spot, the duck flew off, and the eggs were there as I found them on the first occasion. At a th.rd visit the duck was not d sturbed and I observed her at a distance of about four yards, for several moments. Now comes the incident of interest. On the 9th inst. I again passed the nest and got within a few yards of the sitting duck ; she flew off after a second or two, and on looking into the nest found not ten duck-eggs, but three Curlew's eggs, and the duck is hatching these eggs at the time of writing. On the question of the identity of the eggs there can be no doubt as Curlews are quite common in the locality and I have often found their nests. Can any readers offer an explanation as to how the change of eggs took place ? The obvious one, of course, is that some persons other than myself, found this nest, took away the duck-eggs and substituted Curlews. Personally I do not accept this theory, as while local boys might, and probably would, rob the nest, they would not, in my opinion, take the trouble or even think of replacing the stolen eggs with others. Auburn House, Athlone. R. Pack Beresford. The Zoological Record. I desire to draw the attention of readers of the Irish Nature list to ihe present position of the Zoological Record. Owing to the collapse of the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature in connection with which the Record was published from 1906 to 19 1 4, the Zoological Society of London has undertaken to bear the whole financial responsibility "for the preparation and printing of the Record. Owing to the great increase of the cost of printing and to the very meagre support accorded to the Record by zoologists and zoological institutes generally, the financial burden of this undertaking on the Zoological Society is becoming very severe. The cost of printing the Record now amounts to between ;/^i,50o and ;^2,ooo annually, and the Society receives back by subscribers and sales less than 25 per cent, of this sum ; I fear, therefore, unless zoologists are prepared to make greater efforts to support the undertaking, there is a strong possibility that the Council of the Zoological Society may refuse to find this large sum each year. It appears, therefore, to be the duty of every zoologist to help so tar as he is able to support this most invaluable work. All particulars and forms of subscription can be obtained from the Secretary of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park, London, N.W. 8 ; but I may mention that the price of the whole volume is now £2 ids. od., and the price of the separate parts a proportional smaller sum. W. L. ScLATER, Editor, Regent's Park, London. July, 1922. The Irish Naturalist, 73 SOME NOTES ON THE IRISH SHEEP. BY R. F. SCHARFF, B.SC, PH.D. A FEW years ago I described arx ancient Irish breed of the Pig^ and made some comments on its probable origin. The old breeds of other Irish domestic animals are fast disappearing. Some of them have entirely vanished, and every effort should be made to preserve the available records of the old Irish farmyard stock. One of the most interesting subjects of enquir3^ which has been sadly neglected is the past history of the Sheep in Ireland. There are scattered references to sheep in old books and records, but we possess few, if any, very accurate descriptions which would enable us to supply a vivid picture of the striking features of the ancient Irish sheep. M57 object in presenting these short notes to the readers of this Magazine is not only to tell them what I know about the subject but to elicit information. Others may be able to add a good deal to my remarks. iVnd this wdli give them an opportunity of weaving together a more connected story oi the past history of the sheep in this country. It is scarcely necessary to deal with the breeds of sheep now found in Ireland, for it is quite evident that most of them were brought over from Great Britain and other countries within the last hundred years. The original Irish breeds have apparently been so modified by being crossed with these introduced sheep, that we can scarcely recognise them. The only distinctly Irish breed at the present time is the Roscommon sheep which seems to be the product of the native long-woo Ued race and a Leicester stock. Previous to these introductions which were conducted on an extensive scale in modern times, sheep no doubt were conveyed to this country occasionally from other parts of the world. It is doubtful, however, whether they had any great influence in modifying the old Irish breeds. Of these there were two, viz., the long-wooUed and the short-woolled breed. The latter was chiefly found in ^ Irish Naturalist, vol. xxvi., 19 17. ^4 ^^^ Irish Naturalist, July, County Wicklow where it had established itself apparently from time mime mo rial. This sheep has been described as having a small head, narrow face, and short, round, and pricked ears. The head and face were smooth and covered with short hair, the wool extending only to the junction between neck and head. It had a long neck, but the general proportions were good except that it was rather too slender. The legs were small and clean and not very long. The tail had remarkably coarse hair, even more so than that of the long-woolled sheep. The fleece w^as coarse or wavy and occasionally matted, yielding from two to three lbs. of wool with a fibre of about two inches in length. The w^ool of this sheep was largely used in the manufacture of flannel of which much was made at Rathdrum. An anonymous writer who signs himself " Agricola " wrote^ in 1806 that this Wicklow short -woolled breed was generally known as the " Cottagh Sheep " and that the Bradys of Glenmacnass kept large flocks of the pure-blooded stock. Lydekker^ writes as if the Wicklow sheep were still living, whereas it has long since been crossed out of existence. What was the general distribution of this race in Ireland ? That is one of the questions to w^hich we should like an Answer. Youatt* maintains that a similar breed occurred in Galway, particularly in the Connemara mountains. It seems to have been crossed there earlier than in Wicklow with the English South Down breed and the Spanish Merino. He tells us that the mountains of Kerry also produce a breed of small- woolled sheep. But according to Low^ the Kerry sheep were larger than the Wicklow. The horns were small and crooked and occasionally absent in the female, while the wool was coarse on the haunches and fine on the sides. The tendency of these sheep to become black wdll be aUuded to again later on. ^Agricola — " Essay on the properties of neat Cattle, Sheep, and Swine." Trans. R. Dublin Society, voL v., 1806. ^ Lydekker, R. — " The Sheep and its Cousins." London, 1912. * Youatt, W. — " Sheep, their breeds, management and diseases." London, 1837. ^ Low, D — " On the domesticated animals of the British Islands." Tx>ndon, 1845, 1922. ScHARFF. — Some Notes on the Irish Sheep. 75 It seems as if the short -woolled, which was a small breed of sheep, was confined to the mountains, and it probably is the older of the two races. Of the long- woolled breed we know even less than we do of the other. Youatt tells us that it was a large sheep whose head was completely covered with wool. The wool extended on the legs to the very feet, and it had large flagging ears. This breed was generally distributed over the plain of Ireland. We know nothing about the length of the tail in either of these breeds and it is a character of some importance. Giraldus Cambrensis who visited Ireland in the 12th century describes^ the Irish monks as being lightly clad in woollen garments, barbarously shaped, and for the most part black, because the sheep of the country are black. The term " black " should not be taken too literally. In every large flock of white sheep a few dark ones are born even now-a-days. But these are not black. The colour should be described as a shade of brown. And it is quite likely that long ago sheep were almost all brown. The dark colour no doubt was eliminated by selection when it was found desirable to dye wool in various bright colours. I am not acquainted with any older references to the sheep in Ireland than those alluded to, but it is quite certain that domesticated sheep lived in this country long before the 12th century. All the older remains of the sheep found in Irish caves belong to a small race with slender, delicate limbs which were somewhat goat-like in character. Mr. Blyth^ speaks of the former occurrence in Ireland of two races of sheep one of which was polycerate {i.e. many- horned), while the other seemed not to differ from the old Scottish Highland breed. He expressed the opinion that these races were much older in Ireland than the goat. Now as regards the fact that some of the sheep skulls found in the raths and crannogs of Ireland were four- horned (or what Bl3rth calls polycerate) this is by no means * Giraldus Cambrensis. — " The Topography of Ireland " (revised and edited by Th. Wright), 1881. '^ Blyth, E. — " On the animal inhabitants of ancient Ireland." Proc. R. I fish Acad., vol, viii., 1861-64. A 2 76 The Irish Naturalist. July, a character distinctive of any particular race. In the Loaghton breed of the Isle of Man, in the Iceland, Shetland and Soay sheep there is the same tendency to develop extra horns. There may be three. or four, occasionally even six horns. As all these sheep are typically brown in colour, short -woolled with the wool extending only to the junction between head and neck, and possess short and slender limbs they seem to resemble, in some respects, the Irish mountain breed which was probably the descendant of the ancient breed whose remains occur in the caves. The long-woolled breed may have been introduced much more recently, possibly from France or Spain. There is considerable diversity of opinion as to the origin of domesticated sheep. But as far as European breeds are concerned, it seems likely that the wild sheep of Sardinia [Ovis musimon) was the principal ancestor. The Moufflon, as it is often called, had a much wider distribution in Southern Europe long ago than at present. The sheep inhabiting the small island of Soay off the west coast of Scotland are said^ to bear a remarkable resemblance to the Moufflon. The latter and the Soay sheep breed freely together and form fertile offspring. In Sardinia natural hybrids between the Moufflon and domesticated sheep have been known for centuries. It is of interest to record that the remains of a sheep have been discovered in the Swiss lake-dwellings which Dr. Duerst identified with this hybrid, and he states that the same breed or variety has also been met with in various recent English deposits.^ The remains of ancient sheep from Irish crannogs in the Dubhn National Museum are very fragmentary, although the honi-cores are generally well preserved. Their structure and curvature has such a strong resemblance to the horn- cores of the Moufflon that a close relationship of the two is indicated. Knockranny, Bray. ^ Elwes, H. J. — " Notes on the primitive breeds of sheep in Scotland." Scottish Naturalist, 19 12. ® Duerst, J. M. — Uber ein neues prahistorisches Hauschaf und dessen Herkunft. Vierteljahresschr. d. Naturf, Gesellsch. Z^irich. Jahrg, xlix., 1904. ig22. Carpenter. — The Life-History of Warble-Flies. 77 FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF WARBLE-FLIES. BY PROF. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.SC. Eight years ago an article appeared in the Irish Naturalist^ in which a summary was given of observations made by the late Thomas R. Hewitt and the WTiter on the behaviour of the nev/ly-hatched larvae of Hypoderma hovis and H. lineatum, these observations confirming the conclusions arrived at from experiments with muzzled calves that the young maggots bore directly in through the skin close to where the eggs are laid on the hairs, and make their way thence through the tissues to the wall of the gullet, and later to the well-known stations beneath the skin of the back where they ripen during the spring months. Further details of these observations were shortly after- w^ards published.^ Since then the work has been continued, and a summary of the results of biological interest from the latest report^ on the subject may be acceptable, as these offer strong confirmation of the conclusions previously set forth. Muzzling experiments were continued at Ballyhaise during the summer of 1914 on nine muzzled and seven " control " calves. The former had 261 warble-maggots in the spring of 1915 — an average of 29 per beast ; the latter had 62 warble-maggots — an average of less than 9. It seems therefore not merely that muzzling affords no protection, the maggots never finding effective entrance into the host-animal by way of the mouth, but that cattle free to lick their skins may destroy or dislodge many eggs that have been attached to their hairs. But it was desired to supplement these muzzling experiments and the direct observations made of the 3'oung maggots' entrance through the skin, by experiments in •^ vol. xxiii., 1914, pp. 214-221. ^ Journ. Dept. Agric. and Tech. Instr., Irel., vol. xv., 1914, pp. 105-132. ^ lb., vol. xxii., 1922, pp. 14-25. 'j^ The Irish Naturalist. July, feeding calves — otherwise preserved from infection — with eggs or young larvae of the warble-flies ; and also to see if young larvae observed to have bored in through the skin could be proved to ripen under carefully controlled conditions, no other infection of the experimental cattle by Hypoderma being allowed. Trials on both these lines were made, and while those testing entrance by the mouth were entirely negative in result, those with the boring-in maggots were conclusively positive. The experimental work was carried out with great care and skill by my late colleague, Thomas Slattery, A.R.C.Sc.L During the summer of 1915 six calves were fed with 100 young maggots each and one with 45. Three of these animals were slaughtered in the autumn, but no second stage larvae were found in their gullets. The remaining four were found to be entirely free from ripe warble maggots in the succeeding spring. In the course of the same summer three housed calves at Athenry had a number of maggots that had just been hatched in an incubator placed on the skin of each — over the hip or shoulder, or on the hock. Nearly a hundred larvae were placed on each of two calves, and forty on the third. Two of these animals were killed in October, and a single second-stage maggot was found in the sub-mucous coat of the gullet of one of them. The third had no ripe warble-maggots next spring. It appeared that experimenting with incubated larvae might be too unnatural a mode cf working, so during the fly-season of 1916 at Athenry four calves, kept continuously in the house, had eggs, laid by captive flies, bandaged on to their legs under celluloid strips, while four others were taken on one day only into a field where cattle were grazing and " gadding," and tied up for an hour in a small enclosure imder close observation, their bodies completely covered by clothing except the hind limbs on which flies could therefore laj^ eggs under natural conditions. The results proved most interesting. None of the cattle on whose legs the eggs had been bandaged had any ripe marble-maggots next spring. Here again the conditions were evidently too abnormal for success. But of the four on which eggs w^ere 1922. CARPENTER. — Tkc Lifc-Histuyy of Warble-Flies. 79 on one occasion naturally laid, the three that survived all had many ripe maggots. One of these, seen to have been ''struck" 187 times by a female H. bovis, had 41 maggots all of that species ; another " struck " 73 times had 23 maggots ; another seen to have been struck 14 times had 13. In all cases the fly seen to lay eggs and the resulting ripe maggots were of the same species. All the eggs were laid below the hock on this one carefully controlled occasion ; the calves were kept housed through all the rest of the summer so that they had no other chance of infection, and for a week after exposure to the attack of the flies they were always muzzled or tied so that there was no possibility of their licking and swallowing either eggs or young maggots. It appears conclusively from these experiments and observations that from eggs laid naturally on the legs of cattle young maggots of Hypoderma bovis bore into the body of che host and become " ripe " in the succeeding spring beneath the skin of the back, also that a bored-in maggot may reach the sub-mucous coat of the gullet-w^all. Such proof of the extensive migrations of the larvae is of special importance in view of the opinion sometimes confidently expressed that only eggs laid on the back give rise to larvae that can complete their development. Eggs appear to be hardly ever laid on the back at all, and we are now assured that maggots which bore in at the he*:! do reach the back and there become " ripe " in readiness to change into the flies of the next summer. Royal College of Science, Dublin. 8o The Irish Nituralist. July, IRISH SOCIETIES. DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. May 27. — -Excursion to Donnybrook. — A large number of members and friends met at the tram terminus and were conducted by Prof. A. Henry first through the grounds of Nutley, which is noted for its fine trees and beautiful garden. The owner, Mr. Sharman Crawford, kindly received the members. Attention was directed to the profuse flowering this season of many species, Fraxinus ornus being very conspicuous. The party next walked to Merville, also celebrated for its magnificent garden. Tiie place was laid out by Baron Foster towards the end of the 1 8th century, and some of the original trees remain, the finest being a large Oriental Plane. From Merville the members proceeded to Woodview, where tea was hospitably provided by Prof, and Mrs. Trench. Afterwards various trees were observed and discussed, special attention being paid a fine Rohinia Pseiidacacia, and to two gigantic Black Italian Poplars, which had just come into leaf, justifying the name given to the hybrid by Hartig, Populus scrotina. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. May 27. — Travelling to Whitehead, the Club's first excursion of the season took place to Cloughan Point. The party of eighteen were conducted by R. J. Welch, an old President of the Club, who described many of tlie features on the walk, calling on Captain Chase, M.A., for the botany, and Robert Bell, F.Min.S.L., for descriptions of many geological objects of interest to the mineralogist and palaeontologist. Taking the road past the columnar basalt quarries, a section of Greensand was shown, from which many fossils have been collected. Nearer the tunnel, on the shore, the outcrop of Chloritic Sand, which yields many specimens of fossil sponges, was pointed out by Mr. Bell, who also described the high section of basaltic rocks above the tunnel, from which so many fine specimens of zeolites have been obtained by him. These now form part of the national collection of zeolites in the Natural History Museum, London. Just south of the tunnel on a bank beside the railway, the locality for the very local maritime trefoil, Trifoliiim striatum, was shown. Passing along by tlie old harbour, from which so much chalk (the " white limestone " of County Antrim) was formally shipped from the now worked out quarries above, the calcreted glacial gravels overlying the Chalk and under the Boulder Clay were described by the conductor, who mentioned the abundance of fossils found in them, mainly in " pockets," more or less isolated in the mass, the species present having a more northern facies than those living now in local waters. Portions of the chalk cliffs, moved out of place by tlie ice movements and arrested when starting on their journey as erratics, are here more clearly seen 1922. Irish Societies. 8i than elsewhere in the county. Another glacial gravel section was seen at Cloughan Point high up, last of the big volcanic dyke of rapidly weathering basalt. It runs out to sea, forming the Briggs Reef, a favourite roost of Cormorants at low water, fourteen of which at its seaward end were counted by the party. This and a smaller dyke alsu penetrating the softer Triassic marls seem to have determined the Point. South of this, the Raised Beach was seen to be about twelve feet above present high-water mark, sloping down to the south to about eight feet or so. ]\Iany of its fossil marine shells were collected. All were common littoral species of N.E. Ireland. A few very rude flints were also collected, mostly keeled flakes much beach-rolled. On returning to Whitehead the party were the guests for tea of a member of the Club, Mr. Franklin M. Walker and his wife, who did all they could to make the visit a pleasant one. After tea, the usual business meeting was held, when nineteen new members for the senior and ten for the junior section were duly elected. The party returned to Belfast by the 6.30 train. NOTES. ZOOLOGY. Combats of Butterflies. It may interest Mr. Moffat to hear that the June number of the Irish Naturalist containing his paper on the habits of butterflies was delivered to me while I was watching fights between Red Admirals and Painted Ladies in a big patch of flowering broccoli in our garden here on the coast. These tilting matches have been taking place all day for the last three weeks. The Painted Ladies fight the Red Admirals more ferociously than the Red Admirals fight between themselves. In every case the victorious insect returns to bask while feeding on the flowers of these broccoli. The butterflies even chase and disperse various Bumble and Sand Bees that are attracted by the blossom. I have never seen so many Red Admirals or Painted Ladies here before, and their wings are so perfect and so bright in colour one doubts if they could have immigrated here from the continent and kept such immaculate and brilliant condition. J. N. Bingham. Belmullet, Co. Mayo. Butterfly Habits. The interesting article by Mr. C. B. Moffat in the June number reminded me at once of a somewhat similar occurrence which I noticed in 1888, I was in North Wales, and on the igth of July, a very hot 82 The Irish Naturalist. July, day, I well remember, I went up Cynicht, and on the summit (2,265 f^et) I was very much struck with the evolutions of a Red Admiral and a Painted Lady. I did not, I think, observe them very closely, so that I cannot say that they were actually tilting as described by Mr, Moffat, but I remember that they were very much in evidence for some time ; so much so that I find I referred to it in the brief entry I made in my diary, viz. :— " A pair of very fine Falcons attended me on the top ; also a Red Admiral and Painted Lady." It struck me at the time as an unusual spot to find these Butterflies, and so far as it goes — though it is not very far— it confirms Mr. Moffat's view that there must be some special attraction to account for their choice of such a venue. H. N. Dixon. Northampton. Trichoniscus roseus at Belfast. The first record from North of Ireland of this small species was by Dr. R. F. Scharff in this Journal, vol. iii., p. 26, of specimens in shell-marl that I obtained from near Portaferry, Co. Down. The marl had been in my yard for some little time and I was always in doubt where the woodlice came from. To-day — May 28th — I find a number among stones in front garden of my house, an area only a few yards square, where no plants whatever have been introduced for over seven or eight years. I have never seen them there before though I have often hunted among these stones for worms and woodlice. R. J. Welch. Belfast. The Brown Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, at Whitehead. While the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club party were walking along the railway to Cloughan Point, Belfast Lough, this May, Captain Chase caught a specimen of above beside the railway lines. In all my fifty years' travelling and collecting in Ireland, this is only the third specimen I have ever seen in the open. The first in a bog near Newtownards, Down, in 1878, the second on a bank beside the station at Whitehead (an old railway carriage !) a year or two later. It is probably more abundant than is generally supposed, but its protective colouration renders it hard to see. The Zoologist for June, i860, p. 7172, records " vast numbers " as appearing in Co. Down that year. R. J. Welch Belfast, tg22. Notes. 83 Squirrels in Co. Cork. Until reading Dr Scharff's interesting paper in the May number of the Irish Naturalist I had no idea that the Squirrel had been unrecorded in Co. Cork. I have met with it fairly often about Fermoy for some years past. At one time it certainly was absent or extremely scarce here, but about twelve years ago I began to see it occasionally, and it was, I think, in greatest numbers about five years ago. Since then the continual cutting down of our woods has reduced its numbers again. About eight or nine years ago, very early one summer morning, I awoke to find one sitting on the sill of my open window. It ran along a ledge, down some creepers, and I watched it scampering across the grass in our garden into the shrubbery. Later one was killed by a dog in our conservatory, and since then I have occasionally seen an odd one, and others have been reported to me, about the shrubs in our garden, close to which is a thick row of beech trees. In Castlehyde demesne and Glenabo wood I have frequently seen it, but never in numbers, and occasionally in other smaller woods around also. Being under the mistaken idea that the presence of the Squirrel in this county was well known, I regret I did not keep the actual dates, but certainly five or six years ago I could have shown them to anyone almost any day around here. At the present time they have become scarce again, possibly owing to the destruction or thinning of our woods, and I have seen none lately. In the extreme south-west of this county, on the peninsula between Dunmanus and Roaring Water Baj^s, there was a saying that in olden times " a Squirrel could go from Skibbereen to the Mizen Head on trees without coming to ground." Whilst I am not going to vouch for the accuracy of this statement, I think it is significant that the name " Squirrel" should be known at all in a country which has been practically devoid of trees for centuries. A more unfavourable country for Squirrels can hardly be imagined. Of woods there are none. A few small groves of stunted growth, five to eight miles of rocks and bogs separating them from one another, is not the sort of place one would expect to find Squirrels. The fact then that such an animal is well known by repute in that country is, I believe, at least, suggestive of its former existence there. W. M, Abbott. Fermoy. The Squirrel in Ireland* In his interesting paper on the question " Is the Squirrel a native Irish species ? " which appeared in the May number. Dr. Scharff rightly says that there can no longer be any reasonable doubt about the Squirrel having been a native of Ireland long before the modern introductions took place. The historical notes given by Barrett-Hamilton and Hinton in the monograph to which he refers furnish ample evidence on this point, but 84 The Irish Naturalist, July 1922. they are not equally conclusive with regard to the date of the extinction of the animal in Ireland, if it ever really became extinct. The authors of the monograph speak of the gap between the end of the fifteenth century when the Squirrel must have been abundant and its reintroduction about 1815, but they overlook the fact that the book of " Rates Outward " scheduled to the Irish Act 14 and 15 Car II., Cap. 9 (1662) indicates that in the second half of the seventeenth century Squirrel skins were being exported by the thousand from Ireland. This diminishes the gap by half, confirms the statement of O'Flaherty as to the presence of the Squirrel in 1684, and reduces the problem to the question how long it succeeded in surviving the great destruction of woods which took place in Ireland in the seventeenth century. T. V. Le Fanu. Abington, Bray. Hares in the City of Belfast. Looking out of a window in my school, Richmond Lodge, Malone Road, Belfast, one da}^ in April, to my surprise I saw a hare running along the road between the tram-hnes. Surely this is a curious occurrence in a big city like Belfast. iNIr. R. J. Welch tells me that hares are often seen on the lawn of Sir William Whitla's house in Lennoxvale, which is not far away, say about a quarter of a mile — nearer the centre of city, and also in the grounds of another house near at hand. Joan Elsa Loewenthal. Belfast. About two 5'ears ago a Hare was seen in rather extensive private grounds well within the city boundary of Belfast, inspecting a Rolls Royce motor car, which had just arrived in front of the house. The Hare walked round the car and seemed to inspect it carefully, as something different from what it had ever seen before, stopping and looking at the wheels and other parts. Its inspection cccupied several minutes, and suddenly hearing sound of some one approaching, it pricked up its ears and ran down some stone steps to a terrace below. The owner of the grounds chanced to be looking out of a window in the house when the Hare arrived, and it was the first time he realized that his grounds were a refuge or city sanctuary for such a wild animal. He has often since seen Hares on the lawns in the grounds, with some Squirrels, Hedgehogs, and an occasional Stoat. A pair of Pheasants sometimes nest among the trees, while Herons and other wading birds visit a fairly large pond not far from the house, and quite close to one of the main tram lines of the city. J. C. Belfast. August, 1922, The Irish Naturalist^ 85 THE ALLEGED ERUPTION OF KNOCKLAYD. BY PROFESSOR GRENVILLE A. J. COLE, D.SC, F.R.S. In Vol. xii. of the Irish Naturalist, p. 140 (1903), Dr. R. Lloyd Praeger quoted an account of a " Volcano at Knocklade," from the Morning Post or Dublin Courier, for June 12, 1788. An eruption is said to have broken out on May 30, and is described with much convincing detail, even to the explosion of an egg that was placed in the hot ashes. McLeod of Coll in the Hebrides and Dr. Hamilton of Portrush are said to have been among the visitors. The whole thing may have been a skit on the Neptunist and Vulcanist controversies of the time. The Rev. Wm. Hamilton of Condevadock had been active on the side of the Vulcanists since 1784. There is a reference to bogslides in the letter in the Morning Post, and it is possible that a slide on Knocklayd, which has a ring of peat-covered land around its crest, may have inspired some ingenious wit. Dr. Praeger informs me that the letter is dated from Ballycastle, and is signed " Pliny, the Younger." The romantic story has been revived by an unsigned article, under the heading " Personal and incidental," in the Northern Whig for May 15, 1922, to which Mr. Nevin H. Foster of Hillsborough has called the attention of naturalists in Dublin. Mr. Foster has made enquiries into the history of the matter in Belfast, and very kindly allows me to put forward his results. The writer in the Northern Whig saj^s that he has " disinterred a letter " from Ballycastle to a gentleman in Dublin, dated May 31, 1788. One would conclude that he had become possessed of the original manuscript ; but Dr. Praeger informs me that this letter appears in Faulkner's Dublin Journal for May 31, 1788, so that, if it really emanated from Ballycastle, it must have been " dated " a week or so earlier. It begins, " Yesterday we had the most violent storm of thunder and lightning," and then says that in the evening local fears were increased " by a most A 86 The Irish Naturalist, August, uncommon noise from Knockdale," which clearly is a misspelling of Knocklade or Knocklayd, " the top of which burst, and the discharge of burning matter and hot stones from it was truly alarming, kiUing several cattle in the adjoining fields ; many cabbins were thrown down and several people are missing." The rest of this elaborate story may now be studied in the Northern Whig. The contributor says that he was led to look into the matter by a reference in " the poems of Thomas Beggs, the Glen wherry poet." The works of Beggs appear to be rare, and no copy so far has been placed in the National Library of Ireland. Mr. Foster has very kindly copied out the passage referred to. It occurs in a poem of 25 pages, entitled " Rathhn ; a descriptive poem, written alter a visit to that island." 2nd edition. Printed by Hugh Clark and Company, Corn Market, Belfast. O'Donoghue's " Poets of Ireland " gives the date of publication as 1820, and that of the birth of Beggs as 1789, a year after the alleged eruption. The style of Beggs was evidently influenced by that of Scott. He describes how " Duhh ni V alone, weird-like Nun," was apt to utter disturbing prophecies, including in her scope : — " Lands o'erwhelmed with watery peat From black Knock-laida s bursting breast." At this point he quotes in a footnote an account of the eruption printed in the Hibernian Gazeteer, 1789 ; this i«i given in full in the Northern Whig, Maj- 15, IQ22. Beggs seems shre\^•dlv enou.eh, to have toned down the marvel in his own mind to the record of a bog-burst. He adds, "the. author gives his authority, but does not vouch for the truth of the preceding article." The bibliography of the alleged eruption so far extends over thirty years, during which no contradiction of the story has been traced (Faulkner's Dublin Journal, May 31, 1788 ; Morning Post or Dublin Courier, June 12, 1788 ; Hibernian Gazeteer, 1789 ; Thomas Beggs ," Rathlin," 1820). It is specially remarkable that the vivid accounts of the eruption should have been unknown to the Rev. Wm. Hamilton, B.D. The first edition of his " Letters concerning 1922. CoLK. —The Alleged Eruption of Knocklayd. 87 the northern coast of the County of Antrim " was published in 1786 ; but that usually quoted is dated 1790. On p. 94, he refers to the basalt on the summit of " Knocklade," and here surely would have been his opportunity had his attention been called to any of the three Dublin publications. There seems to be no mention of the story in J. E. Portlock's excellent review of the discussions on the origin of basalt in northern Ireland (" Report on Geology of Londonderry, &c./' 1843). It would now be of interest if some Irish naturalist could supplement Mr. Foster's researches by the discovery of a contemporary criticism of statements so circumstantially set down. Feehng ran high at the time in geological controversy ; the Wernerian orthodoxy was upheld in Dublin by the authority of Richard Kirwan ; and some wit on the Neptunist side may have hoped to stave off defeat by suggesting that a Vulcanist would acclaim the action of " fire " even in the pluvial phenomena of a bogslide. Royal College of Science, Dublin. IRISH SOCIETIES, BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. June 17. — -Lagan Valley. — Some forty members travelled by train to Hillsborough, proceeding thence along the banks of the Lagan Canal to Lisburn. The Sweet Flag — Acorus Calamus — was found in profusion almost all the way to Lisburn. Elatine Hydvopiper, wiiich the late G. H. Davies found abundant at Tullynacross — ■b33ide the tenth lock^ — ■ was not noted, but a tiny local plant like this is easily overlooked. The party on reaching Lisburn proceeded to the Friends' School where they were entertained to tea by Mr. Spencer-Smith (the Headmaster) and his wife, who afterwards conducted the party over the School. The usual business meeting was afterwards held in a class-room, kindly placed at the Club's disposal by the Headmaster, the President (Rev. W. R Megaw, B.A.) in the chair. Ten new members were elected, and a vote of thanks to the host and hostess closed the proceedings, 1 Irish Nat., vii., 259, A 2 88 The Irish Naturalist. August, July i. — Langford Lodge. — This excursion, conducted by T. E Osborne (Hon. Treas.) was held when forty-six members and friends visited Langford Lodge, twelve of whom were conveyed by motor boat to Ram's Island. Thirty-three members proceeded at lo a.m. by char- a-banc from the Old Museum to Langford Lodge. On reaching the little harbour at Langford Lodge, it was found that the motor-boat owners considered it too rough then for the crossing to Ram's Island, so the party dispersed for some hours ; the botanists especially taking advantage of the respite. Some, under the leadership of S. A. Bennett, B.Sc, proceeding towards the mouth of the Crumlin River, along the shores of the lough where our native plants grow in the wildest profusion, and though no new records were made in this well- searched area, new stations were noted for some of our more interesting plants. The Dog's Mercury (JSTercuriclis perennis), a rare plant in the North of Ireland, though very common in England was found growing in a flourishing colony— a welcome confirmation of an old record. Other plants seen were the Meadow Rue, Thalictrum flavum ; Sweetbriar, Rosa rtibiginosa ; Skull-cap, Scutellaria galericulata ; Cowbane, Cicuta virosa. A Wild Duck's nest was noted near this in the wood well away from the lough and high up in a willow tree, and a Pheasant's nest with seven eggs, all of them broken evidently by some vermin, possibly by a rat. Here also the zoologists hunted for mollusca and water beetles along the harbour margin, obtaining many of the latter and ten species of the former, the best of which were the small obese, thick Limnaea stagnalis and L. palustris, and the very high-spired Valvata piscinalis so typical of Lough Neagh and Lough Beg, the last being very fine in the short canal at Toome. One of the conductors pointed out the two great masses of fossil (silicified) wood on the lawns, usually known as Lough Neagh petrified wood — an entirely erroneous term, as the lough has no petrifying qualities whatever. Ram's Island was visited by some of the party, who found the round tower there still in good condition. It is about forty feet high still, and it is advisable that the big gap at the bottom should be at least partly built up. The island is, or was, the habitat of two rare and local plants, Malva moschata and Ranuncitlus Lingua. Neither has been seen there since 1875. That most interesting member of a relict fauna, My sis relicta, occurs in shallow water close to Ram's Island, but was not obtained on this visit. The rare landshell, Zonitoides nitidus, is abundant on marshy ground. After tea a business meeting was held, the chair being occupied by the President, Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A., who requested an honorary member, R. J. Welch, to deliver an address on the special features of the Lough Neagh basin, including the archaeology of Ram's Island. Four new members were elected on the proposal of the Hon. Treasurer. The President then referred to the kindness of Colonel H. A. Pakenham, D.L., C.M.G., in throwing open his charming grounds to the members. A vote of thanks was passed by acclamation. A start for home was made at 7 p.m., the return journey being via Crumlin, Glenavy, and Lisburn. 1922. Stelfox — Bees and Clovers. 8g BEES AND CLOVERS. A Day on the Murrough of Wicklow. BY A. W. STELFOX, M.R.I.A. On the 29th of May last I spent the day collecting Hymenoptera along the Murrough from Wicklow to Newcastle. Leaving Wicklow station I crossed the railway bridge over the river and turned southwards to visit the classic habitat for the clovers Trifolium suhterraneurn and T. glomeratum. The spit between the sea and the river is at this point about a quarter of a mile in width and composed mainly of fine shingle mixed with sand, and rises from three to, perhaps, ten feet above high water mark. Along the river there is an '' escarpment " about three to five feet high, which slopes down to high water. This slope is the stronghold of the Clovers, for being annuals they have a better chance here of seeding themselves than in the close sward on the flat behind, a large part of which is used as football grounds. A few hundred yards south of the railway I encountered large patches of T. subterraneum made conspicuous at a distance on this date by the small white flowers. Trifolium slriaUim, T.filiforme and Trigonella ornithopodioides were also present and all four species continued southwards in abundance, till opposite the old railway station on the spit, where they were joined by a profuse growth of the pretty little pink flowers of T. glomeratum. Beyond this point they seem to die out ; but I did not pursue t'hem further. Turning towards the sea I crossed the football grounds which were covered with Trigonella and found a nice patch of T. glomeratum, between the playing pitch and the old railway, with T. striatum, T. filiforme, and Trigonella. Seaward of the railway, especially at the chemical works, Trigonella and T. filiforme completely dominate the sparse vegetation, probably more so this year than usual following the dry summer of 1921, which killed a certain percentage of the perennial plants forming the sward. Turning northwards and again crossing the railway and following the inner side of the spit by the shore of the 90 The Irish Naturalist. August, tidal Broad Lough, T. striatum greeted me at almost every suitable spot, while a little north of the footbridge across the river it is abundant. I assume this spot is Dr. Scully's station for T. glomeratuni, but neither on this nor on a previous visit with Mr. G. E. C. Maconchy in 1921 could I find this species. T. scahrum I only saw on a raised bank a short distance south of Newcastle, between the sca and railway, where it was quite dominant for a few yards. Discovered, respectively, by A. G. More in 1867 and by Dr. David Moore in 1869, T. suhierraneum and T. glomeratuni appear to have been generally regarded as aliens.^ At present I could see no reason for such a suggestion as none of the ordinary weeds of cultivation occur with them and the ground is covered with Scilla verna ; moreover they are corjspicuously absent from the disturbed ground along the railway where the aliens congregate. Car ex Pseudo-cyperus still lingers in Dr. Moore's station near Newcastle but seems nearly extinct, only a few plants being seen by the road, half a mile west of the station. Amongst the Bees the beautiful little Osmia aurulenta occurred in hundreds between Killoughter and Newcastle along the railway banks. This species I added to the Irish list last year from The Island, Malahide. Amongst other captures was a male Humble Bee (Bomhus lucorum), the presence of which at such an early date in a late season is surprising and, had it not been in good condition, might have given rise to the quesdon : — " Can a male survive the winter by hibernation " ? Of the Fossores or Digging Wasps I was glad to find a large Ammophila, almost a giant among our species, being more than an inch in length and across the wings. Freke captured two specimens on the sands at Arklow many years ago, which he recorded in this Journal (vol. v., p. 40) as A. hirsuta, but one of his specimens in the National Museum is A. lutaria, a closely allied but apparently rarer species in England. 1 I find I am mistaken. See A. G. More in "Recent Additions," p. 5, 1872, where both plants are stated to be " undoubtedly native." It would appear lo have been the editor of Cyhele II. who first and last regarded them as aliens. 1922. Stelfox. — Bees and Clovers. 91 All my specimens from the Murrough, which include both sexes, proved also to be A. kitaria. It is, therefore, interesting that of the four English Ammophilas we only know the rarest of them to occur in Ireland. My specimens were all taken between Killoughter and Newcastle, at places where breaks in the sward occurred and low sandy banks faced southwards. Near Killoughter and also close to the Coastguard Station south of Newcastle I captured a new Irish insect, a Plant Bug, Therapha hyoscyami, L., a brilliant scarlet and black insect whose distribution in England is given by Saunders as mainly coastal from Wales on the west to Yarmouth on the east. Mr. Halbert kindly named the Therapha for me. Rathgar, Dublin. REVIEWS. IRISH GEOGRAPHY. The Provinces of Ireland. Edited by G, Fletcher, F.G.S. Ulster, 186 pp., 6s. 6d. ; Leinster, 23G pp., ys. 6d.; Munster, 176 pp., 6s. 6d.; CoNNAUGHT, 171 pp., 6s. 6d. Cambridge University Press, 1922. The Editor, Mr. George Fletcher, in a preliminary note, tells us that the object of this series is to give an account of the physical features of Ireland and of the economic and social activities of its people. This conforms very closely to the aim of the modern geographer, who seeks above all things to bring about a realisation that Geography is a real, Hve thing, exercising an almost supreme directing influente upon the development of social and economic life. That this is being gradually recognised is evidenced by the change that has taken place in the presentation of geographical matter to the student and to the public. No longer are we bored by long lists of meaningless names — always obtainable with greater accurac}^ and facility from any railway or steamship guide — or by the enumeration of cut- and-dried facts, seldom interesting, often inaccurate, and never clothed with the flesh and blood of living reality. To-day we seek to know the causes that have given rise to the delicate and intricate social and economic structure of which -we form a part. The geographer seeks to discover these causes, believing that physical, geological and climatic conditions are the soils in wliich have been generated and developed men's thoughts and actions throughout all time. For these reasons we welcome this Series, believiaig that the more such books are studied, the nearer we are to a true understanding of past events and the more definite will be our dreams for the future and the more practical the methods by which they may be translated into actual fact. g2 The Irish Naturalist. August, A very welcome and interesting aspect of modern geographical work is that no special system has become stereotyped as the one and only method of approach. In some cases, notably that of the late Professor Herbertson, one writer may cover the whole field of geography from oceanography to racial distinctions. On the other hand, as with Semple's " Influences of Geographic Environment," the author may confine himself to that particular section of geographical research which appeals most to him and which he has made his own. A third method is illustrated by the " International Geography," where Dr. Mill, acting as general editor, produced a work written by 70 authors. This work embraces an account of all the lands of the world, each author having very special knowledge of the " land " described by him. Mr. Fletcher, in follomng this last method, has gathered round him a group of distinguished scholars with special knowledge applicable to Ireland on the subjects of ancient geography, topography, archaeology, geology, botany, zoology, antiquities, administration, industries and manufactures ; and by devoting a section of each volume to each of these subjects he has compiled a complete whole. The disadvantages of such a method are apparent, but the advantages are also very great, and in this particular case, where a profound knowledge of every aspect of Irish life and conditions is required to lift the work above the common level of a school text-book, it appears to be the only method that could have been successfully adopted. In one particular the series suffers from the dislocation caused by the Great War. Tiie printing was delayed for several years pending that period of stress, and in consequence some of the information given is not fully up-to-date. Under the circumstances this was unavoidable, and it is only here and there that it makes itself apparent. Each volume opens with a short chapter on Ancient Geography, written by Professor R. A. Stewart Macalister. This arrangement, is particularly happy in the case of Ireland. The author's reputation is suflicient guarantee for the originality and interest of this section. Dr. R. Lloyd Praeger is responsible for Topography, Botany and Zoology. As a writer on botany and zoology. Dr. Praeger's name is a household word. In these pages he crystallises into definite statements much that hitherto was but vaguely known. His indications of the relationship between flora and physical conditions is especially interesting and seems to indicate that a wide field of work still remains to be covered in what may be termed " Plant Geography." 'It is not an easy matter to write an interesting description of surface features. Too often it develops into a mere classification of mountain ranges and peaks and lists of rivers and lakes. We therefore congratulate Dr. Praeger on his method of presenting this subject and giving us such a vivid and readable account of the climate, mountains, rivers, lakes, traflic routes and coast lines of each province. The photographic illustrations are well chosen, and the black and white diagrams illustrating relief and traffic control are most effective and provide a valuable aid to a correct understanding of this important subject. 1922. Reviews. 93 The Geology of Leinster and Connaught is written by Professor Cole, and that of Ulster and Munster by Professor Swain. Professor Cole needs no introduction as a descriptive writer on geological subjects, and we have every reason to congratulate ourselves that he was prevailed upon to contribute to this series. His method of tracing the gradual steps of geological events which ultimately combined to give us our present scenery is picturesque and instructive. There appears to be a large field of research work still to be covered with regard to soils and minerals and this, together with lack of space, no doubt accounts for the somewhat brief notice given to those two subjects. The descriptive geology of IHster and Munster follows very closely the plan adopted with regard to Leinster and Connaught, and the same remarks apply as to soils and minerals. The illustrations add much charm to these sections. The value of including chapters on Antiquities in a book on geography cannot be too highly estimated, and this is especially so when the chapters are written with such a wealth of interesting historical detail as Mr. E. C. R. Armstrong is able to give to these subjects. The photographs of the old abbeys, castles and shrines, and of the various high crosses, weapons and jewellery greatly add to the interest of these pages. We are glad that in addition to doing the editorial work, Mr. Fletcher also found time to write an account of the Administration, Industries and Manufactures. Tie brings unrivalled knowledge to bear upon these subjects. It is well to note that these volumes were published at the end of 1 92 1, and since that date many changes have taken place in administration and education, and perhaps greater ones are contemplated, so that much that is written, while invaluable as an historical record of splendid work undertaken and accomplished, is no longer a complete account of the conditions prevailing at the moment. A close reading of the summarised account of industries and manufactures will repay the earnest student. He will gain a comprehensive view of our economic life, a knowledge of which should lead to much speculation and thought as to what is best for our future commercial and industrial activities. Dr. Best has rather a thankless task in writing the account of the distinguished men of each province. It is significant that he opens three of his four chapters with the apology " space does not permit." The reader finishes these pages with a feeling of unsatisfied hunger ; he wants more, but the bowl is full to the brim. Therefore we sympathise with Dr. Best, and feel that the inclusion of this section in so limited a form does not add to the strength of the work. In commending the series to the general reader and to the student, we do so because we feel that a distinct step forward has been made, that a long felt want has been supplied, and that at the present time the issue of such a work is most opportune. These volumes should be on the book-shelves of every library in Ireland. They would soon need replacing. We understand that a fifth and final volume dealing with Ireland as a whole, by the same writers, is in the press. G. T. Clampett. 94 The Irish Naturalist. August, NOTES. BOTANY. Plants of County Dublin. In the following notes I have endeavoured to fill up some gaps in Mr. Colgan's " Flora of Dublin," and I have refreshed a few early records : — • Ranunculus irichophyllus Chaix. District 2— Sparingly in a ditch near the windmill, Skerries, 191 8. This completes the series for the county. Ranunculus hirsufus L. 4— Several plants on the railway bank near the nth lock. Royal Canal, Blanchardstown. Sisymbrium Thalianum J. Gay. 7 —On a roadside wall above Killakee, near the turn to Glencree, at 1,200 ft. Cyhele (2nd edition) gives " to 1,000 ft. in Antrim " as the greatest eleva- tion for Ireland. Sisymbrium pannonicum Jacq. 4 — Beside the Liffey near the foot of Knockmaroon Hill, and again near the Wren's Nest. 7 — Abundant in waste ground in St. James's Gate Brewery. Senebiera didyma Pers. 2 — Near the harbour at Skerries. 4— Abundant as a garden weed at the rectory, Finglas. Medicago denticulata 1.. This appears to be a very rare Dublin plant. It is recorded in " Cybele Hibernica " 1866 as having once been found between Dolphin's Barn and Crumlin, but does not appear to have been subsequently seen there. I first noticed this — some dozen plants — in 191 8, beside the field-path from Kimmage to Dolphin's Barn, and it appeared again in the same place in 1919 and 192 1. Melilotus parvijiora Desf. 7 — Same station as above, 1920 to 1922 — also at the west end of the large quarry at Mount Argus brickworks. Trifolium arvense L. 3 — Very coramon on the Burrow, Portrane, 5 — Unusually abundant on the North Bull, 1922. Vicia hirsuia Koch. 2 — Abundant on south side of Loughshinny harbour, 191 8. Saxifraga tridactylites L. 3 — In sandy fallows at north end of the Island links, Portrane, 1922. Saxifraga granulata L. 5 — ^In 1919 I found a small patch of about twenty plants, east of Kilbarrack churchyard, from which it was apparently last recorded by Hart in 1866. Unfortunately in 1920 a bungalow was built right on this spot. Gentiana campestris L. 7— In Glenasmole, in a field on the east side of the Upper Reservoir. 192 2. Notes. 05 Ornithogahim umhellatum L. 5— Though an obvious garden outcast, has been estabUshed and apparently increasing for several years by the cliff path by the Needles, Howth, Opht'vs apifera Huds, This orchis is apparently sufficiently rare for a new station to be welcome. In July 1922 my friend Rev. H. Jennings, rector of Finglas, showed me seven or eight good plants scattered over some hundred j'^ards of broken ground in the disused quarries near that village. Polypogon wonspeliensis Desf. 4 — Several plants by roadside at Cabra, near the level crossing to Cardiff's Bridge, 1922. Poa compressa I.. Mr. Stelfox's Rathmines station has survived the concreting process referred to by him in October 1920, and is now flourishing (see also below). Ceterach officinaruni Willd. 8 — -About a quarter of a mile north of Glencullen crossroads, at 950 feet. Mr. Colgan says of this species " ascends to 600 feet at Ballinascorney." J. P. Brunker. Rathmines, Dublin. County Down Plants. The following botanical notes may be of interest. Last week I gathered Ensyniiim cheiranthoides (easily distinguished by the trifid hairs on the leaves) in the grounds here. As the plant was growing near the chicken-run it was no doubt introduced with corn seed. I see by the new supplement to the " Flora of the N.E." (in proof) E. cheiran- tJioides has not been reported from Co. Do\vn before, and only once from Co. Antrim. In a field at Portnacoe, Co. Down, I found Orobanche minor growing in considerable quantity on the White Clover with which the tieid was sown ; and near Donegore Church, Co. Antrim, Chenopodium Bon US- Hen Hens. CoRRiE D. Chase. Campbell College, Belfast. Poa compressa survives ! In spite of the treatment meted out to this plant in 1920 (see Irish Nai., vol. xxix., p. 108), a small tuft of it was seen by Miss Knowles on the wall in Grosvenor Place, Rathmines, last year. This year it has almost recovered its former luxuriance, but there is now only one clump visible instead of several. A. W. Stelfox. Rathgar. 96 The Irish Naturalist. August, 1922. ZOOLOGY. Felted Beech Coccus in Ireland. In the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries (England) leaflet No. 140 the Felted Beech Coccus, Cryptococcus fagi, is stated to have been recorded from only one locality in Ireland (not given). Some five years ago I first noticed this insect on the beech boles at Ballynafeigh, Belfast. Since then it seems to have spread rapidly and now occurs through- out this district. Recently I have found it extensively in North Down. Museum, Belfast. J. A. Sidney Stendall. Eg-g- of Fulmar Petrel — -an Irish Example. What I believe to be the first Irish-taken egg of the Fulmar reached me in June, from Rathlin Island. The specimen is smaller than the average, only measuring 60.5 mm., but being broken and having lost some of its contents, I was of course unable to determine its weight. Further the egg was infertile which is of interest when considering the remarks made by Mr. E. W. Wade in the July Nainralist (England), p. 223. Mr Wade comments on the breeding of the Fulmar on the Yorkshire cH"^'"s — a new breeding habitat — which he remarks " is a matter for congratulation to the naturalists of Yorkshire, but there is nothing surprising in the event." The author has made a study of the Fulinar at St. Kilda and found " about 25 per cent, of the eggs examined on the outlying stacks to be addled, as if the birds were getting old and past laying further eggs.*' Presumably the eggs laid in the main colony are those of prime birds and the inference is that the bdrds on the stacks have been crushed out by the younger and stronger generation. Our only evidence in Ireland as to the breeding powers of the bird seems to be from the egg now in my possession which gives a direct negative on account of its infertility. It seems probable that Irish examples of the species are also outcasts and possibly very few young are reared on our cliffs. Museum, Belfast. " J. A. Sidney Stendall. NEWS GLEANINGS. • The greatly increased membership of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club during the Session 1921-1922 and two months over — fourteen months in all — is evidence of the fact that societies like our Irish Field Clubs, strictly non-sectarian and non-political, can continue their activities in the cause of Irish science and their hobbies in natural history in spite of the general unrest and political situation. The B.N.F.C. has added one hundred and eighty new members to its list in the fourteen months ending May last ; of these the Hon. Treasurer (T. E. Osborne. F.R.S.A.I.) obtained one hundred and fifty-eight, and has added many others since. Surely this is a record for a Naturalists' Field Club in the British Islands. Many English clubs have less for a total membership. Irish Naturalist, Vol. XXXI. ERNEST W. L. HOLT. September, 1922. The Irish Naturalist 97 ERNEST W. L. HOLT. By the death in London on June loth of Mr. E. W. L. Holt, Chief Inspector of Irish Fisheries, Irish Marine Zoology has lost not only one of its ablest and most versatile investigators, but also an efficient supporter, for though his interests were mainly centered in the institution of which he became the head and with which he was for so long associated, he was always ready to aid any researches which seemed likely to yield useful results. Ernest William Lyons Holt was born in London on the 17th October, 1864. He was educated at Eton, where he gained the Biological Prize, and, entering the army through Sandhurst, was gazetted to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He served through the Nile campaign of 1884-5 and afterwards in the Burmese War of 1886-7, during which his health broke down and he was invalided home. After leaving the army he took up the study of zoology in 1888, and while acting as assistant to the Professor of Zoology at St. Andrews he commenced those researches in ichthyology which afterwards became his chief interest. Holt first came into touch with Irish zoology in 1890, when he was appointed assistant-naturalist to the Survey of the Fishing Grounds of the West Coast of Ireland, organ- ised by the Royal Dublin Society, and carried out on board the steamer " Fingal," replaced in 1891 by the " Harlequin." The general report on the Survey was entirely his own work, and he subsequently published valuable papers on the eggs and larval stages of fishes taken during the Survey, and also, in collaboration with W. L. Calderwood, on the rarer fishes, chiefly deep sea forms taken during an extension of the cruise into the deep water of the Atlantic. After the completion of the Survey, Holt joined the staff of the Marine Biological Association, having been appointed to take charge of a laboratory which wa^ opened at Grimsby for the purpose of studying the fishery problems of the North Sea. Here he continued his fishery investi- gations, applying scientific methods to the solution of practical problems of economic importance, and helping 9,8 Tlie Irish Naturalist. September, to lay the foundations of those enqmries which in time resulted in the founding of the International Council for the Study of the Sea. Leaving Grimsby in 1894, he worked for some time at the Station Zoologique d'Endoume at Marseilles, where he published a comprehensive and finely illustrated paper on the larval developm^ent cf Mediterranean fishes. He then returned to England and spent three years at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, where in addition to ichthyolog}/ he took up the study of various groups of invertebrates. In 1898, when the first Irish marine laboratory was started by the Royal Dublin Society, Holt returned to Ire- land to take charge of it, and when in 1900 the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland was founded and the marine laboratory, then at Ballynakill, Go. Galway, was transferred to its care, he was appointed Scientific Adviser to the Fisheries Branch of the Department, becoming subsequently, in 1908, Inspector of Fisheries and, on the retirement of the Rev. W. S. Green in 1914, Chief Inspector. As soon as he joined the Fisheries Branch of the Depart- ment, Holt devoted all his energies to the furtherance of fishing investigation on a scientific basis, and to bringing Irish investigations into line with the most recent British and European work. When the International Council for the Study of the Sea was founded, he successfully pressed the claim of Ireland to play her part in the work then being- organised, and again, when Dr. Schmidt commenced his memorable researches into the life-history of the freshwater eel, Holt came to his aid and, as Schmidt has recorded, was able more than any other to forward his work. Most of the results of Holt's personal studies after coming to Ireland will be found in the Scientific Investigations of the Fisheries Branch, a series of reports which consist in the earlier years very largely of his own work, and in which the share contributed by his colleagues was mainly the result of his inspiration and instigation. He early devoted his attention to the improvement of methods of Salmon hatching and rearing in Ireland, and was instrumental in starting a number of new^ hatcheries. Lie also set on foot,. t922. Ernest W. L. Holt. 99 the systematic marking of Salmon under the superintendence of the Department, a hne of enquiry which, in his hands, has yielded valuable information as to the hfe-history of the fish. The experimental breeding and fattening of oysters also engaged a good deal of his time, with somewhat disappointing results. These experiments were starced at Burren, Co. Clare, and continued at Ardfry, Co. Galway, for a number of years. During the last few years the pressure of administrative duties, coupled with failing health, did not, as he used to regret, allow him much time for personal research, but his Wonderful memory for detail enabled him to keep in touch with any investigations which were in progress under his direction, and to forward them with suggestions and plans. One of the last of his activities was the organization of the Limnological Laboratory on the Shannon at Portumna, near Lough Derg, for the study of lacustrine biology and its influence on fish life. In addition to his other attain- ments he was a competent archaeologist, and for some years acted as editor of the Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, to w^hich he contributed several papers. He found his recreation, in the short intervals which he spared from his official w^ork, in life out of doors, chiefly in shooting and fishing, and he was also an enthusi- astic gardener. Holt's wide general know^ledge of marine zoology was remarkable. He was familiar with all the common forms in almost every group of invertebrates and had made a special study of the Schizopoda, while his knowledge of British Fishes in all their aspects was probably unsurpassed. Endow^ed with a critical mind and a nature intolerant of anything tinged with insincerit}^ or self-seeking. Holt con- cealed beneath an impassive manner and a mordant wit a capacity for real friendship, and for attracting the affection- ate regard of others, and never spared himself trouble or thought on behalf of those who were glad to reckon them- selves amongst his friends. G. P. Farran. ioo The Irish Naturalist. September, BOTANICAL NOTES FROM S.E. WEXFORD. BY A. W. STELFOX, M.R.I. A. In July last I spent a few days in Co. Wexford with the intention of collecting Hymenoptera, but the weather was so unpropitious, dull, cold and stormy, that my attentions not unnaturally wandered towards the vegetable kingdom. Staying at Rosslare the dunes there naturally absorbed a good deal of my time. The golf links is certainly a sporting one, J uncus acutus acting as an excellent " bunker," while the sward of the " greens " consists to a very large extent of Er odium maritimum. The fringe of dunes between the links and sea, is richly decorated with Pastinaca sativa, the Common Parsnip, and at one spot I found a great colony of a pretty little Evening Primrose, which was very fragrant towards dusk. Miss Knowles has identified this as Oenothera odorata Jacq., a South American species (Chili, Patogonia, &c.) which has occasionally been found as an alien in Great Britain. I failed to find Trifolium glomeratmn recorded by the late E. S. Marshall as abundant in two sandy fields " near Rosslare House " ; but Trigonella ornithopodioides seemed common. Orchis pyramidalis is thinly scattered over the dunes, but 0. ericetorum and 0. incarnata are confined to the damper hollows where Salix repens grows. A short visit to the marshes west of Rosslare for Orchids 3/ielded only 0. incarnata and 0. Fuchsii. I spent a day at Carnsore Point and the south-eastern corner of Lady's Island Lake and of course went to see Diotis candidissima on the shingle between the lake and the sea. At the present time there is nearly an acre of it about a quarter of a mile west of the old outlet of the lake. East of this now filled up channel I found a Dodder {Cuscuta sp.) not then in flower. It grew profusely in one place on Lotus corniculatus and Galium verum ; more sparingly in another spot on Thymus Serpyllum. This plant — assuming it to be C. Epithymum — always seems to me to be native. If an alien why is it not of more frequent appearance amongst crops, like Orobanche minor, and why does it seem to prefer coastal districts where local and unquestionably native plants are usually to be found ? 192^. Stelfox. — Botanical Notes from S.E. Wexford. loi Below Barnawheel I saw Trifolium striatum ; three plants on the bank between the cultivated lands and the sandhills. Erodiuni maritimum, E. moschatum, Trigonella ornithopodioides and Calystegia Soldanella were common near the last locality. North of Carnsore Point the Samphire is wonderfully luxuriant along the beach, but I saw no other plant worth mentioning. Turning inland by the road north of Nether- town — ^towards Castletown — I had a great piece of luck. In the north bank of the road, just before it joined the main road dowoa the " peninsula," I found Asplenium lanceolatum in some quantity but very shrivelled by the drought. .Only the fact that a few years ago Mr. R. A. Phillips gave me a plant of this fern, from his Co. Carlow station, prevented my passing it by. The bank upon which it grew was built up of granite boulders and sandy soil and faced due south. Possibly I may have overlooked it previously, as I have a recollection of seeing what I took to be A. Adiantum- nigrum nearer to Nethertown, or between that place and Carnsore Point along the coast. Until Mr. PhilHps's discovery of it in Co. Carlow it was known as Irish only from Cork and Kerry ; but as it is well known in south- western England its occurrence in Wexford is not surprising. In the marsh south of Ring near Lady's Island Lake I had hoped to find some interesting plants but w^as disappointed. The only thing of interest here w^as a curious form of the sedge Car ex vulgaris simulating the rare C. trinervis in habit, having very long bracts and stout agglomerated female spikelets. It grew with normal C. vulgaris and what I took to be var. j micella ; but its dark glumes and flat leaves at once separate it from a plant of C. trinervis which I owe to the kindness of Mr. C. E. Salmon. In Lady's Island Lake I saw Ruppia rostellata, Ranunculus sp., and a curious little Chara which grew in a few inches of water and looked just like little submerged clumps of Lyco podium selago. Miss Knowles ran it down for me as Chara aspera var. subinernmis and Canon Bullock-Webster has confirmed her diagnosis. High and dry along the shore were patches of Littorella lacustris, looking very quaint with the long anthers fluttering in the breeze. Along the seaward end of the lake I noticed Silver- io2 The Irish Naturalist. September, weed (Potentilla anserina) sprouting in the sand under a foot of water, its underground stems having travelled under the lake and then grown upwards. It seemed curious to see such a reversal of habitats, on the same day, within a few hundred yards space : — Potentilla growing in the lake and Littorella well above the water level. In this district I saw also some curious plant associations. For instance a little north of Nethertown behind a fringe of blown sand I came across a bank between fields, the maritime end of which was occupied very largely by Carex arenaria, while the landward end was entirely occupied by Honeysuckle, two plants that one does not naturally associate with each other. On my way home I stopped at the head of the lake to visit Runiex maritimus ; it was just in flower and had not yet turned golden. On the last morning of my trip I went past Ballycronigan House to the coast, ij miles south of Greenore Point, and worked northwards to the old church of St. Helen's. Here Salvia Verhenaca was abundant, looking more native than about Rosslare ; while Convolvulus arvensis had very deeply coloured rose and white flowers. Approaching St. Helen's I picked up a withered clover that looked like T. scabrum, and subsequently T. striatum, while on reaching the old church I found all the little rocky knolls round about it covered with a sward composed mainly of these two species. Trifolium striatum has been recorded from the spot (Rev. E. S. Marshall), but T. scabrum appears to be new to this part of Wexford. About Kilrane I noted the ditches were full of Carex remota and C. divulsa, neither of which I saw elsewhere, with C. viilpina, but a hurried search failed to produce any hybrids. South of Rpsslare where the road turns inland to Tagoat, the Bee Orchis grew profusely in stiff Boulder- clay' along the cUff-tops and in the adjoining grazing fields. I have, as usual, to thank Miss M. C. Knowles for verifying my identifications in the field, particularly of Aspleuium lanceolatum and Erodium moschatum^ ; also for identifying the Chara and Oenothera which were unknown to me. National Museum, Dublin. 1922. Review. 103 REVIEW. THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. The British Association for the Advancement of Science.— A Retrospect. 1831-1921. By O. J. R. HowARTH, O.B.E., M.A., Secretary (London : British Association, Burlington House. 1922). Pp. viii. -I-318. Price, 75. 6rf. The remark of a Dublin alderman that Ireland had good scientific men and need not extend a welcome to the British Association showed, not only his insularity, but a misapprehension of the word " British," as covering what appertains to a geographical entity, the British Isles. Mr. Howarth's timely volume makes it clear that the Association is not an English or a Scotch body extending its favours to an adjacent colony, but that it was built up from the first on principles of equahty and fraternity. Its fifth meeting was held in Dublin (1835), under the presidency of Bartholomew Lloyd, Provost of Trinity College, and President of the Royal Irish Academy from 1835 to 1837 ; Cork was visited in 1843, when another Irishman, the Earl of Rosse, was President ; and in 1852 Sir Edward Sabine, who was at any rate born in Dublin, presided over a meeting in Belfast. From Mr. Howarth's useful Appendix II. we can easily quote the other Irish meetings : — 1857, Dublin ; 1874, Belfast, with John Tyndall, a farmer's son from the County of Carlow, as an electrifying President ; 1878, Dublin ; 1902, Belfast ; 1908, Dublin. The astronomer, Thomas Roniney Robinson, then rector of Carrie kmacross, presided at Birmingham in 1849 ; George Gabriel Stokes, son of the rector of Skreen, in the County of Sligo, at Exeter in 1869 ; Sir William Thomson [Lord Kelvin] at Edinburgh in 1871 ; Thomas Andrews of Belfast at Glasgow in 1876; and Sir Charles A. Parsons at Bournemouth in 1919. We thus trace at least nine Irishmen as presidents of the " British" Association. For the commonwealth of scientific workers no such list is needed. The iVssociation provides, as its founders hoped, a meeting-ground for all who are interested in the outcome of research. It is important to learn that the revival of a federal spirit in Germany at the close of the Napoleonic tyranny promoted the formation of a Deutscher Naturforscher Versammlung in 1822, under the inspiration of the naturalist-philosopher, Larenz Oken (we Ockenfuss) ; our debt to the German model is here happily pointed out. The portraits of the founders and early leaders of the British Association would alone assure a welcome to the work. We have the kindly honest face of John Phillips, who taught in Dublin University in later years ; Murchison, with his favourite air of a com- manding officer in the Peninsular war — his active service ended as an ensign at Coruiia ; Tyndall, evidently under Carlylean influences ; and the splendid head of Huxley as many of us knew him in the " eighties." Like^vise Adam Sedgwick, who baptized the sea-captain's baby between Liverpool and Dublin (p. 32) when coming to the meeting of 1835 ; 104 ^^^^ Irish Naturalist. September, 1922. Wlicwcll wondering if all was going well with Miller's " Treatise on Crystallography " ; and the gentle Kelvin, writing a good word for a student whom he treated as a colleague in research. The Association performed its greatest function when it brought men in outlying towns, men already enthusiastic in promoting their local societies, into contact with leaders such as these. Visits to Montreal in 1884, Toronto in 1897, South Africa in 1905, Winnipeg in 1909, and Australia in 1914, spread in the self-satisfied centre of our commonwealth a knowledge of developments overseas. Members may have felt that they had much to learn about river-erosion at Niagara, the tribal ceremonies of Zulus in Natal, or the proteacean flora in New South Wales ; but they actually learnt more from watching a railhead being pushed westward through the forest, from a glimpse of two red-coated riders keeping the British peace upon " the Plains," or from sitting at the same table, looking out on the Zambesi, with the quiet courteous commissioners who held the scales of justice between native and settler in Rhodesia. Mr. Howarth, in telling us of the more memorable discussions at the meetings of the Association, traces, under subject-headings, the history of scientific investigation in recent times. The people who call the Association the " B.A.," as if the letters had no other signification, and who attend meetings regularly for the sake of gossiping about them after- wards, probably grow fewer year by year. Thanks to the work done, however grudgingly, in our schools, a knowledge of the real purport of eiiperiment and research is far more common than it was even twenty years ago. The excellent volume before us shows how the British Associa- tion kept hope alive in times when education was less liberal, and also how it has contributed largely, by grants from its funds and by the co- operation of members of committees, to the maintenance of natural knowledge and the promotion of discovery in new fields. Its meetings are not the place for the reading of small papers that may be suitable for scientific journals, but have no width of outlook or appeal. The tendency at present seems to be a happy development of broad discussions, often inter-sectional, and the exhibition to local workers, depressed at times by isolation, of the hosts that are really on their side. In Hull, Dundee, or shall we say Dublin, the eyes of the young man are opened, and he sees the mountain of scientific achievements full of horses and chariots of fire. Grenville a. J. Cole October, 1922, The Irish Naturalist 105 THE HABITS OF THE LONG-EARED BAT. BY C. B. MOFFAT, B.A., M.R.I. A. The habits of so familiar an animal as the Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) ought by this time, one would think, to be too thoroughly known to need much further study ; and I confess that I was a little disconcerted on learning in the summer of 1913 (towards the end of August) that a swarm of bats of this species was to be seen every night clustered together or the ceiling of a dark passage at Bally hy land. I was in Dublin at the time, and could not personally investigate the matter ; but having always regarded the Long-eared Bat as an all-night flier I felt my impressions rather badly knocked on the head by the intelligence that a multitude of these animals spent the early hours of every night clustering on the wall or ceilhig of a dark indoor passage — ^w^here, moreover, they were never seen in the day-time. , The account given me was, however, perfectly correct, and the bats in question continued to frequent the passage in the same manner for at least seven years (1913 to 1919 inclusive) — except during the winter months, when they went elsewhere for hibernation. During the last five years of this period I had them under almost daily — if I may use such a word when I mean nightly — observation ; and I now feel that I owe to the readers of the Irish Naturalist some qualification of the verdict, " All- Night Flier/' which Dr. x\lcock and I (as Tomes had done before us) returned on the Long-eared Bat in the article we contributed to this Journal^ in December, 1901. The inference that the Long-eared Bat flies all night was dra\vn by Tomes (Bell's " British Quadrupeds," 2nd ed., p. 75) from the fact that he was accustomed to hear its cry in the open fields at all hours of the night, and even in the darkest nights. To this Dr. Alcock and I were ^ Vol. X., pp. 241-251. lo6 The Irish Natttrahst. , ;. October, able to add the further fact that we had seen and identified it on the wing, hunting moths, on the stroke of midnight and at 1.30 a.m. Such observations suffice, I think, to show that there is no hour of the night at which Long- eared Bats are not flying and taking prey. To that extent the habits of this species differ radically from those of the Hairy-armed Bat {Nyctalus Leisleri), which retires at the close of the evening twilight to the same sleeping apartment in which it has passed the day, and remains there until the approach of morning, when another brief flight is taken. However, it is one thing to fly at all hours of the night, and another thing to fly continuously throughout the night, as the Pipistrelle or Common Bat {Pipistrellus pipisirellus) seems to me to do, except during those brief intervals of rest which are necessitated by its capture of some insect too large to be comfortably disposed of during flight. From my five summers' observations on the Long-eared Bats in the passage at Ballyhyland, I am now convinced that each individual bat of that species spends a very considerable part of the night at rest — the rests varying in duration from half-an-hour to several hours, and the length of the period of flight being about equally elastic. The hours during which the bats were to be seen on the walls of the passage in question varied according to the time of year, and, in some degree, to the state of the weather, the phases of the moon, and other causes too complicated to ascertain. In spring, when the nights were still fairly long, the assemblage would often have reached its largest dimensions by nine or ten in the evening, and have completely dispersed before twelve. In June and July the largest gatherings were generally seen about midnight, or perhaps an hour later. In August the bats again assembled early and broke up before midnight ; but later on — especially after October set in — when the nights grew cold for insect hunting, it was not unusual for the bats to come in early and remain in their cluster the greater part of the night. I did not, however, ascertain at what o'clock on these chilly autumnal mornings they broke up and disappeared. The passage was never used as a sleeping place by day. 1922. Moffat.— The Habits of the Long-eared Bat. 107 The presence of this assemblage in so convenient a spot as the passage leading from the main corridor to my bedroom was a great help towards ascertaining the periods of hibernation and activity, and also some particulars as to the breeding habits of these bats. They generally began to shovv^ themselves in the passage in some numbers before the end of March, and continued to do so well into November. In the four springs from 1916 to 1919 the earliest dates for seeing clusters of three or more were respectively March 30, March 24, March 19, and April 4. The latest dates in the four autumns from 1915 to 1918 were November 9, November 24, November 22, and November 24. Individual bats turned up in the passage in every winter month ; but this was a very occasional occurrence, and I never saw tvs'o together on any night between the beginning of December and the end of February. A fact of some importance ascertained by watching these bats was that their principal mating season is the spring — from the first week of April till about the middle of May. This fact, of which it was easy to obtain convincing evidence on almost any evening of the period indicated, is not in agreement with the conclusion arrived at for bats in general by the two continental zoologists — Messrs. R. Rolhriat and E. L. Trouessart — whose memoir^ is pronounced by Major Barrett-Hamilton the most complete treatise bearing on the breeding habits of these mammals. These high authorities — for whose conclusions I am indebted to the summary of their memoir in Barrett-Hamilton's " History of British Mammals " ^ — find that the pairing of bats is almost exclusively an autumnal function, and that though occasional acts of mating take place in winter during intervals of interrupted hibernation, there is never any pairing in spring. 1 " Sur la reproduction des Chauves-Souris," Mim. Soc. Zool. de France, ix., pp. 214-240, 1896. 2 Vol. i.; pp. 32-4. KZ io8 The Irish Naturalist. October These results, however, appear to have been arrived at by the actual study of only three species — the Mouse- coloured [Vespertilio murinus) and the Greater and Lesser Horse-shoe Bats (Rhinolophns ferrum-equinnin and R. hipposideros) — of which only the last-named is found in Ireland. As regards those bats that are familiar to British observers, the absence of spring coupling is strongly doubted by several of our best authorities, as, for instance, by Mr. Arthur Whitaker, who thinks that the manner in which Pipistrelles chase one another in spring is only consistent with amorous propensities,^ and by Mr. T. W. Proger, who draws similar conclusions from the conduct of the Lesser Horse-shoe Bat as observed by him in Wales. '^ Major Barrett-Hamilton's conclusion is that the matter deserves further study, and that the verdict of MM. Rolhnat and Trouessart, " in view of the condition of the male, is so surprising as to seem in need of corroboration." Be the facts as they may regarding the Pipistrelle and the Lesser Horse-shoe, the conduct of the Long-eared Bats in the passage at Ballyhyland left no room for doubt that in the case of that species coupling takes place systematically and on a large scale, when the bats come in to rest of a spring night. It was not unusual to see three or four cases of pairing simultaneously in progress within the distance of little more than a yard along the passage wall. By pretty careful watching I ascertained that autumnal coupling also occurs, but only on quite a small scale ; and the repetition ofthe procedure in four consecutive years made it clear beyond question that spring is, in that locality, the chief mating season of the species. The time when pairing seemed to be at its height varied from about April i8th (in 1917) to about May 3rd (in 1916). The earliest and latest dates at which it was seen in spring were April 5th and May 28th ; in autumn, October i6th and November 29th. This last date would doubtless be an instance of coupling during interrupted hibernation. "^Naturalist, 1905, pp. 325-330. ^- Proc. Cardiff Nat. Soc, March, 1905. 1922. Moffat. — The Habits of the Long-eared Bat. 109 That the winter sleep of the Long-eared Bat is frequently interrupted has been proved by many observers, and particulars of one individual's repeated changes of residence during the winter months were given by Dr. Alcock and myself in the article already referred to. ^ I therefore think it well to give here an instance to the contrary, which one of the bats of the congregation now under notice w^as good enough to offer me in the winter of 1918-9. It very kindh' chose for its place of hibernation a corner of the same passage that had formed the nocturnal resting-place of the crowd in summer. I thus had it in full view every day and night from the beginning to the end of its occupancy. During the first fortnight of December, being still only in the incipient stage of its hibernation, it used to fly for short periods (sometimes two or three hours) on warm evenings ; but from December 15th to March 26th it never once moved, although there were several nights when the temperature in the open was as high as 48^, and one (December 28th) when it stood at 50^^. This bat, therefore, enjoyed an uninterrupted winter-sleep of loi days. During summer, as might be expected, the floor of the passage was strewn with large numbers of wings of the various moths on which the bats had been feeding. A list of these would not add much to our knowledge of the Long-eared Bat's taste in edibles. I was indebted, however, to the animals for the welcome information that the Copper Underwing Moth (Amphipyra pyramidea) — not hitherto, so far as I know, recorded for Co. Wexford — occurs at Bally- hyland, since its ^\dngs were dropped on several occasions. Other interesting moths brought in were the Peach-blossom [Thyatira baits) and its congener T. derasa, the Burnished Brass (Plusia chrysitis), the Tiger ]\Ioth (Arctia caia), whose brilHant colours do not appear to possess a warning value, and the Shark Moth {Cucullia umbratica), w^hich interested me from the fact that the bats seemed never to bring it in in the earlier half of the night, as I frequently searched the floor after midnight without ever finding this species, ^ lyiah Nat. vol. x., pp. 245-7. no The Irish NaUiralist. Octobei', though its wings were of frequent occurrence in the mornings. Wings of the Silver Y [Plvisia gamma) and its relative P. piilchrina were sometimes sca.ttered in such abundance as to outnumber all the other kinds ; but this was only when the rhododendrons round the house w^ere in flower, and as the flowers of these shrubs were much frequented by both the Plusias during and after dusk I have little doubt that the bats hunted among the blossoms and caught the moths at rest drinking nectar. As another mark of the Long-eared Bat's predilection for taking insects at rest I may mention the conspicuous absence under their bivouac of the wings of the well-known Ghost-]\Ioth (Hepialus humuli). That this moth is a" favourite prey of some very common bat is proved by the large numbers of its wings that are commonly found on roads ; but as it is much more easily found on the wing than at rest we can understand its falling a readier prey to those bats that chiefly hunt flying insects than to those that, like the Long-eared Bat, seek for sedentary victims. The extremely common White Ermine Moth (Spilosoma menthastri), which is disliked but not invariably rejected by bats, was so rarely carried into the house by my long- eared friends that during my five summers' observations I only once found its wings on the passage-floor. Of decidedly more frequent occurrence were those of the Buff Ermine (S. luhricipeda), which I found every year, though this is undoubted^ much the less numerous species in the district. The less conspicuous colours of the Buff Ermine would, I think, suggest that its flavour is probabl}- somewhat less unpalatable than that of 5. menthastri, and the treatment of both species by the Long-eared Bats would seem to point to 'the same conclusion ; though Mr. Oldham's important observations on the feeding habits of the Noctule^ have made it perfectly clear that some degree of unpalatability is possessed by both these moths. ^ Zoologist, 1901, pp. 51-9. 1922. Moffat. — The Habits of the Long-eared Bat. iii It is a little rema.rkable that Mr. O. V. Aplin (who seems to have studied the Long-eared Bat's feeding habits in a similar nocturnal retreat to that frequented at Ballyhyland, though he regarded it simply as a " dining-hall " of the animals) also includes the Buff Ermine, without mentioning the White, among the moths whose wings were dropped by the diners.^ The White Ermine is, however, to my knowledge sometimes eaten in large numbers by bats whose species I have failed to ascertain, and who are probably less fastidious than the Long-eared kind. The only non-lepidopterous insect whose wings I found on the passage floor was the large spotted crane-fly Tipula gigaiitea, which was also noticed by Mr. Aplin as preyed on by his bats in Oxfordshire. Very small wings would, in any case, escape notice, and many such are certainly crunched up and swallow^ed with their possessors. Before closing I should state that when hours are mentioned in this paper I have not followed any of the changes that have been made in our statutor}^ time since the summer of 1915. '' Summer Time " (introduced in 1916) was, of course, never intended to be followed in scientific notes ; and the change from Irish to Greenwich time, coming later, would, if followed, introduce further complications into a comparison between notes taken before and notes taken after the change. I prefer, therefore, in all records of natural history observations in which hours have to be mentioned, to adhere to old Irish time, and use the term "12 o'clock " (instead of 1.25 a.m.) for the true middle of a summer night. Dublin, 1 Zool., 1889, p. 382. Ii2 The Irish Naturalist. October IRISH ENCHYTRAEIDS IN THE FAROES. Light on the Question of Distribution. by rev. hilderic friend. In x\ugust I received from the Faroe Islands a small sample of the peaty soil taken from the side of a stream about two miles inland from Thorshaven. To the naked eye it appeared to be entirely wanting in living organisms, but by careful and patient examination with a pocket lens I was able eventually to discover about a dozen specimens of microscopic enchytraeids, belonging to four different species and genera, as w^ell as a beautiful little nematode. Three of the worms are already known to occur in Ireland, while one of them has, up till the present time, been recorded from no other habitat, and is therefore of peculiar interest to the student of the Irish fauna and the distribution of its members. The Enchytraeids are frequently spoken of as white- worms because of their colourless blood, but tw^o genera at least possess blood which is coloured. These red forms are conveniently known as Pachydrilids, the others as pot- worms — the English translation of the scientific name — or white worms. The facts here recorded may be compared with what is known of the distribution of other Irish Annelids or Oligochaets, such as Lumhricus papillosus Friend, or Eisenia veneta Rosa, with its interesting varieties hihernica Friend, and zebra Michaelsen. I. Lumhricillus lineatus (O. F. and C). This is not recorded by Southern as Irish under this name, but W. Thompson^ gives Lumhricus lineatus Muller for the coast of Down. Prof. Carpenter informs me that the specimens were named by Dr. George Johnston, author of " A Catalogue of British Worms in the British Museum," 1865. The localities noted were attached to the specimens. I have already pointed out in this Journal (2) that every intermediate stage between L. verrucosus and L. lineatus ^ " Natural History of Ireland," vol. iv, p. 428. 1922. Friend. — Irish Enchytraeids in the Faroes. 113 may be detected in samples from one locality ; and Welch, who is the foremost x\merican authority, has more than once confirmed my conclusions. See his papers for 1917 and igig in the appended Bibliography. The synonymy is in part given by Michaelsen (4), but in the light of recent research this must be amended, and the list of habitats (p. 80) made to include England, Ireland, Scotland, Faroe Islands and Canada. 2. Marimina {Chamaedrilus) sphagnetorum Vejd. An interesting note on this species is given by Southern (5). I have elsewhere given my reasons for transferring this species to the genus Chamaedrilus on account of the number of septal glands, the free spermathecae, the shape and size of the coelomic corpuscles, the colourless blood, the position of the sexual organs and other pecuharities. I have found it rarely in England, though its related form is abundant. We now add the Faroe Islands to the other knovvn habitats. 3. Achaeta minima Southern. — Described in 1907 (5) from a specimen found in soil from Lambay. '' A minute, transparent worm, 3 mm. long. Number of segments 22." By an error we read that " the brain is about 12 times as long as broad." I take it to mean i|- times, or twice as long as broad, as was the case in the- specimen found in the Faroes. My specimen agreed in every particular with Southern's, except that it was about i mm. in length, surely the smallest soil-worm on record. Its present known distribution therefore is Lambay and the Faroes. This discovery lends interest to the remaining species, which has not yet been found in Ireland, but is certain to occur. 4. Mesenchytraeus oligosetosus Friend. — This worm reached me from Jersey in June, 1913, where it was collected by Mr. H. Hillman. Length about 6 mm. Segments 35. It belongs to the group which exhibit enlarged setae in the neighbourhood of the spermathecae, and was described by me in the Zoologist (i). I found an allied form, or possibly the same species with marked differences, near Birmingham more recently. The Faroese specimens agreed in every detail with those found in Jerse^-^ Known distribution Jersey (Elmdon, Warwickshire), Faroe Islands. 114 ^^^ Irish Naturalist. October, The nematode was a fertile female Doyylaimus ohtitsicau- datiis Bastiaii. Peaty soil has usually been regarded as unproductive. it would be interesting if samples from different Irish localities could be examined. Material sent to me in tin boxes without holes would receive careful attention. Solihull, Birmingham. Bibliography. r. Friend. Some Jersey Oligochaets. Zoologist, 1913, 456-464. 2. Friend. Notes on Irish Oligochaets. Insh Naturalist, xxv,, 1916, 22-27. 3. Johnston. Catalogue of British Worms. 1865. L. lineatus [salniivis) 66 reff. 4. MiCHAELSEN. OHgocliaeta (Das Tierreich), 1900. Especially p. 80. 5. Southern. OHgocliaeta of Lambay. Irish Naturalist, xvi., 1907, 68-82. {Achaeta minima first described, p. 77). 6. Southern. Contributions towards a Monograph of British and Irish 01igochaeta= Proc. R. IrisJi Acad., vol. xxvii., 1909. 7. Welch- The Enchytraeidae of the Woods Hole Region. Trans. Amev. Micro. Soc, xxxvi., 1917, 119-138. (L. lineatus (Mall.), identity, p. 123 seq.). S. Welch. Oligochaeta collected by the Canadian Arctic Exped. 1913- 18., 19 1 9. [Lumbricillus lineatus (Miill.), p. 15 seq. " L. lineatus . is apparently cosmopolitan," p. 18). 1922. Irish Societies. 115 IRISH SOCIETIES. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Recent gifts include a Yellow Baboon and a Green Monkey from Dr. E. Bate, a pair of Marmosets from Mr, R. Bates, two Foxes from Mr. C, Healy, a North African Jackal from Mr. E. M. Hoy, an Indian Mongoose from Mr. Knowles, Badgers from Messrs. E. Rotherham and J. ]Malone, four Irish Stoats from Mrs. Higginbotham, a Hedgehog from Mr. C. H. Bretherton, Rabbits from Mrs, Collan, Mrs. Godfrey, Mrs. Thorogood, Mr. R. D. Fayle and Dr. Rowlette, Cavies from Mrs. Godfrey, a Black Rat from Mr. C. H. Bretherton, a pair of Peafowl from Major Gracie, three Goldfinches from Mr. W, W. Despard, a Mynah from Dr. R. R. Leeper, a Barn Owl from Mr. J. Sheils, an Amazon Parrot from Miss Donell, a Pennant's Parrakeet from Miss Preston, a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo fron Capt. French, a Royal Python from Dr. E. Bate, Grass Snakes, Dice Snakes, Green Lizards, Tortoises, Alpine Newts, Green Frogs and Toads from Prof. A. F. Dixon, Thunder Fish from Mr. B. T. Child, Nine-spined Sticklebacks, Rudd, Carp and Minnows from Mr. C. H. Brether- ton, Loach from Mr. G. P. Moore, Spotted Slugs (Geomalacus) from ^Ir. C. Green, and Stick Insects from Dr. R. R. Leeper. A Lion Marmoset, a Bison, two Lion Cubs (parents " Sean " and " Nuala "), a Woodward's Kangaroo and a Black-striped Wallaby have been born in the gardens. Two young Lions (wild-bred) have been received in exchange. Recent purchases include a group of Rhesus Monkeys, a Cherry-crowned Mangabey, a pair of Mandrills, a pair of Indian Mongooses, four grey Squirrels, a Hornbill, two Green-bihed Toucans, two hen Pheasants, a pair of Pelicans, and two male Somali Ostriches, four Tortoises, eight Geckos, and a dozen Axolotl. The attention of visitors may be especially called to the Aquarium, where, in addition to a good collection of freshwater fish, are now on view the great Royal Python (12ft. long) and other handsome reptiles, besides a highly interesting series of tanks containing water-insects and other examples of " pond life." The group of Bison, the young Kangaroos, and the baby Lion jVIarmoset are also of exceptional interest. NOTES. Rare Birds in Ulster. We have received a copy of some interesting notes by Mr. Alfred Sheals, of Belfast, under the above title, reprinted from the columns of the Northern Whig. The list contains details of the occurrence in Ulster of many notable species, including the American Black-billed Cuckoo, Scops Owl, Sea-Eagle, Osprey, American Bittern, Glossy Ibis, and Pallas Sand-grouse. Ii6 The Irish Naturalist. October, 1922, Mr. Stelfox and Cybele II. In the August number of the Irish Naturalist, Mr. Stelfox states (E* 99) that Trijolium suhterraneum and T. glomer.atum appear to have been generally regarded as aliens. In a footnote on the same page, be corrects this statement as regards IVfr. A. G. More who in " Recent Additions," 1872, recorded both plants as " undoubted natives " ; in the same note Mr. Stelfox then proceeds to accuse the " editor " — there were two of them — of Cybele II. of being the " first and last " so to regard them. May I ask Mr. Stelfox where these plants have been treated as aliens in Cj^bele II. ? On pp. 83 and 86 of that work, these two clovers Mall be found with a t prefixed, and on p. Ixxii. in the Introduction the f is explained as indicating " a slight suspicion of having been introduced by the agency of man " ; an * being used for those " certainly introduced." In 1898 when Cybele II. was published, the late Mr. Coigan and I were quite agreed that both these plants should have the sign f, and in 1922, as regards T. suhterraneum, I am still of the same opinion. Reginald W. Scully. Dundrum. REVIEW. A MUSEUM HANDBOOK. The Horniman Maseum : A Handbook to the Collections illustrating a Survey of the Animal Kingdom. By H. N. Milligan. Second Edition. Pp. 66. London County Council. 1922. Price 6d. Three pages on some elements of morphology are followed by an account of the Animal Kingdom in 61 pages, under fourteen phyla, from Protozoa to Chordata. The Echinodermata are placed between Mollusca and Arthropoda, which is scarcely a " conservative " position. Surely such arguments as there are would lead one to place them next the Chordata. The statements are as accurate as can be expected in an account that must combine brevity with intelligibility and has small room for the qualifications demanded by meticulous precision. For example, the theory of the origin of Echinoderms from bilateral [non- echinoderma.l] ancestors through fixed forms postulates that " the mouth was directed [at first downwards and then moved] upwards." Mr. Milligan's omission of the words in square brackets conveys a wrong impression. Since the Echinoderms are allotted a page more than either Molluscs or Arthropods, they might, perhaps, receive more careful statement. Two pages at the end of the book suggest how the beginner may proceed with the study of zoology. November, 1922. The Irish Naturalist. 1 17 BIRDS' SONG. BY J. P. BURKITT. This paper is a further study in continuation of two previous articles.^ These studies of the seasonal course of the song of some species and of many individuals, may or may not produce anything of value or even of interest ; but as hardly anyone is likely to take the pains, even if he had the opportunity, to make almost daily notes throughout the whole season, involving subsequently a laborious abstracting of the notes, I feel the results had better be recorded. Others may be able to make use of them or to make comparisons. Individual members of a species vary no doubt in song characteristics, but that taken on the whole they follow a wonderfully similar course seems more clear the more they are studied. Any generalisa- tion about a species herein may be taken to represent as faithfully as I can the great majority of its members. For example I try to avoid such traps as that of a few strong singers giving the erroneous impression that the song is general. The theories put into my mind from the result of observation run as folio w^s through the season. I have mentioned them less coherently before. However far they may be true, at any rate they afford a point of view to connect the seasonal observations on various species. 1. Mating generally puts a brake or stopper on song. 2. Hence a declension of song for first nests and broods. 3. But song is carried on more or less by un-mated birds. 4. After the first brood there is a recrudescence of song. 5. The later song lasts in the season the later the breeding lasts. 6. There may be {a) no breeding, or (h) not much, after the second song, especially in Ireland where such song ends sooner. In case [a) I called it residual song (supra, p. 121). ^ Irish Nat, vol. xxx, 1921, pp. i-io and 113— 124. A Ii8 The Irish Nahtralisf. November, 7. The later song in any of the brood periods will be due to unmated males, as in (3). Autumn song in my district is practically nil ; in England it is considerable. Should we compare it with residual song or is it, as I have seen suggested, the real beginning of the spring song ? I had found it comparatively easy to study our less abundant but good singing species, such as warblers. Paragraph (i) and (2) above generally applied to them, and Mr. Howard (" Territory in Bird Life ") incidentally implies that it applies to a number of warblers which we have not got in Ireland. But I had left for my more recent studies Thrushes, Blackbirds, Chafhnches, Wrens, Robins, Hedge- Sparrows. The Wrens and Robins are puzzlers, as they sing nearly all the year round. I am not prepared to say much more about them, (see below). The Hedge-sparrows are not great singers here, and I have not given them enough individual attention to be able to say anything about relation of song to nesting, but I give other notes below. The others — Chaffinch, Blackbird, Song-Thrush, are abundant and prominent and come within the purview and interest of the ordinary person. We may add the Missel Thrush. I gave my season's record for them last year, and herein I give the record for this year. Each record is a faithful abstract of each year's notes, but the resulting parallel is to me astonishing. I am not going to weary the reader by detailing the similarities. In dealing with Thrushes' and Blackbirds' song, observations would lose most of their value, if they did not include the song at the dusk of morning and evening. Thus to the ordinary sleepy human being the former is mainly a blank. I shall abbreviate b}/ using d.d.m. and d.d.e. for dark dusk of morning and evening respectivel}^ And d.e. means not so late as d.d.e. Where I use the expression " day song " I mean song excluding the dusk song and mainly between say 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (summer time). An important point of view in considering Thrushes, Chaffinches and Blackbirds is that much day song points to an unmated bird ; though the May Blackbirds are doubtful. 1922. BuRKiTT. — Birds' Song. 119 Robin. — The Robins round me appear to keep each to its territory all the year round, and from year to year. I am famihar with over eight such permanent territories, inside which each bird nests and outside which it is never seen to trespass. They commonly sing against each other. Each territory is about one-third of an acre, or equivalent to a circle forty-five yards in diameter. We connect territory with song, so would not this give one good reason why a Robin sings all the year ? I think the Wrens are similar. Song Thrush. — From the beginning of the year 1922 Thrushes could be heard, especially on the less wintry days, and generally before 10 a.m. Towards the end of January the number increased, while judging by the sites the earlier ones may have ceased. The song then ranged to perhaps an hour later in the morning, with a rare one in the evening (not at dusk). Throughout February the Thrushes from being morning or early day singers, gradually changed to being evening dusk singers, so that by the end of February practically all song was at d.d.e. and lasted only for a few minutes. In general there was practically no day song in March. There was none in the case of known pairs. Of course there were exceptions to day silence in March. These seem special cases explicable as due to birds which find it difficult to get a mate, such as by being in an unsuitable nesting territory. I heard Thrushes on the edges of streets and in railway j^ards with well marked singing perches from some of which there was day song from March 2nd to possibly April 30th. Also if song is prolonged by the absence of a mate, the very severe weather in February might have reasonably retarded mating and prolonged song. But I repeat that these were quite the exception. D.d.e. song went on through March and through the season but always lasting for only a minute or two, nothing like the d.d.m. song. D.d.m.. song seemed to begin with March and soon all Thrushes took part in it and it increased in duration till the end of March, when it lasted fifteen minutes or so. I shall describe this song to the end of the season. The new Thrushes (arrivals ?) which began with April seemed to join in it, so that towards end of April there was a fine A2 120 The Irish Naturalist. November, chorus which even appeared to include those deahng with, or done with, first clutch. By the first week in May d.d.m. song lessened and probabty consisted only of the newer birds, but did not altogether cease till the second week in June. In the first week in April we had new Thrushes (i.e. at new sites and presumably arrivals) singing as those in January and early February, before breakfast and at evening. They increased through April. The d.d.e. song continued, but seemed to be due mostly if not entirely to new birds. At mid- April there arose a late evening or a sunset song with a gap between them, and before the d.d.e. song. This routine was not regular till the end of April. I have mentioned elsewhere that the known nesters' song in decadence seems to change from day song, first to evening and then to a few minutes at dark dusk. The above tendency towards evening may be due to the new birds following the same course. By the end of April the Thrushes were evidently getting in each other's way (territory). In the beginning of May this year new arrivals seemed still coming and seemed to be the cause of our still having some day song at any except the middle hours of the day. Any day singers there v/ere got fewer tov/ards the end of May. Towards the end of May and beginning of June d.e. a,nd evening singers dwindled, the former first. By June 7th there was none of the former. By June 15th there were rare Thrushes in late afternoon or evening. I this year heard a very occasional Thrush in the country decidedly later than usual, and I knew of broods also later than usual. A bird began singing near me on July 3rd and continued on and off for a v/eek, ending with a few bars at dusk. I heard none anywhere after July loth. As to actual nesting pairs, I dealt particularly with seven round me. Five had their first e^g about April ist. Two had it earlier, back to March loth. In all these cases day song had ceased five to seven weeks before the first Qgg. That is to say all song had ceased except at the two dusks. 1922. BuRKiTT. — Birds' Song. 121 Blackbird. — Evidence of pairing began with February, and after the first week of February a good many seemed paired. Whether paired or not territory could be defined by presence and by perching up ; but there was yet no song. Many birds were in territory/ and paired a fortnight before song began anywhere, which this year was not till the fourth week of February. The normal first egg was in first or second week of April. What song there was in all the period before eggs was erratic, occasional, and very feeble and began by a few minutes at roosting time (d.d.e.) with a tendency in any singer after about the middle of March to also have a song earlier in the evening and to last longer. A very occasional bird might be heard in ordinary day time. WTiere a male has long delay in being mated the song is more regular, more prominent and longer. For example, I had one which sang for five weeks before there was sign of a mate. With regard to the subsequent course of d.d.e. song, all birds seemed to be joining in it after the middle of March, but at the end of March this song w^nt off, with a very rare exception, and never recurred. (This is a curious feature which arises from my notes, if correct. I did not consider it at the time. My last year's notes partly corroborate it). As to song at d.d.m. it seemed to begin in first w^eek of March and was not general till after the middle of March, but was not at its height in volume and period this year till the second week in April (incubation was then commencing) ; it then continued regularly and was apparently joined in by all Blackbirds till the end of May, going off as June began and not ending till all song ended. Throughout April, day song became freer, but was never voluble till near the middle of May. It then remained, this year (1922), the leading feature in the day's song till it began to go off in the fi.rst week in June. I heard no song at all after June 9th. Apart from general observation in the country I dealt with six nests round me. Four of them had the first egg between April 7th and loth, one on the 2nd, one on the 20th. 122 The Irish Naturalist. November, On considering individual cases for two seasons along with the general effect, the evidence seems to be that Blackbird's song is not as a rule a concomitant in acquiring territory or getting a mate, for normal April broods. Whatever pre-egg song there is, is poor as described above. Day song will probably improve at the time of egg-laying or hatching out, but may not reach its best till about the time young are out of the nest. At this time some courting may be seen, but second broods are uncommon unless there has been some disaster to the previous one (the second clutch being laid up probably not later than May 20th) ; so that in this country any relation between May song and second broods would be potential, not actual. I do not see any indication of an immigration of Blackbirds here. I see no definite increase in the number of singing sites or territories — so very different from the case of the Thrushes. Among the Blackbirds round my house there are two examples of strong individuality in song, the bird of one territory singing prominently above others, the bird of another territory hardly ever singing the whole season. The same characteristic has persisted these two years in the same two territories. Chaffinch. — I was not so intimate with the Chaffinches this year as I had done them very thoroughly before. Apart from general observation in the country, I dealt with seven nests particularly and a couple of others near me. Six had the first ^^g close to April 22nd. These were normal broods. Three varied from a fortnight to a month later. The first song this year was February 8th, by February 1 2th it was fairly general. But I thought Chaffinch's song this year very poor all through the season. Territories could not be defined with certainty (by song) till the beginning of March. Courting was seen strong at the end of February. By the end of March the better or the only singers were those not clearly mated (nests were then beginning). This was more pronounced in the beginning of April when the mated birds hardly ever sang, 1922. BuRKiiT. — Birds' Song. 123 while the unmated ones sang prominently and continued to do so. I had then four unmated singers, which decreased gradually to one by May i8th. The last bird had started late (March 28th) to sing in a certain site, and remained singing and apparently mateless till May i8th. From May i8th onwards new singers were noted ; these were apparently the mates of just fledged normal broods, which were re-starting to sing in the same territory. I particularly marked one male singing over the nest about a day after the young had left it. I had previously thought that these birds did not re-start till the young had been longer out of the nest ; probably most do not. The maximum of this new song was about June 8th when it was very prominent, but yet not so striking to me as in other years. By June 13th this song was going off, and the last I heard was June 22nd. The hours of song agreed with last year's record except that the sunset song there referred to did not seem at all so pronounced. Nor could I say of the late May- June song that it was absent at sunset. I did not study the Chaffinches quite so carefully as last 3/ear. Missel-Thrush. — Song began at end of January. Pairs could be seen at beginning of February. Song was mostly off before the middle of February, and I noticed none in the country this year after February 22nd, except one peculiar and w^onderful bird beside me which sang apparently mateless from February 13th to April 17th almost every day and all day. I found a nest being built near this bird some days later. Thus normal early nesters ceased song six weeks before eggs. Hedge-Sparrow. — Several years' observation gives the following. First song in the first or second week of February. Normal early clutches laid up in the second half of April. Song weak after March, practically none in May, a strong recrudescence of song early in June. Song ends in first week of July. (The song is sometimes given on alarm). 124 The Irish Naturalist. November, Yellow-Hammer. — I have dealt with this bird before (supra, vol. xxx., p. 9). Several years' observation gives the following. First song generally near end of February. Normal early clutches laid up in second week of May. Practically no song in May except from unmated birds. A recrudescence early in June. Much song in the rest of June and July and does not end till the middle of August. To return to my theories (p. 117). As to (i) and (2) I have already referred to them above and in previous articles. 1 shall not labour as to how far they are supported by my notes herein. The Blackbirds are evidently a difficulty. I have also dealt previously with (3) and given many examples. No. (4) will be noticed to emerge clearly from my notes in regard to Chaffinch, Yellow-Hammer, Hedge- Sparrow, Greenfinch, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grass- hopper Warbler, Willow-Wren, Skylark (?) and perhaps Blackbird. I cannot be clear how far it applies, if at all, to Song Thrush. Its case seems complicated by immigrants. As an example of No. 5, Greenfinches, Yellow-Hammers and Ring-Do ves are our latest in breeding here as they are in singing. The regular song period with a number of common species lasts much later in England than here, and they also evidently have more broods than here. So that our song towards its termination seems to be in connection with a potential brood which never comes off. I cannot speak for English nests except roughly from books ; but the Song-Thrush, Missel-Thrush, and Blackbird appear to continue broods fully a month later than here, and the Hedge-Sparrow and Chaffinch a fortnight later. This corresponds wdth what observers in the south half of England show me about song, namely, that the regular song of Blackbird, Hedge-Sparrow, Song-Thrush (and Green- finch) continues at least a month later, and also I think the Missel-Thrush. And the Chaffinch sings, perhaps, a fortnight later. (As to beginning earlier, the Song-Thrush, Missel-Thrush, Blackbird, and Hedge-Sparrow appear by the books to begin broods earlier in England by about three weeks). 1922. BuRKiTT. — Birds', Song. 125 I conclude with a few queries. Does song imply, as all the above might suggest, a propensity to breed ? I could wish it were something more beautiful. Or is it that breeding merely reduces or quenches song activity for the time being ? Assuming that song implies a propensity to breed, what is the rationale of song being at special times of the day as recorded above, especially noting the song at the two dusks, or its absence ? How late in the season do these two songs continue in England ? WTiat about song when in flocks such as that of the Redwing and of some Starling flocks in autumn ? (I forget whether the Redwing sings before the new year). Some Starlings sing when in flocks here after the middle of September, and also at roosting sites. These Starling flocks seem to a certain extent to be collections of pairs, judging by the way the birds fly off, just as is the case with Jackdaws, though the latter 's pairing is m.uch more pronounced. Might it be the non-paired ones which sing ? Most of my autumn Starling song comes from single birds on chimneys. The song and chattering and tendenc}^ to pair from flocks in autumn seems comparable to what happens at the noisy spring pairing assemblies of Black- headed Gulls. The Redwings may be acting similarly under a mating impulse, though they must keep together till they leave this countrj^. Since writing the above a correspondent from Surrc}/, Miss G. M. Towsey, mentions a Thrush which appears to have sung (for two years) in every month from November to July, inclusive. In last May, June and July it had no really silent period all through the rearing of two and probably three broods. In these months it had three particularly brilHant bursts, one at least of which continued from beginning of nest to half through incubation . My corres- pondent has little or no doubt that this bird was the parent and thus it would upset all my experience of earlier broods. Enniskillen. 126 The Irish Naturalist. November, SOME NEW AND RARE IRISH SPIDERS. BY DENIS R. PACK-BERESFORD, M.R.I. A. Since the publication in the Irish Naturalist of my last list of new and rare Irish Spiders, in April, 1920, I have only one new to the Irish list to record, but that is of special interest as being new. to science. I sent it to the late Rev. O. P. Cambridge shortly after taking it, but he did not publish his description of it till three years later, when it escaped my notice, and hence the dela^/ in recording it in the Irish Naturalist. The species is Maso persimilis Cb. and further particulars are given below. The other species now recorded have all been taken previously in Ireland, but at most in two or three localities, so that these further finds are of interest. I have to thank Mr. R. A. Phillips and Mr. H. B. Cott for collections they have made for me in various localities, from which many of the following records have been taken. Maso persimilis O. P. Cambridge. Leinster. In December, 1909, I sent a very minute but very distinct female spider, taken at Fenagh, Co, Carlow, to Mr. Cambridge, which at the time he was unable to indentify and which he afterwards described as a new species under the above name. His description and figures were pub- lished in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, vol. xxxiii., pp. 77 and 91, 1912. Mr Cambridge was rather doubtful whether to place this spider in the genus Maso or in the closely allied genus Gongylidiellum, Simon. Hahnia helveola E. Sim. Ulster. Amongst a lot of spiders collected by the late Mr. J. R. Milne, in the County Londonderry, which had been in the National Museum for some years awaiting identification, I found a single female of this species, which had previously only been found in Co. Dublin, at Howth and Malahide. These finds I recorded in the Irish Naturalist in vol. xxix., p. 30. Hahnia nava Bl. CONNAUGHT. I recorded the first occurrences of this species in the Irish Naturalist, vol. XX., p. 194, from Ireland's Eye and Co. Cavan. Mr. R. A. Phillips has now sent me two females from Spanish Point, Co. Clare, taken by himself in February, 1921. 1922. Pack-Beresford, — New and Rare Irish Spiders. 127 Areoncus crassiceps West. CONNAUGHT. I took four females in July, 1920, on Yellow Island in Lough Ree, the only previous records being from Ballysodare, Co. Sligo, Drumlane, Co. Cavan, and near Kilrea in Co. Antrim. Diplocephalus Beckii Cambr. Leinster. This species was first recorded as Irish in my Supplementary List of Irish spiders from some specimens that Professor Carpenter had received from Belfast from Mr. H. L. Orr. Since then Mr. Herbert took a single female in Sligo and I have myself taken a single female on the Hill of Howth and another in Co. Antrim, near Kilrea, on the banks of the river Bann. Mr. H. B. Cott has also sent me a single male from the Curragh, Co. Kildare. It is a very rare spider both in England and on the Con- tinent. Diplocephalus picinus Bl. Ulster. Munster. A single female taken on the shores of Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh, in July, 1909, and another at Mount Congreve, Co, Waterford, in May, 1920, are the second and third records of this spider in Ireland, the first having been taken at Fenagh, Co. Carlow, and recorded in my Supple- mentary List {Proc. R. I. Academy, March, 1909). Lophomma subaequale West. Munster. Connaught. Professor Carpenter in his " List oi Irish Spiders " records a single male of this very rare species from Terenure, Co Dublin, in 1894. Since that time I found two males on Clare Island, and a single female at Two Mile Borris, Co Tipperary, and another at Fenagh, Co. Carlow, in 1909. I have also lately received another female taken by Mr. H. B. Cott on The Curragh in March, 1922. Oedothoraz apicatus Bl. Leinster. This spider has not yet occurred outside the province of Leinster. I recorded a single male from Fenagh, Co. Carlow, in my Supplementary List of Irish Spiders, 1909. Since then I have taken several more males and females in the same locality, and also a female both at Howth and Arklow, in 191 3. Mr. H. B. Cott has also sent me a pair lately from The Curragh, Co. Kildare, taken in March, 1922. Centromerus expertus Cambr. Munster. Mr. R. A. Phillips sent me a single female of this rare spider taken by him at Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary in April, 192 1. This is only its second occurrence in Ireland, a male having been found in Co. Armagh in 1892, and recorded by Professor Carpenter in his List of the Spiders of Ireland. 128 The Irish Naturalist. November, Hilaira uncata Cambr. Leinster. Connaucht. Ulster. I took a single male of this species at Fenagli, Co. Carlow, in April, 1921. This is the first m.ale to be taken in Ireland of this rare spider, though females have been found. Professor Carpenter only lecords a single female from Co. Armagh, and I took two females on the Bog of Griff and one on Clare Island in 191 1. Mr. R. Welch sent me three, taken on the Ulster Canal, Co. Monaghan, in 1909, and Mr. N. H. Foster, one from Glenade, Co. Leitrim.. in 1914. Porrhomma errans Bl. Leinster. My brother, Mr. R. T. Pack-Beresford, has sent me a single female of this very distinct little spider, taken by him at Athlone, Co. Westmeath, in March, 1922. This is only the second locality for it in Ireland. I have taken many specimens of the female at Fenagh, Co. Carlow, but have never yet come across a male. Pirata latitans Bl Munster. I took a single female of this species at Mount Congreve, Co. Waterford, in May, 1920. The only place at which it has been found previously was at Fenagh, Co. Carlow, where two adult females were taken in July, 1907, and recorded in my Supplementary list of the Spiders of Ireland. Euophrys erraticus Walck. Ulster. The late Mr. J. R. INIilne collected a male and two females of this species in Co. Londonderry some years ago, but they only quite lately came into my hands for identification. The only previous record of this spider in Ireland, is that given in Professor Carpenter's List, from Inishmore (Aran), in Galway Bay. In July, 1920, I spent the afternoon on Yellow Island, one of the very small islands in the south part of Lough Ree, and think the following census of my captures may be of interest. One species — Areoncus crassiceps West — already referred to is decidedly rare, and two others — Dictyna arimdinacea L. and Oedothorax agreste Bl. — are not at all common. Drassus lapidosus, var. cupreus, Areoncus crassiceps, West. (4 Walck. (3 females). females). Clubiona terrestris, West, (i male, many females). Oedothorax agreste, Bl. (2 pairs). Dictyna arundinacea, L. (2 females). Erigone dentipalpis. West, (female) 1922. Pack-Beresford. — New and Rare Irish Spiders. 129 Erigone atra, Bl. (female). Pachygnatha Clerckii Sund. (female). Tetragnatha Solandrii, Scop. (3 males). Baily, Co. Dublin. Lycosa ruricola, de Gecr. (2 females). Pardosa amentata, CI. (3 males, 2 females). Pirata i)iraticus, CI. (2 females). NOTES. ZOOLOGY. The Breeding- of the Roseate Tern in Ireland. In June of this year I was fortunate enough to discover a large colony of Roseate Terns (Sterna Dougilli) breeding on an island off the Irish coast. I reckoned the numbers to be between 100 and 150 paus, which were nesting along with about 20 pairs of the Sandwich Tern and a few of the common species. So far as I am aware, only two other colonies of this rare Tern are known to exist in Ireland, one of which I have visited. This Tern seldom lays more than one egg, and it is characteristic of the bird that, where possible, it ^yill conceal its " nest " under over-arching stems of bent or grass, a habit which I have not observed in any other members of this family. C. V. Stoney. Raphoe. The Breeding- of the Fulmar Petrel in Ireland. Having seen in the Irish Naturalist of last month a statement by Mr. Stendall that he had received from Rathlin Island what he believed to be the first Irish-taken egg of the Fulmar {Fulmarus glacialis) it may be of interest to learn that as long ago as May, 191 1, I discovered this bird breeding on the stags of Broadhaven, and obtained an egg there. I announced the fact to the late R. J. Ussher. In the same year Fulmars bred at Horn Head, Co. Donegal, for the first time, though they had fre- quented the cliffs of that place for at least two years previously. There are now some 30 pairs breeding at Horn Head, as well as on some of the larger islands of the Donegal coast, and they have extended their breeding range to the South-Western coast and islands of Ireland. It is interesting to notice that within recent years several species, such as the Eider Duck, Red-necked Phalarope and Fulmar, whose breeding stations are in the Far North, have come to make their Summer home in our island C. V. Stoney. Raphoe. 130 The Irish Naturalist, November, In the August number of the Irish Naturalist Mr. Stendall says he beheves he has received the first Irish-taken egg of the Fulmar Petrel. Mr. Stendall should look up the previous vols, of Irish Naturalist, vols, xxiii. and xxiv. especially. In 19 lo Mr. C. V. Stoney, Raphoe, found the Fulmar nesting on Horn Head and procured eggs. Mr. R. J. Ussher first records the Fulmar as an Irish breeding bird in Irish Naturalist, August, 191 1, but gives Mr, Stoney the credit of being the first to detect them nesting in Donegal in 19 10, Mr. Ussher discovering the colony in- dependently in 191 1 when with a German Naturalist he found colonies in Mayo ; eggs were taken from the Stags of Broadhaven. The Fulmar first settled on the great Skellig Rock, Co. Kerry, in 19 13, ten or eleven pairs nesting that season. They had been about the Rock for several previous seasons. In 1914 there were about seventy birds seen, and upwards of one hundred in 1915 ; these separated into three colonies in following year. Fulmars were seen by Professor Patten about the Tearaght Rock in 19 16. M. J. Delap. Vaicntia Island, Co. Kerry. BOTANY. Littorella lacustris in Co. Dublin. During the past summer the water in the upper reservoir in Glenasmole has been continuously low, exposing large areas of sand and mud. It will be seen in Colgan's Flora of Dublin (under Peplis Portula, p. 81) that the author visited this spot under similar conditions in 1901. In the early part of August last, seedlings of Peplis Portula, as well as those of Veronica scutellata and plants of Lythrum Salicaria covered most of the dryer ground, while aquatic plants occupied the still damp or water filled hollows. Whilst traversing this ground in search of bees, I noted a few large rich green patches on the sand banks along the western edge of the Dodder channel, which on investigation proved to be Littorella just going out of flower. Littorella lacustris is one of the common Irish plants which were unknown to Colgan to occur in Dunlin v/hen his Flora was published (see loc. cit., p. xli), and he pointed out that there was really no natural habitat in the county for this and plants of similar habits. The old record for Howth in the Irish Flora Colgan regarded as erroneous. One cannot suppose that Colgan passed over Littorella in Glenasmole in 1 90 1, and must assume that it has recently become established there. The nearest station, in Co. Wicklow, is probably Lough Bray, about 4 J miles distant as the crow flies. The seeds of the plant have been wind- blown or bird-carried from some such habitat, or could Littorella be living in the Dodder above the reservoir ? Has any botanist ever seen it in pools or along the edge of such a mountain stream ? Not realising at the time the importance of the discovery I did not pay close attention to the water plants, amongst which were Ranunculus, Potamogeton, Callitriche, etc., but it is quite possible that further additions to the Flora might be made if this place was examined carefully. Rathgar, Dublin. A. W. Stelfox. 1922. Notes, 131 Eucalyptus globulus in County Wicklow. In the early part of September while walking from Wicklow to Rathnew, when near the latter village, my sister drew my attention to an unusual tree growing between a cottage and the road. The tree stood between 30 and 40 feet in height, and the diameter of the bole was 8 to 10 inches. We learned from the owner that the tree, which proves to be Eucalyptus globulus Labill, carrying fairly abundant fruit, had been planted by his brother some ten years before, and, although many gentlemen of the district had endeavoured to strike cuttings, none had succeeded. The demand for the fruit as a charm for wearing round the neck showed that a good number of people believed in the preventive powers of the oil. We noticed another example of the same species in the Abbey grounds at Wicklow, but this example was not so fine, nor did we observe any fruit. It is stated in the " Encyclopaedia Britannica," 9th Ed., that the genus will not endure a temperature of less than 27"". Yet the peasant told us that sometimes there are black frosts in Wicklow which did no noticeable harm to the tree. I am indebted to Professor Henry for the identification of the species. Rock Ferry, Cheshire. Wm. A. Lee. IRISH SOCIETIES. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. July 22. — Mourne Mountains. — Thirty members took part. The party, under the conductorship of the ex-President (S. A. Bennett) and R. Bell travelled from Belfast b}^ char-a-banc. Crossing the Shimna River at Trassey Bridge, the route lay as far as the Hare's Gap over a rough glacial moraine. By the courtesy of the Belfast Water Commissioners, and with the permission of Colonel Wickham, Divisional Inspector of the Special Con- stabulary, the Commissioners' lands in the Mourne Mountains were entered just above the Hare's Gap, and a further climb of 300 feet brought the party to the Diamond Rocks. At the Diamond Rocks on the Southern slope of Slieve-na-Glogh, 300 feet higher than the Col, fine specimens of the characteristic minerals of the Mourne granite were pointed out by Mr. Bell, and specimens of smoky quartz, felspar and mica \\dth a few topaz and the still rarer beryl were collected. The botanists of the party noted the starry Saxifrage, Saxifraga sfellaris L., and on the cliffs, above the Diamond Rocks, good colonies of the Dwarf Juniper, Juniperus nana L. The Trassey Bridge was left at 5.30 p.m. ; tea was served at Newcastle Station ; the usual business meeting was held, Samual Gibson, J. P. in the chair. Eight new members were elected. The return journey was made via Dundrum, Downpatrick and Saintfield. 132 The Irish Naturalist. November, 1922. August 5. — Castle Dobbs. — A party of thirty-one, conducted by S. M. Macoun went by 2.15 train to Ballycarry Station, visiting first the old church of Tempi ecorran, thence proceeding to Dolway's Bawn, a place of much interest to the antiquary. Mr. A. E. Dobbs having kindly granted permission, way was taken through Castle Dobbs demesne, some members inspecting the ruins of the old castle, others botanizing in the glen. Out in one of Mr. Lockart's fields, many flint implements of a very early type were found. Some found much resemble some Palaeolithic forms, and what Mr. W. J. Knowles, M.R.I. A., calls the older series of Larne types. One senior and two new junior members were elected. September 2. — Magheramorne. — A party of 37 members visited Magheramorne quarries and cement works by kind permission of the British Portland Cement Manufacturers, Ltd., and under the conductor- ship of R. Bell, who gave a brief description of the chief features of the local geology, making special reference to some fresh sections which were being then exposed owing to an extension of the quarry. Beneath the blue clay lies what is apparently a section of thinly-bedded altered Chalk, lying upon a stratum of red earth, this in turn resting on the ordinary Chalk of the district. This section came in for a large amount of exami- nation, as it presented some puzzling features. This section is to be further examined on a future occasion. Among the fossils noted during the day the following may be men- tioned : — Three large Ammonites gollevillensis, with diameter of some 15 inches ; Pleurotoma perspectiva, Rhynconella robusia and 7?. octoplicata, Pecten quinqnecostatus, Spondylus spinosus, Ananchytes ovatus, and a shark's tooth, Lamna appendiculata. After tea and a short business meeting, at which six new members were elected, the party was conducted through the cement works by Mr. W. I. Boyd, one of the courteous staff of the Cement Company, Here the various processes connected with cement manufacture were clearly explained, and gave the visitors a just idea of the great importance of this industry to the North of Ireland. September 16. — Lissanoure. — A party of thirty-three journeyed to Lissanoure Castle, Loughguile, under the conductorship of Dr. T. M. Deans Captain Macartney kindly granted permission to visit the Castle and grounds. The old castle was first visited, and a short address was given by Dr. Deans on its history. After the castle had been visited the party broke up into sections and \nsited the several places of interest, including the old graveyard and remains of the church, the heronry on an island (formerly a crannog) in one ot the lakes, a plantation grown by Captain Macartney on the German plan, and the modern church of Loughguile. Dr. Wallace Lavin con- ducted a section of the party, and gave interesting accounts of several places visited. A short business meeting was held, the president (Rev. W. R. Megaw, B.A.) in the chair. Eight new members were elected, and hearty votes of thanks were passed to Captain and Mrs. Macartney., December, 1922. TJic Irish Xa/in'alisl. 133 THE WOLF IN IRELAND. RY R. F. SCIIARFF. That the Wolf once lived in Ireland must be known to every reader of this magazine. The past history of Ireland is lull of episodes in which the Wolf plays a prominent part. And yet in spite of this fact wt^ are strangely ignorant of the habits and even of the precise species of this formidable Irish carnivore. Was it identical with the Wolf still living in France ? Why was it so abundant in Ireland ? Was it indigenous to this country, and how did it reach Ireland ? These are some of the questions tliat as yet have received no satisfactory answer. In any case, as the subject has never been dealt with in the pages of this magazine, I venture to publish a few notes which may elucidate some of the doubtful points in the life history of the Irish W^olf. The oldest Irish Wolf remains occur in the caves. Asso- ciated with the bones and teeth of Reindeer, Mammoth and Irish Elk, certain remains of a large dog-like carnivore have been found. These could not be distinguished from the bones and teeth of the Irish Wolf-hound, but Prof. Leith Adams was of opinion that they belonged to the Wolf. For it is generally believed that the Wolf-hound did not exist as a wild species, but originated' at a much later period as the result of selection and domestication by man. The Irish Wolf was first identified by Leith Adams in Shandon and Ballinamintra Caves in the County Waterford.^ In more recent years I showed that both teeth and bones of the Wolf occur in the Kesh caves. County Sligo, and in Castlepook Cave in County Cork. I also pointed out that although the bones of the Wolf and Wolf-dog are indistinguishable, the molar teeth of the former are decidedly larger than those of the Wolf-dog. They are even larger than the molar teeth of the modern European Wolf as far as I could ascertain. 1 A. Leith Adams : Report on the Exploration of Shandon Cave, Trans. R. Irish Acad., Vol. xxvi., 1876. Exploration in the Bone Cave pf Ballinarnintra. Trans. R. Diibli)} Soc, Vol. vii. (s. 2), 18S1, 134 ^^'^ Irish Nahiralist. December, The ancient Irish Wolf in its dentition approached the large Arctic Wolf, at present found in the extreme north of North America.^ There is strong evidence, therefore, for the belief that the Wolf existed in Ireland in very remote times, probably before man appeared in the country. And there can be no doubt that it was indigenous and must have migrated to IreJand in company with or at about the same time as the Bear and the other large extinct mammals referred to. I cannot attempt here to discuss my reasons for the belief that all these creatures wandered to Ireland before the latter had become separated from Great Britain. I have done so in other writings, and it is not of vital importance in any case. We may assume either that the Wolf of the British Islands came of the northern stock and was of a more powerful build than the continental race, or else that the Wolf all over Europe degenerated in its dentition in the course of time. Even Prof. Owen long ago drew attention to the resemblance of a Wolf's skull from Kent's Hole in England with that of the Arctic Wolf.~ The Wolf certainly arrived in England in pre-glacial times, for it occurs in the Forest Bed, which belongs to the Pliocene Age. That it was contemporaneous in Ireland with the Irish Elk has already been alluded to, and Prof. Leith Adams expressed the opinion that herds of the latter were probably driven into lakes b}^ wolves and found their death in them.'^ One of the earliest historical proofs of the existence of the Wolf in Ireland comes to us from Giraldus Cambrensis, who visited this country in the twelfth century. He pointed out that either in consequence of the great mildness of the climate or else in token of the evils of treason and rapine, which are ripe here before their proper season, wolves have often whelps in the month of December. ^ Scharff, Sc-yffiour and Xewton : Exploration of Castlcpook Cave Co. Cork. Pror. R. Tn<;h Acad., Vol. xxxiv. (Section B), 191 S. 2 Richard Owen : History of British Fossil Mammals and Birds, i8^6. 3 A. I-eith Adams : On the recent and extinct Irish ^fammals. Proc. R. DuhlhrSociety (N.S.), Vol. ii., 1878. 1922. ^CHARFF.— The Wolf in Ireland. 135 Wolves sc'ciii to have become more plentiful in Ireland during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; and it was the custom then to drive cattle and sheep into special enclosures at night to protect them from the ravages of their inveterate enemy. In the reign of James I. an Act was passed in 161 1 for the killing of wolves and other vermin ; and in the year 1652 Cromwell issued an Order in Council prohibiting the exportation of \\olf-dogs from Ireland. To offer special inducements for the destruction of Wolves, the sum of £6 was offered by the State for every bitch wolf and £5 for a male wolf. For a cub able to hunt for itself £2 was paid, and ten shilhngs for every suckhng cub. All these measures had the desired effect, and wolves rapidly diminished all over the country. It is stated that the last wolf in Connaught was killed about the year 1700. But in other places it seems to have survived still longer. Thompson tells us that it was not hiially extirpated in Kerry until 1710, and that three places are commemorated each as having had the last Irish Wolf killed there, viz., one in the South, another near Glenarm, and a third — ^^olfhill — three miles from Belfast.^ According to Richardson, \\olves were still known to be in Wexford about the years 1730-40, and he aflnnis that a W'olf was killed in the \\'icklow Mountains in 1770.- In England it had already disappeared during the reign of Henry VII. ; while it lingered on in Scotland until the year 1743. It is interesting to note that no absolutely reliable dis- tinction between the Wolf and the large Irish Wolf-hound has as yet been discovered. The limb bones of the two are quite indistinguishable. The molar teeth among what we believe to have been wolf-remains in the Irish caves are no doubt larger than those of the W^olf-hound, but they also exceed in size those of the modern European W'o^lf. Only the complete skull furnishes a fairly reliable test. This test is founded on the position of the eye-sockets. It is a well known fact that the position of the eyes does not 1 William Thompson : Natural History of Ireland, Vol. iv., 1S56. '^ H. D. Richardson ; The Irish Wolf-dog. Irish Penny Journal, i'6.\i 136 The Irish Naturalist, December, enable the wolf to squarely look at a spectator standing in front of him. This is because the eye-sockets are directed slightly towards the sides instead of facing the object. Prof. Studer first drew attention to this distinction in the skulls of wolves and dogs, and argued that the plane of the eye-socket is more obliquely inclined to the brow, that is to say, the orbito -frontal angle is less in wolves than it is in dogs. No doubt this feature is the most important character of distinction between wolves and dogs; but, as Professor Re 3^10 Ids points out, even it cannot be relied on in all cases. ^ It requires an instrument called a clinometer to measure the angle referied to, and it is by no means easy to do so. Considering that the Irish W'olf-dog has probably originated from the Wolf, it is not surprising tliat the distinctive characters between Wolf and Dog should be so very subtle and difficult to determine. The question whether the Irish Wolf was identical with or belonged to the same species as the wolf still li^^ing in France is not easy to answer. Although the Wolf was so extremely abundant in Ireland in the sixteenth and seven- teenth centuries, and probably before that . we do not possess a single Wolf's skull or even a bone of that period. We have no means, therefore, of comparing a modern Irish Wolf skeleton with that of a modern French Wolf. But con- sidering that large races cf the Wolf are known to have existed on the Continent in Pleistocene times, that several other large animals came to Ireland from Continental Europe, it seems not unlikely that the Irish and French Wolves originated from a common stock. The common Irish word for Wolf is " mac-tire," but a number of other words signifying wild dog, such as " mad- radh allaidh," " faelchii," " cii allaidh," and " niadra allta," seem to have been in use. Two perhaps older words are " sidheach " and " crian." There is still another woid that has been employed lor ^\'olf, viz., "glaoidlieamhan." It means a howler. Knockranny, Bray. P. H. Reynolds : The Canidae. Palaeontological Society, 1909. t922. • Irish Societies. 137 IRISH SOCIETIES. DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. November 8. — The Club met at the Royal College of Surgeons. D. McArdle sliowecl the coiiidial stage of the Poi)lai-twig Fungus Didyniusphaeria populiua. The specimens exhibited were taken from the dead portion of the bark-wood on a shoot where infection took place ; the numerous conidia are fusiform in shape with slightly curved ends 3-celled when matured. The affected tree Populus lasiocarpa shows the first appearance of the disease by a dark brown spot on the side of a young tAvig, which gradually develops quite around it, and marks the distance the mycelium has ascended; as a result the young shoot and leaves become discoloured and bend inwards and die. The buds below this part produce fresh shoots which in tlicir turn also become affected ; tlie lower part of the tree becomes bushy owing to the production of suckers ; on the destruction of the young shoots these also become aftected. On the older branches large open rough wounds are seen sometimes exposing the wood ; the infected spots join each other in time, quite encircling or ringing the branch, the portion above the wound dying. H. A. Lafferty exhibited preparations of Phytophtlwra syriii^ac, a fungus which has recently been recorded as causing a rot of apples in this countr} . DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. May 6. — Excursion to the Zoological Gardens. — Tlie chief object of tliis excursion, which was Avell attended, was to inspect and study the recently established Irish Aquarium, which is being stocked for the special purpose of facilitating the study of lants, weeds, and insects that came under notice. The large party were afterwards most hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Jon(;3, and returned by a pleasant walk across fields to Greystones, reaching Dublin about 7 p.m. August 5.— Excuksiox to the Scalp. — This excursion, originally fixed for a July date, but unavoidably postponed, was held in a month generally found unfavourable to any prospect of large attendance. About 13 members, however, took. part. The route followed from Carrickmincs station was via Ballycorus, a longer but m/■;■ :V::.Aj):^;.\:; /^i Vol. XXXI >io. 1. JANUARY. 1922. H flDontblp 3ournal OF GENERAL IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. ORGAN O- THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB, BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOQItTY. BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, DUBLIN NATURALISTS" FIELD CLUB, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. AND R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.I.A. Price Is. DUBLIN: EASON 8c SON, Limited. 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. Tne IRISH NATURALISl^ f or 1923 (twelve parts). will be sent to any Address tor 10s. Subscriptions should be sent to^^Messrs. Eason lind Son, Ltd., 40 Xower 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 writert off 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 oi the Principal Scientific Si^cieties 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 aU 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. 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 THB ASSISTANCE AS RBFERBBS IN SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF 9E0. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, FJ!:.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest ■ 56 >t 57 It 58 ft 69 60 61 62 l> 6? >» 64 t9 65 99 d.J 67 99 68 ?* 69 70. 71 M 72 73 74 75 „ 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 «4 ^ 85 „ 86 87 88 89 9&. 91 92 93 94 ' 95 96 97 9X. » ♦ 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 Otit oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat 7*lie Management of Dairy Cows " Redwater " or " Blood-Murrain *' in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation iu Ireland. Planting of Waste Proper Method Trees. of Forestry : The Lands. Forestry : The Planting Forest Ont of Print. Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosi? 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 Wa'^ting in Voung Cattle. Home Buttermaking The Cultivation of Small Fruit? Catch Crops. Potato Culture on Small Cultivation of Main Crop Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage. Some Injurious Orchard Dirty Milk. Barlev Threshing The Home Bottling of Fruit The Construction of Pigaeries. The Advantages of Early Plougiiing. Black Scab in Potatoes Home Preservation of Eggs Marketing of Wild FrUts. 0-d of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Eggs for Hatching Weeds Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed aa Manure Farms Potatoes Insects. SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 8. Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Stcring of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing oi Bacon. 21. farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Kut Cake and Meal. Noie.—lh^ otlier Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Covies of the above leaffcts can he obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the .^ecreiary Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland Upper Merrion Street, D»hlin. LetUrs , application so addressed need not be stamped. Eiivelopes shculd bn marked ' Puhlications." V ' ••*''li.%£ MLEX^/cl^i51^Pf|fe"'^^ '61 DAWSON ST., DUBLIN NURSERIES, BLACKROCKl RAISERS OF PEDIGRE.E RISH SEEDS' RAISERS^ OF PEDIGREE IRISH ROSES. For 1922 Dickson*s Hawlmark Seeds "Gbc MARK AND STAMP of QUALITY " Emehson 86 YEARS' REPUTATION BEHIND THEM. See our Catalogue before ordering. ALEX. DICKSON & SONS, LIMITED, Hawlmark-61 DAWSON ST., DUBLIN. Vol. xKxi., No. 1. January, 1922. CONTENTS. PAGE Thirty Years' Work of the Irish Naturalist — R. F. Scharff; Pxx.l/.y Jr.L.k)* •. •• •• •• •• X Irish Socibtibs Dublin Microscopical Club . . . . . . . . 7 Magdalis carbonaria and other insects at Powerscourt — J. N. Halbert, M.R-I.A. . . . . . . . . S NoT«s : Mites as guests in Ants* Nests — Bombus sylvarum in Ireland — A. A. W. StELFOX, M.RI.A. ... .. .. .. II Helicella heripensis : supposed Occurrence in Ireland — A. W. STELFOX, M.R.I. a. . . . , . . . . . . II Birds of Hillsborough, Co. Down . . . . . . . . 12 What Bats are Common ? — C. B. Moffat, m.r.i.a. . . . . 12 The Publishers will be pleased to pay Is. each for Copies of February, 1893; January, 1894; and September, 1904, // sent flat to "IRISH NATURALIST." Care of Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sackville •Street, Dublin. According to PoMijtion. 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. AUBX. THOM AND CO., LIMITBD, DUBLIN. [SI Vol. XXXI No. 2. FEBRUARY, 1922. Mfh.^ " • •• H flDontblp 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. AND R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.I.A. Price Is. -r' ;*^ )'>i^^=1" "" ' ^^^^^^■^^^^ DUBLIN: EASON Sc SON, Limited, j / y'>'^: 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegal! Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT &, CO., Limited. (r(ff(lUliliUii,UiiiV|lllililii^'IIHl,lii|llliV,lj)lii|iiiMi^ Tne IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to ^ny Address for 10s. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies* Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. " NATURE " contains Orifinal Articles un all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writers •r 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. 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 aiid Money Orders to be made payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St Martin' s-ST., London, W.C.2. THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal oj 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 THB assistance AS RBFERSBS IN SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF @E0 T. PORRITT, F.L.8., F.E.8. 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 & SONS, Ltd., 5. FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post free. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum^ HuU. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIM. Open d^ily from 9 a.m. (Sn^Klays from 12 noon) till dijsk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays. Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday aftotrnoons, 6il., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BROWN, HIMALAYAN AND POLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in ttie Ape-House. PAIR 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) tiiankfuily received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membershijj of the Society, a}>ply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, lion. Si-c, R.Z.S,, Trinity Colleofe, Dublin DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No 1. • > 3 99 4 9i 5 »> 6. 7 99 8 »9 9 »» 10. »♦ 11. 12 99 13. It 14 f 15 f1 16. 17 )> 18 1* 19 V 1 20 21 tt 22 If 23 »« 24. It 25 \t9 26. 99 27. it 28. ft 29 »l 30. 31. If 32. t' 33. 34. ft 35. It 36 ;» 37. 99 38 99 39. 40 »» 41. 42. 9: 43. tt 44 45. »» 46 It 47. t> 48 tt 49. 50 »t 51 It 52 The Warble Fly The Use and Purchase of feeding Stuffs. Foot Rob in Sheep Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery J.eaf-Spot Disease or Blight Charlock for Preshaugh) Spraying Flnke in Sheen. Timothv Meadows The Turnip Fly Wjreworms. Prevention of White Scour in Calves ijquid Manure Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention of Potato Blight Milk Tlecords. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manure.^. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment ot PrenQium 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. Bearing and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry. Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay ,, „ Potatoes ,. Mangels. „ „ Oats. „ „ Turnips Permanent Pasture Grasses The Rearing and Management of Chickens " Husk " or •• Hoose " in Calves Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poidtry Fattening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53 19 54 f 9 55 » 56 » 57 » 58 » 59 60 61 »> 62 »» 63 »» 64 » 65 »» 66 >> 67 » 68 99 69 70. 99 71 99 72 99 73 99 74 99 75 99 76 19 77 99 78 99 79 !9 80 9 ■ 81 99 82 99 83. 84 85 >1 86 87 88 89 ♦ 9 9e. 99 91. 92 99 93 99 94 •9 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 Farnj Seeds Out oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat The Management of Dairv 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. O'lt 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. Barlev 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 Fri-its. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Eggs for Hatching Weeds, Tuberculosis ui 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 ot Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Covifs 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. LeU^rs », application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." ^^ %^M'CKi^mrS'w^^^^^^i^^ '61 DAWSON ST., DUBLIN NURSERIES, BLACKR0CKJ5 RAISER5 OF PEDIGREE IRISH SEEDS.I pAlSERsj OF PEDIGREE IRISH ROSES. For 1922 Dickson's Hawlmark Seeds "obe MARK AND STAMP of QUALITY" Emerson 86 YEARS' REPUTATION BEHIND THEM See our Catalogue before ordering. ALEX. DICKSON & SONS, LIMITED, Hawlmark-61 DAWSON ST., DUBLIN. Vol. xxxi., No. 2. February, 1922. CONTENTS. PAGE Insects at Carlingford, Co. Louth — Rev. W. F. Johnson, Irish Sphagna — ^William A. Lee . . . . . . i8 Irish Societies ; Dublin Microscopical Club . . . . . . . . 23 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club .. .. .. .. 24 Notes : Some Irish Collembola 24 The Publishers will he pleased to pay Is. each for Copies of February, 1893; January, 1894; and September, 1904, if sent flat to "IRISH NATURALIST," Care of Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 ) Half Page ^ .• .^,.6 6 According to roiiition. Quarter Page m« . ... ,, 4 0; A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, AJjEIS.. THOM and CO., UMITED, DUBLIN. NiX Vol. XXXI No. 3. MARCH. 1922. l;vi ^ ,C; H fiDontbl? 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, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. EDITED BY Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. AND R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.LA. Price * Is. r\ 'i. SW*^''*'"'^^ DUBLIN: EASON 8c SON, Limited, i /)y'>'^: 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street :•■ LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON KENT & CO., Limited. n TT^ ro(((huii;iii.UiUvini,i^iHiiniiiiinii,i,i,i^jiiiiii» Tne IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address {or lUs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. . NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. " NATURE " contains Original Articles un all subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writert 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 ol the Principal Scientific SAcieties 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 payable to Macmillan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ fi. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Half-yearly ... 16 0 Quarterly ... 0 13 0 THE NATURALIST. A Monthly Illustrated Journal oj 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. WOOPHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Tech. Coll.. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF eEO. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.Z.$. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. Tliis Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in the British Isles dating' back to 18.53. London: A. BROWN & SONS, Ltd.. 5. FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.G. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post free. Communications to be addressed to' the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAT. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLINl. Open daily from 9 a.m. {Sundays Wom 12 noon)' till diusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, 6d., and Sunday a?t<3rnoons, 6d., Cliildren always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BROWN, HIMALAYAN AND POLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in the Ape-House. PAIR 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 op Foreig'n) thanlifuUy received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for 'I'crnis and IMvileges of Menibershij) of the Society, aj'ply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon. S'-'f., R.Z.S,, Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No 1. »» 2 if 3 f> 4 »> 5 t9 6. • • 7 »» 8 IJ 9 99 10 »♦ 11 12 99 13 jy 14 tV 15 99 16 17 39 18 >t 19 9) 20 21 >» 22 >J 23 H 24 f» 25 ) 26 9f 27 »J 28 29 »• 3C 31 )» 32 33 34 f } 35 »« 36 37 38 • J 39 40 >> 41 42 >: 43 >> 44 45 »» 46 f » 47 48 49 50 >> 51 t» 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 Sheen. Timothy Meadows The Turnip Fly Wireworms. Prevention of White Srour in Calves Liquid Manure Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention of Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manure.^ Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment ol 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 Breeds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay ,, „ Potatoes ,, ,. Mangels. ,, ,. Oats. ,, „ Turnips Pern)anent Pasture Grasses The Rearinc and Management of Chickens •• Husk " or " Hoose " in Calves Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Faf^euing. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Taf>ke» Grub. Flax- Growing Experiments. No. »> »» >» 53. 54. 55. .56. 57. .58. 59. 60 61. 62. 63. 64 65. 6. 9> 67 »5 68 M 69 99 70 »9 71 »» 72 M 73 99 74 »9 75 99 76 77 99 78 79 :| SO 81 99 82 M 83 » J «4 > » 85 99 86 87 71 88 9i 8n • J 9(1. 5> 91 19 92 >> 93 9) 94 ■ 9 95 99 96 97 98 99 The ConatructioD of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Apple. Cultivation of the Root Crop. Marketmg of Fruit. Sprouting Seed Potatoes Testing of Farm Seeds. Out Oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Management of Dairv Cowg. " 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. 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. Barlev 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 Hatcliing. Weeds, Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS. S Destruction oi Farm Pests. 12. Dissirg ;u:d Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. 19. Home Curing 01 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 Secretaru , Departrr>ent of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street. Dublin, Leit^rs of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." u^MicKi^m''T^Tnr^5^^i^ '61 DAWSON ST., DUB LIN NURSERIES, BLACKROCKt RAISERS OF PEDIGREE IRISH SEEDS' pAISERSj OF PEDIGREE IRISH ROSES. For 1922 Dickson's Hawlmark Seeds "obe MARK AND STAMP of QUALITY" Emerson 86 YEARS' REPUTATION BEHIND THEM. See our Catalogue before ordering:. ALEX. DICKSON & SONS, LIMITED, Hawlmark-61 DAWSON ST., DUBLIN. Vol. xxxi., No. 3. March, 1922. CONTENTS. PAGE The Larval Mouth-Hooks of Hypoderma — Geoffrey Phibbs .. .. .. .. .. 25 Irish Societies : Royal Zoological Society . . . . . . . . 30 Dublin Microscopical Club .. .. .. .. 31 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club ., .. ,. .. 31 Notes : Gonia fasciata in Fermanagh — Sir Charles Langhan Calocoris striatus at Woodenbridge, Co. Wicklow — J. N British Oysters, Past and Present Bird Protection Ravens at Lambay — Hon. Cecil Baring . . Notes on the Birds of Innishbofin — H. B. Cott Hairy-armed Bat in Co. Down The Eskers in Ireland — James G, Butler and J. de \V 32 Halbert 32 33 33 34 34 35 . HiNCH . . 35-6 G. A. BENTALL, 392 strand, tJtaturallst, LONDON, w.c.2. Mammals, Birds, Skins, Eggs, Lepidoptera, Coieoptera, etc. Books, Cabinets, Store Boxes and Collection Apparatus, Taxidermy in all its Branches. Trophies Mounted. Catalogue on any of the above subjects post 'Yree on request. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... .i. From 10 0 ) ; Half Page ^ .• .^..661 According to Quarter Page m. • . ... „ 4 i Posiitibn. 0 j A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, ▲LEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. Vol. XXXI No. 4. f/>. 3~1 ^>V, APRIL. 1922. PL- .0 M: \^A ^yi' i« ^vi; ^^\ -^1 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 Ppof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. AND R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.I.A. Price Is. '^ r\ y/ DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited. y street. \ ^- 80 Middle Abbey BELFAST: 17 Do LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON. Street KENT & CO., Limited. ;%/ nimm llll"lllliM/ir. r Tne IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address tOT lUs. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. *' NATURE " contains Original Articles un ali subjects coming within the domain of Science, contributed by the most eminent scientific writert of the day. It also contains Reviews of alh recent scientific works ; Correspondence Columns, which form a medium of scientific discussion and of Intercommunication among men of Science ; Reports of the Proceedings oi the Principal Scientific Societies and Academ&es of the World : and Notes on ail 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 aad Money Orders to be made payable to Macmii-lan & Co., Ltd., St. Martin's-st., London, W.C.2. £ s. 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. WOODHEAI) Ph.D., M.Sc. F.L.S., Tech. Coll.. HUDDERSi-'IELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS OF @E0. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F^.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 & SONS. Ltd.. 5. FARRINGDON AVENUE, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post free. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, HulL THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL vSOCIETY OF IRRLANl). PKOEMIX PARK, DUBLIM. Open daily from 9 a.m. {Sundays from 12 nnnrt) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays. Saturdays, and Holidays, Gd., and Sunday afternoons, Gtl., CSiildren always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BROWI^, HiMALAYAN AND PCLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in the Ape-House. PAIR 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 op Fopeig"n) thankfully received. Surplus Stock of Beasts and Birds for Sale or Exchange. For particulars, and also for Terms and Privileges of Membershi}> of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Hon, Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin. DEPAHTMKNT OF AGKICULTUKE AND TKCHNKJAI .INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No 1. >5 2 >> 3 99 4. »> 5. »> 6. • • 7 »A 8 ti 9 9* 10. f • 11. 12 >9 13 Ji 14 15 16. 17 If 18 j» 19 9; 20 21 J) 22 it 28 J» 24 >> 25 ) 26 >i 27 f » 28 9> 29 95 30 >5 31 32 »> 33 34 >J 35 >■» 36 9» 37 >> 38 »> 39 ij 40 41 fj 42 9. 43 ?> 44 J> 45 JJ 46 >) 47 48 »> 49 ^ J 50 »9 51 52 The Warble Fly The Use and Purchase of Feedins Staffs. Foot Rofc iu Sheep Intensive and Serai-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf-Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock for Preshaugh) Spraying Fluke in Sheen. Timothv Meadows The Tiu-nip Fiy Wireworms. Prevention of White Scour iu Calves Mijiiid !\Ianure Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention of Potato Blight. Milk Uecords. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase ot Manure.^. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Bearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment ol 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. Bearing and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry Old of Print. The t.iraing of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. ,, ,, Meadow Hay „ ,, Potatoes „ ,. Mangels. )) ,, viats. ,, ,, Turnijos Pern)anent Pasture Gr isses The Hearing and Management of Chickens •' Husk '• or •• Hoose *' in Calves Bingworm on Cattle Haymaking The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Fat'^ening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.la'^ket Grub. ,Flax Growing Experiments. »> it No. 53. „ 54. „ .55. „ 56. » 57. .58. 59. 60 . 61. ,, 62. „ 63. ,. 64 „ 65. oo. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 ,^ 9e. 91 92 93 „ 94 95 96 97 98. 99 The Construction of a Cowlionae. Out of Print. The Apple. Cultivation of the Hoot 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 Treea. 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 Fruit?. Catch Crops. Potato Culture on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage. Some Injurious Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barlev Threshing The Home Bottling of Fruit. The Construction of Piggeries. The Advantages of Early Plougliing. Black Scab in Potatoes Home Preservation of Eggs. Marketing of Wild Fruits. Old 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 Stcring of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of VegetJibles. 19. Home Curing or 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 lea Hits can be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary, Department of Ac/ricvUvrr and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Vj'per Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Publications." Dickson's Hawlmark Seeds ' "Tohd MARK AND STAMP of QUALITY" Emerson 86 YEARS' REPUTATION BEHIND THEM. See our Catalogue before ordering. ALEX. DICKSON & SONS, LIMITED, Hawlmark-6I DAWSON ST., DUBLIN. Vol. xxxi., No. 4. April, 1922. CONTENTS. I PAGE The Bird Life of Dublin City — Athole Harrison . . 37 Some Forms of Pieris Napi taken in Co. Fermanagh — Sir Charles Langham, Bart. . . . . . . 42 Irish Societies : Belfast Naturalists' Field Club .. , ,. .. .. 45 Dublin Naturalists' Field Club . . . . . . . . 46 News Gleanings • . . . . . . . . . . 47 Notes : * Lichens on Veronica Traversii— Lilian Porter, M.Sc. . . 48 G. A. BENTALL, 392 strand, tJlaturalUt. London, w.cz. Mammals, Birds, Skins, Eggs, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, etc. Books, Cabinets, Stone Boxes and Collection Apparatus, Taxidermy in ail its Branches. Trophies Mounted. Catalogue on any of the above subjects post free on request. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN ** IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 ) -- ,- _ ^ ^ \ According to Half Page ^ .. *^ ,» 6 6 ^ _ . . ^ . J, n.' \ roHition. Quarter Page •^ • . ... ,, 4 0 j A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED. DUBLIN. ffy. .^^^V Vol. XXXI No. 5. MAY, 1922. **'*"*/^ ^^.•«1|(« L^'.. ^ /if •■•:':^'-".r;:: -^^ 1^ 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A. AND R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.LA. A Price Is. j^^i>y^r-^T^- DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited. )''y y^: 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. .\^~: K^if(i(miiiiiiiiiiiiiUiiiyiijif<)in iiiiii,iii;iiiii'nw ■>" The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for lOs. SubscripUons should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Sen, Ltd., 40 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 changing Scotch and Irish Cheques. Cheques and Money Orders to be made pa^^able 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 REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTMKNTS 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 AVENIJR, E.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post tree. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturahst, The Museum, Hull THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOE^BX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m, (Sundays from \lnoon) till dusk. Admission, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, ai^d Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., CSiildren always HaJf-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BROWN, HIMALAYAN AND POLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in tlie Ape-House. PAIR 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 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 THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. o »> 3 4 5 6 ►7 I 8 9 10 11 12 13 U 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 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 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. The Turnip Fly. Wireworrns. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of JManures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium BuUs. 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 Fatteiiing of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes. ,. ., Mangels. „ „ Oats. „ ,, Turnips Permanent Pasture Greases The Rearing and Management of Chickens •* Husk " or " Hooee " in Calves. Eingworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-Jacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. ., 54. »t 55 n 56 » J 57 11 58 >> 59 ff 60 J> 61 »s 62 » 63 it 64 »> 65 »> 66 tl 67 11 68 1 1 69 70. 9t 99 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 99 80 81 82. 83, 84 85 86 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94 95. 96 97. 98 99 The ConstructJon 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. " 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. 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 Butterniaking 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 Egg^. Packing Eggs for Hatching. Weeds. 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. 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 '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, National History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member oj the British Ornithologists' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.STR., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magfazine — founded in 1 87 1 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the Natural History of >lcotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the F;«una, Observations on Lif-? Histories, etc., and Notes recordingf the occurrence of uncommon species and other useful arid interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER & BOYD, Tweeddale Court. NOTICE. • Authors of Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — 8. d. e. 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 Montfi Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do »ot write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. G. H. CaHI* ENTER, Royal (Jollege of Science^ Dublin, R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library^ Dublin. Vol. xxxi., No. 5. May, 1922. COiN TENTS. Henry Lyster Jameson ... . . . . Is the Squirrel a Native Irish Species — R. F. Scharff, PH.D. Notes : Humming-bird Hawk-Moth in December — Rev. W. F. Johnson, m.a Two small Parasitic Hymenoptera from Co. Wexford — C. B. Moffat M>R.I.A. The Song of Birdis — J. P. Burkitt, b.e. An Early Swallow — Nevin H. Foster, f.z.s. Black Redstart on Hill of Howth — Miss A. L, Massy . . Corncrake in December — Rev. W. F. Johnson, m.a. Fulmar breeding on Rathlin Island — J. A. Sidney Stendall Irish Societies : Royal Zoological Society . . . . ' , . Dublin Naturalists' Field Club PAGE 49 51 54 55 55 55 56 56 56 57 60 G. A. BENTALL, 392 strand, Naturalist. LONDON, w.c.2. Mammals, Birds, Skins, Eggs, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, etc. Books, Cabinets, Store Boxes and Collection Apparatus, Taxidermy in all its Branches. Trophies Mounted. Catalogue on any of the above subjects post free on request. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST/' s. d. Whole Page Jw ... ... From 10 0 Half Page ^ .. ^,,66 Quarter Page «»• *- ... ,, 4 0, According to Poiiition. A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. '^V [■SI Vol. XXXI No. 6. JUNE, 1922. ft ; I . - i .^M V -r\ I 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.i.A. Price is. )■/ y A^^l DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited, i 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegal! Street LONDON: SJMPKIN, MARSHALL. HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. %\iiii: rf^(((ii(iiiiiiiiii.i,uiiiii|iiiiiiiii(iiiiiiiiu,w» 4 n 5. »> 6. >» 7. 9» 8 9J 9. 1? 10. J5 11. 3J 12 >? 13. }} 14, 3> 15. »J 16 *> 17 99 18 ?> 19 )9 20 * ^ 21 22 23 >> 24 25 26 27 J? 28 >» 29 )> 3C >J 31 j; 32 • > 38 34 35 36 37 ?» 38 5> 39 5 J 40 41 99 42 )J 43 44 45 J 1 46 47 48 49 oO J » 51 ?J 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. Timothy Meadows. The Turnip Fly. Wirewonus. Preventive of Whit« Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Sciib. The Use and Purchase of Manures. S\nne Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearmg. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slag. Dishorning Calves. Care and Treatment of Premium Bulls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Breeding and Fr-eding of Pigs. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearinc; 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)anpnt Pasture Grisses The Rearing and Management of •' Husk •• or " Hoose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Haymaking. The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Fattening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Tacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. Jo. 53 64 >> 55 9 9 56 9 ■ 57 58 59 ff 60 61 62 99 63 99 64 >) 65 >> 66 ) J 67 >1 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. 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. Forestry : The Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : The Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Oht 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. Oi't 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 Cultiyation 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. Old of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Egg?. Packing Egg? for Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis in Poultry. Seaweed as 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. Not^. — 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 Museum, Edinburgh, WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member oj the British Ornithologists' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.K., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publmation of Original Matter relating to tne Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Life Histories, etc., and Notes recording tiie occurrence of uncommon species and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER &, BOYD, 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 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 6 pp. ..• ••• 8 0 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. Thom 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 ^onth, for insertion in the succeeding number. Short Notes will be inserted, if space permit, if received before the 15th of the Montfa Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do «iot write on postcards. Natural History^^Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. G. H. Cahi'enter, Royal College of Science^ Dublin, R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library^ Dublin. Vol. xxxi., No. 6. June, 1922. CONTENTS. PAGE Some Habits of the Red Admiral and Painted' Lady Butterflies— C. B. Moffat, b.a. . . .. 6i The Irish Naturahst . . . . . • ' . . 65 Dipt era and Hynienoptera at Poyntzpass in 192 1— Rev. W. F. Johnson, m.a., f.e.s. . . ... . . 66 Irish Societibs : Belfast Naturalists' Field Club . . ♦ • . . . . 70 Note •; : Curlews' Eggs in Wild Duck's Nest — R. Pack Beresford . . 72 The Zoological Record — W. L. Sclater . . . . . . 72 G. A. BENTALL, 392 strand, MaturalUt. LONDON, W.C.2. Mammals, Birds, Skins, Eggs, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, etc.. Books, Cabinets, Store Boxes and Collection Apparatus, Taxidermy in all its Branches. Trophies Mounted. Catalogue on any of the above subjects post free on request. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." s. d. Whole Page ^ ... ... From 10 0 Half Page — ^ .^,,6 6 Quarter Page m. ... », 4 0, A Reduction gicen for a Number of Insertions, ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. According to Position. Vol, XXXI, No. 7. >>> mr( JULY. 1922. r- ii ''>n i.>iy ki 'i^{l»'l S il \ ~\\ IZA H flDontblip 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.t.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price is. ■M )'/ y AS '«^' DUBLIN: EASON ic SON, Limited. 80 Middle Abbey Street. " BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street :• LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. r ii(' ''Hiiiiiiiiiiiiin niiimiii The IRISH NATUEALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for 10s. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Sack7ille Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. NATURE. A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. PRICE ONE SHILLING. "NATURE" contains Origlnah 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 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. £ a. d. Yearly ... 2 12 0 Halt-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 EEFBREES 11^ SPECIAL DEPARTMUNTS 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 free. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OP THE 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. BROWN, HIMALAYAN AND POLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in the Ape-House. PAIR OF HANDSOME LION MARMOSETS. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OF CANADIAN BISON, WITH CALVES. BORNEAN ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). REFRBSHMENT ROOM OPEIS 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. DEPAETiMENT OF AGKICULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. The Warble Fly. So. 53. The Construction of a Cowhouse. » 2. The Use and Purchase of Feeding „ 54. Out of Print. Stuffs. „ 5^. The Apple. >» 'J' Foot Rot in Sheep. „ 56. Cultivation of the Root Crop „ 4. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry , 57. Marketing of Fruit. Keeping. „ 58. Sprouting Seed Potatoes. , 5. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. „ 59. Testing of Farm Seeds. » 6. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. „ 60 Out oj Print. '7 Fluke in Sheep. „ 61. Field Experiments — Wheat. „ 8. Timothy Meadows. „ 62. The Management of Dairy Cows. Q The Turnip Fly. „ 63. "Redwater" or "Blood-Murrain" „ 10. Wirewonus. in Cattle. „ 11. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. „ 64 Varieties of Fruit Suitable for „ 12. Liquid Manure. Cultivation in Ireland. „ 13. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. „ 65. Forestry : The Planting of Waste ., 14. Prevention or Potato Blight. Lands. „ 15. Milk Records. „ 66. Forestry : The Proper Method of „ 16. Sheep Scab. Planting Forest Trees. „ 17. The Use and Purchase of Manures. „ 67. Out of Print. „ 18. Swine Fever. „ 68. Out of Print. „ 19. Earlv Potato Growing. „ 69. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in „ 20. Calf Rearing. Cattle. „ 21. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. ,. 70. Forestry : Planting, Management, „ 22. Basic Slag. and Preservation of Shelter-Belt „ 23. Dishorning Calves. and Hedgerow Timber. „ 24. Care and Treatment of Premium „ 71. Out of Print. Bulls. „ 72. Out of Print. „ 25. Fowl Cholera. ,. 73. The Planting and Management of .. 26. Winter Fattening of Cattle. Hedges. „ 27. Breeding and Feeding of Pigs. „ 74. Some Common Parasites of the » 28. Blackleg, Black Quarter, or Blue Sheep. Quarter „ 75, Barley Sowing. „ 29 Flax Seed. „ 76. American Gooseberry Mildew. „ 3G. Poultry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, and „ 77. Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. Lice. „ 78. Home Buttermuking „ 31. Winter Egg Production. „ 79. The Cultivation of Small Fruits. ,> 32. Rearing and Fattening of Turkej's ., 80. Catch Crops. ., 33 Profitable Breeds of Poultry „ 81. Potato Culture on Small Farms. „ 34. Out of Print. „ 82. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes, „ 35. The Liming of Land. „ 83. Cultivation of Osiers. „ 36 Field Experiments — Barley. „ 84. Ensilage „ 37. „ „ Meadow Hay ,, 85. Some Injurious Orchard Insects. „ 38 „ ,, Potatoes. „ 86. Dirty Milk. „ 39. ,. ., Mangels. .,, 87. Barley Threshing. „ 40 „ „ Oats. „ 88. The Home Bottling of Fruit. „ 41. ,, ,, Turnips „ 89, The Construction of Piggeries. , 42. Permanent Pasture Gr-igges „ 90. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. „ 48. The Rearing and Management of „ 91. Black Scab in Potatoess. Chickens ,, 92. Home Preservation of Eggs. „ 44 •' Husk " or " Hoose " in Calves. „ 93. ^Marketing of Wild Fruits. >, 45. Eingworm on Cattle >, 5)4. Out of Print. „ 46 Haymakinc. „ 95. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and ., 47. The Black Currant Mite. Egg?. „ 48 Foul Brood or Bee Pest. ,, 96. Packing Eggs for Hatching. „ 49. Poultry Fattening. „ 97. Weeds. ,, 50 Portable Poultry Houses „ 98. Tuberculosis in Poultry. , 51 The Leather- Jaf^ket Grub. „ 09. Seaweed as Manure. „ 52 Flax Growing Experiments. 4 SPECIAL LEAFLETS. 8 Destruction or Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Storing of Potatoes. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing of Vegetables. i 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Kut 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 ,Devartment of Agriculture and 'technical Instrtiction for Ireland. Upper Merr ion 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 Museum, Edinburgh WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member o) the British Ornithologists' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.K.. Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magfazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to the N.-\tural 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 I OLIVER <& BOYD, Tweeddale Court. NOTICE. Authors of Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints ii the following prices : — s. d. s. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 6 pp. *•• ... / SO 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 Montla 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. G. H. CAai'ENTER, Royal College of Science, Dublin. R. Lloyd Praeoer, National Library^ Dublin Vol. xxxi., No. 7. CONTENTS July, 1922. PAGE 73 Some Notes on the Irish Sheep— R. F. Scharff, b.sc, ph.d. Further Observations on the Life-history of Warble-flies — Prof. G. H. Carpenter, d.sc. . . . . . . yy Irish Societies : Dublin Naturalists' Field Club .... . . . . . . 8o Belfast Naturalists' Field Club .. .. ..... .. 8o Notes: Combats of Butterflies — J. N. Bingham . . . . . . 8i Butterfly Habits — H. N. Dixon . . ... . . 8i Trichoniscus roseus at Belfast — R. J. Welch, m.r.i.a, .. .. 82 The Brown Lizard (Lacerta vivipara) at Whitehead — R. J. Welch, M.R.I.A. .. .. •• .. .. .. 82 Squirrels in Co. Cork— W. M. Abbott . . . . . . 83 The Squirrel in Ireland — T. V. Le Fanu . . . . . . 83 Hares in the City of Belfast — Joan Elsa Loewenthal and J. C. 84 'U^^' Thymoplas Mounting Outfits 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.). HARBUTTS PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LODGATE HILL, E.C. 4. AND BATHAMPTON. NEAR BATH. ^ Agcivt : G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, WX. 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 Position. ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBIilN* Vol. XXXI, No. 8. AUGUST, 1922. BHH BWMk^ ^S^S ^Sm\;^f9^ ETTTF^ ^ ^\l,^ ^., 7 H flDontbl? 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, CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, TYRONE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, EDITED BY Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price is. ;'(ic/ DUBLIN: EASON 8c SON, Limited, i 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL. HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. Wil iii uiiiliSpiS The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for 10s. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 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) £ a 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. € 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 ENGUND. EDITED BY T. SHEPPARD, M.Sc, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Scot., The Museum, Hull : AVI T. W, W GODHEAD, Ph.D., M.Sc, F.L.S., Ti ch. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS EEFEREES 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 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 free. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THB ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. [Sundays from 12 noon) fill dusk. Admission, ts., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, a^^d Holidays, 6d., and Sunday afternoons, 6d., Children always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BROWN, HIMALAYAN AND PGLAR BEARS. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in tlie Ape-House. PAIR OF HANDSOME LION MARMOSETS. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OP 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, DEPARTME^TT OF AGKECULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. ^o. ], > J 3. 4. 6. M {. 8. 0. 10. 11. 12. 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. 38 39. 40 41 42. 43. „ 44 „ 45. ,, 46 ., 47. „ 48 „ 49. „ 60 „ 51 „ 52 Purchase of Manures. Growing. Ci-lvt^s. Treatment of Premium The Warble Fly. The Use and Purcha.se of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Rot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping:. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Chnrloclf (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiniotbv Meadows. Th'! Turnip Fly. Wirevvonris. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. Contasrious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potato Blisrht. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Swine Fever. Early Potato Calf Roarnig. Diseases of Poultry :■ — ^Gapes Basic Slat;. Di.=;hornin.a Care and Bulls. Fowl Cholera. Winter Fatteninfr of Cattle. Breeding and Foeding of PiRs. Blackleg, Bla<,k Quarter, or Blue Quarter Flax Seed. Poidtry Parasites — Fleas, Mites, arid Lice. Winter Egg Production. Rearina and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breads cf Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments -Barley. „ ,, Meadow Hay „ ,, Potatoes ,. ., Mangels. Oats. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pasture Gr .Bses The Rearine ani Management of Chickens •• Husk *' or " Hrose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Favmaklng. The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Pest. Poultry Faf^ening Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Taf^ket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. iO. 53 >y 54 55 )) 56 > ' 57 It 58 ij 59 »> 60 >j 61 55 62 )5 63 J> 64 »J 65 >> 66 >1 07 SI m 69 71. 72. 73. 74. 7 -J 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 Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The ilanagement of F'airy 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. Oit of Print Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in CaUle. Forestry : Planting, Management, and Pre=ierva(lon of Shelter-Belt and Hedtrerow Timber. Out of Print. Out of Print. The Planting and Management of Hedges. Some Common Parasites of the Siiecp. Barley So^^ing. American Gooseberry Mildew. Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. Home Cutternuiking The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato Cr.lture 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. i\Lnrketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Egg?. Packing Eggp for Hatching. Weeds. Tubercidosis in Poultry. Seaweed a-- Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pests. 12. Digging and Stfring ot rotatocs. 18. Treatment of Allotments for the Growing ol Vegetables. 19. Home Curing of Bacon. 21. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Kut 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 Agricvlture and 't'ochnical 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 MONTHT,Y MAGAZINE, EDITED BY JAMES RITCHIE, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S.E.. F.L.S.. Keeper. National History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. WILLIAM EVANS. F.R.S.E. Member oj the British Ornithologists' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.R., 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 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 & BOYD, Tweeddale Court. NOTICE. Authors of Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — 8. d. s. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 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 Montli 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. G. H. Carpenter, Royal College of Science, Dublin. R. Lloyd Praeger, National Library^ Dublin Vol. xxxi., No. 8. CONTENTS August, 1922. PAGE The Alleged Eruption of Knocklayd — Prof. Grenville A. J. Cole, d.sc. f.r.s. .. .. .. .. 85 Irish Societies : Belfast Naturalists' Field Club . . . . . . , . 87 Bees and Clovers — A. W. Stelfox, m.r.i.a. . . . . 89 Reviews: G. Fletcher's " Provinces of Ireland " (G. T. Clampftt) . . 91 Notes : Plants of Co. Dublin — j. P. Brunker . . . . . . 94 Co. Down Plants — Corrie D. Chase . . , , , . 95 Poa compressa suAdves — A. W. Stelfox . . . . , . 95 Felted Beech Coccus in Ireland — J, A. Sidney Stendall . . 96 Egg of Fulmar Petrel — an Irish Example — J. A. Sidney Stendall 96 News \Gleanings . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 J Thymoplas Mounting Outfits 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.). HADBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LUDGATE HILL, E.C. 4. AND BATHAMPTON, NEAR BATH. Agent ; G. A. BENTALL, F.Z.S., 392 Strand, London, W.C. 2. TERMS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS IN "IRISH NATURALIST." Whole Page Half Page Quarter Page s. d. •w ... ... From 10 0 >- c. Acco^'ding to A. fx roHitjon. •^ -' ... ,t 4 0 A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLINf Vol. XXXI, No. 9. SEPTEMBER. 1922. i :2^))) Wd WB^^^M 8. >j "• .. 10. ,; 11. „ 12. ,, 13. >, 14. „ lo. „ Ifi. „ 17. „ IS. „ 19. » 20. „ 21. >> ^^« „ 23 „ 24. „ 25. „ 26. » 27. » 28. „ 29 „ 30, „ 31. „ 32. ., 33 „ 34. „ 35. ,. 36 „ 37. „ 38 „ 39. „ 40 " ^l „ 42 „ 43. „ 44 „ 45. „ 46 .. 47. „ 48 „ 49. „ 50 „ 51 „ 52 The Warble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Eot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Timotbv Meadows. The Turnip Fly. Wireworrns. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid Manure. ' Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention oi Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fovor. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Di.vea.ses of Poultry : — Gapes- Basic Slag. Disliorning 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. Rearinc arid F.'it(e:iing of Turkeys Profitable Bresds of Poultry Out of Print. Ih'- i.iming of Land. Field Experitnerits-Barley. „ ,, Meadow Uay „ Potatoes ., Mar!gel8. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pa.sture Gr g^es The Re.irina ani Mnnageinent Chickens * Husk " or " Hcose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Ha\ making The Black Currant Mite. Foul Brood or Bee Peat. Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultrv Houses The Leather-.Taf^ke^ Grnb. Flax Growing Experiments. No. of 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 Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The Appie. Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing of Fruit Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Otit 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. Old of Print. Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in Cattle. Forestry : Planting, Management, and Preservation of Shelter-Belt and Redserow Timbir. Out of Print. Out of Print. The Planting and Management of Hedges. Some Common Parasites of the Sheep. Barley Sow'ing. American Gooseberry Mildew. Scour and Wa=tinc in Young Cattle. Home Buttermaking Tiie Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato Culture on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Culdvation of 0«iers. Ensilage Some .lnjuriou.s Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Threshing. Tiie Home Poitlhjg of Fruit. The Construction of Piggeries. The Advantages of Early Ploughing. Black Scab in Potatoe.=. Home Preservation of Eggs. >!arketin2 of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Egg-. Packing Eggp for Hatching. Weeds. Tuberculosis iti Poultry. Seaweed as- Manure. SPECIAL LEAFLETS 8 Destruction of Farm Pest.'s. 12. Ditigir.g nnd Strring 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. Note. — The other Special Leaflets are not now being issued. Copies of the above lenffits ran be obtained free of charge, and post free, on application to the Secretary ,Dp.partn>evt of Agricvltv.rc and Technical Instruction for Ireland. Upper Merrion Street, Dublin, Letters of application so undressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should be marked " Pid)lications." 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 Musenm, Edinburgh. WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member oj the British Ornithologists' Union, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.R., Nuiural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Origfinal Matter relating to the Natural History of S'cotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Lif^ Histories, etc., and Notes recording tiie occurrence of uncommon species and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER & BOYD, Tweeddale Court. ' NOTICE. Authors of Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST ean be supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — s. d. 8. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 6 pp. ..» ... 8 0 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 MontNi Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Pubiishers, and do uot write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred to authorities for identification. G. H. CaHI' ENTER, Royal College of Science^ Dublin, *. R. Lloyd Praegeb, National Library^ Dublin Vol. xxxi., No. 9. September, 1922. CONTENTS Ernest W. L. Holt (with Portrait)— G. P. Farran Botanical Notes from South-east Wexford— A. W. Stelfox PAGE 97 100 Review : O. J. R. Howarth's " British Association " — Prof. G. A. J. Cole, f.r.s. 103 Thymoplas Mounting Outfits A simple and permanent method for Mounting Insects, Sic, 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. BENT ALL, 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 Poiiition. ALEX. THOM AND CO , LIMITED, DUBLIN* Vol. XXXI No. 10. OCTOBER, 1922. 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. I * r\ .\^^: ^V^''*"'":^^ DUBLIN: EASON & SON, Limited. = /^'!^^^P: 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegal! Street LONDON: S1MPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON. KENT & CO., Limited. TOffi>;u.yiiiiiUiiiiiiiyii(iiiJiiiii(iiiiiii.t,w)iiiiih^i^ nie IKISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) wUl be sent to any Address lOF lOs. ^Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower Saoljville 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 Holes 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 payable 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. A Monthly Illustrated Journal of NATURAL HISTORY FOR THE NORTH OF ENGUND. 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., :Tfxh. Coll. HUDDERSFIELD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE AS REFEREES IN SPECIAL DEP^RTMRNTS OP GEO. T. PORRITT, F.LS., F.E.S. RILEY FORTUNE, F.2.S. JOHN W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. This Journal is one of the oldest Scientific Periodicals in tbe British Isles dating back to i8?3. London : A. BROWN & SON, Ltd.. 5 FARHINGDON AVENUE, B.C. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post free. Communications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, Hull. i THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENIX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m, {Sundays from \2noon) 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. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in tiie Ape-House. PAIR OF HANDSOME LION MARMOSETS. YOUNG INDIAN ELEPHANT. PAIR OF CANADIAN BISON, WITH CALVES. BORNEAN ZEBUS, WITH CALVES. KANGAROOS AND WOMBATS (Newly Imported). RBFRESHMEI^T ROOM OPE^ 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 Membership of the Society, apply to — Prof. A. Francis Dixon, Ho7i. Sec, R.Z.S., Trinity College, Dublin. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTUEE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 9 10. 11. "J 2. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21, 22. 23 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29 3C. 31. 32. 33 34. 35. 36 37. 38 39. 40 41. 42. 43. 44 45. 46 47. 48 49. 50 51 52 The Warbh Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Hot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keepinp;. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Bliglit, Charlock (or Prcshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Timothy Meadows. The Turnip Fly. Wireworras. Preventive of White Scour in Calves. Liquid ]\Ianure. Contagious Abortion in Cattle. Prevention ox Potato Blight. Milk Records. Sheep Scab. The Use and Purchase of Manures. Swine Fever. Early Potato Growing. Calf Rearing. Diseases of Poultry : — Gapes. Basic Slat;. 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, 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. „ ,, Turnips Permanent Pastiu-e Grtsses 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-.Tacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. So. 53 ti 54 >> 55 »> 56 57 >f 58 ») 59 60 >> 61 62 )> 6? 5 J 64 >) 65 91 66 J> 67 J> 68 5> 69 >) 71 >» 72 >> 73 » J 74 )> iO >) 76 »j 1 1 >> 78 1' 79 ) ) 80 J3 81 ♦ 1 82 iy 83 >> 84 »» 85 >» 86 5J 87 »» 88 53 89 »» 90 91 )> 92 >» 93 )» 94 J> 95 »1 96 J> 97 l> 98 >> 99 The Construction of a Cowhoxise. 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 JManagen:ient of Dairv Cows. •' Red water " or " Blood -Murrain" in Cattle. Varieties of Fruit Suitable for Cultivation in Ireland. Forestry : Tlie Planting of Waste Lands. Forestry : I'he Proper Method of Planting Forest Trees. Out of Print. Out of Print. Tlie 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 Slieep. Barley Sowing. American Gooseberry Mildew. Scour and Wasting in Young Cattle. Home Buttennaking The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato Culture on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage iSorae 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. Old of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Eggs. Packing Eggf 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. Farmers and Income Tax. 23. Palm Nut Cake and Meal. IkOte. — 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 Merrio?i 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.. FX.S-, Keeper. National History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.. WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member of the British Ornithologists' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.R.S.K., Natural History Department. Royal Scottish Museum. This Magazine — founded in 1871 — is devoted to the publication of Original Matter relating to tne 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 uncomtiion species and other usetul and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER <& BOYD, Tweeddale Court. NOTICE. Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be supplied with 50 Reprints at tlie 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 15th of the MontTi 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 or identification. Royal College oj Science, Dublin - R. Lloyd Pbaegbe, National Library , Dublin. Vol. xxxi., No. 10. October, 1922. CONTENTS. The Habits of the Long-eared Bat— C. B. Moffat, b.a., m.r.i.a. Irish Enchytraeids in the Faroes— Rev. Hilderic Friend Irish Societies : Royal Zoological Society , . . • . . Notes : ^ Rare Birds in Ulster , , Mr. Stelfox and Cybele II. — R. W. Scully, f.l.s. Review : H. N. Milligan's Horniman Museum Handbook PAGE 112 115 115 116 116 Y\AO 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.). HABBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LODGATE HILL, EX. 4. AND BATHAMPTON. NEAR BATH. Agent: G. A. BENT ALL, 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 Pouition. ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITED, DUBLIN. ^^m OH Vol. XXXI. No. NOVEMBER, 1922. 1 •^ife'- ••/.■. .' ^o *fc • • • • • • ■'•r*. ,»\> 5y"l lu KJyc S^ ^1 ^^* 1^5^^ V^fW nKi^rn- ''^SEth JK/ii 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.LA., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is.. The IRISH NATURALIST for 1923 (twelve parts) will be sent to any Address for 10s. Subscriptions should be sent to Messrs. Eason and Son, Ltd., 40 Lower i Sackville Street, Dublin. Single Copies, Is. each. : 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." £ 3. 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^oney 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 KEFEREES IN SPECIAL DEPARTifRNTS 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.G. Prepaid Subscription, 10/6 per annum, post free. Cominunications to be addressed to the Editors of the Naturalist, The Museum, flulJ. THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THK ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. PHOENiX PARK, DUBLIN. Open daily from 9 a.m. [Sundays from 12 noon) til'! dissk. Admissiosi, Is., except Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Holidays, M., and Sunday afternoons, M., Cltlldren always Half-price. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EXCURSION PARTIES. FINEST COLLECTION OF LIONS IN EUROPE. BLACK LEOPARD NEWLY ARRIVED. Two Fine Young Chimpanzees now in tlie Ape-House. PAIR 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-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, DEPAirniKNT OF AGKICULTUKE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND. LIST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S LEAFLETS. No. 1. )> 2 »» 3 »> 4 5 »> 6, >» 7. >» 8 >> y. »> 10 « • 11. J2 » 13. >> 14. >> 15. »> 16 j> 17. )> 18 j> 19. 20 J * 21 n 22 5) 23 »> 24 99 25 .) 26 27 » 28 }> 29 J» 30 Ji 31 >} 32 • 9 33 >» 34 35 36 9! 37 }> 38 J) 39 >J 40 )5 41 J3 42 >> 43 99 44 45 99 48 • 9 47 99 48 99 49 9 9 50 99 51 99 52 The W.arble Fly. The Use and Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. Foot Eot in Sheep. Intensive and Semi-Intensive Poultry Keeping. Celery Leaf Spot Disease or Blight. Charlock (or Preshaugh) Spraying. Fluke in Sheep. Tiraothv Mi^aclows. Th" Turnip Fly. Wireworms. 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 E earing. 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. Rearincz and Fattening of Turkeys Profitable Breeds of Poultry Out of Print. The Liming of Land. Field Experiments — Barley. „ „ Meadow Hay „ „ Potatoes ,. ., Mangels. Oats. ,, ,, Turnips Permanent Pa.sture Gr^Bses The Rearing and Management of Chickens Husk Hocse *' in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Havmakina. The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Peat Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Tacket Grub. Flax 'Growing Experiments. No. 53 19 54 99 .55 56 57 9> 58 99 59 >> 60 61 62 99 63 >> 64 )9 65 >> 66 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. 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. " 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. 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 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 Eggp 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, Hgme 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 Agricidture and Technical Instrvclion for Ireland, Upper Merrion Strfct, Dublin, Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Envelopes should he marked " Publicatiom." 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 Museum^ Edinburgh, WILLIAM EVANS, F.R.S.E. Member oj the British Ornithologists' Union, PERCY H. GRIMSHAW; F.R.S.F., Natural History Department, Royal Scottish Museum, This Mag-azine — founded in 1 87 1 — is de\^oted to the publication of Orig:inal 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 interestinsf facts. Edinburgh: OLIVER & BOYD, Tweeddaie Court. I - A II NOTICE. Authors or Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can bo supplied with 50 Reprints at the following prices : — s. d. s. d. 2 pp. ... ... 4 0 4 pp. ... ... 6 0 6 pp. ... ••• 8 0 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. Them and Co., 8 Crow Street, Dublin, not to the Editors nor the Publishers. CONTRIBUTIONS (AHicles or Notes) on all branches of Irish Natural Eistory 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 Montli Please address to one of the Editors and not to the Publishers, and do liiot write on postcards. Natural History Specimens sent to the Editors will be referred tc authorities or identification. G. H, CA23I' ENTER, Eoyal College of Science, Dublin R. Lloyd PRASfeEnj National Library, Dublin* Vol. xxxi., No. 11. November, 1922. COT^TENTS. PAGE Birds' Song— J: P. Burkitt .. .. .. ..117 Some New and Rare Irish Spiders— D. R. Pack-Beresford 126 Notes : . . The Breeding of the Roseate Tern in Ireland— C. V. Stoney . . 129 The Breeding of the Fulmar Petrel in Ireland — C. V. Stoney, M. J. Delap i 29 ' Littorella lacustris in Co. Dublin — A. W, Stelfox . . . . 130 Eucalyptus globulus in Co. Wicklow — W. A. Lee . , , . 131 Irish Societies : ■ '■« ■•. ' , Belfast Naturalists' Field Club .. .. .. .. 131 tvio 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.). HADBUTT'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 _ .. _ .. 6 6 Quarter Page ^ - », ... „ 4 0 ■ A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, According to Poiiition. ALEX. THOM AND CO., LIMITBD, DUBLIN* >^^: !»V €••»••«,,, :>•»» m 9^ .0 «'»>i lf(i iSoi^S' ^^ s\\ t.w^l fu^ H flDonthli? 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 Prof. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.E., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., AND ROBERT J. WELCH, M.R.I.A. Price Is. "•^*s DUBLIN: EASON 8c SON, Limited. I 80 Middle Abbey Street. BELFAST: 17 Donegall Street LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., Limited. rfrfffii(iUiWiM.iiUi|iiiiile Bre?d8 of Poultry 34. Out of Print. 35. 1'lie Liming of Land. 36 Field Experiments- Barley. 37. „ „ Meadow Ilay 38 „ „ Potatoes 39. ,. ., Mangels 40 „ „ Oats. 41 ,, ,, Turnips 42. Pern)anent Pasture Gr-isses 43. The Rearing and Management of Chickens 44 45. 46 47. 48 49. 50 51 52 Husk Hoose " in Calves. Ringworm on Cattle Havmakinz The Black Currant Mite Foul Brood or Bee Pest Poultry Faf^ening. Portable Poultry Houses The Leather-.Tacket Grub. Flax Growing Experiments. No. 53. $3 5-t. >5 55. , . 56. 57. >f 58. 99 59. 9* 60 99 61. 5 > 62. 6:^. 64 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75 76. 77. 78. 70. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 8.-). 86. 87. 88. 89 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. Tlie Construction of a Cowhouse. Out of Print. The .\pp!e Cultivation of the Root Crop Marketing of Fruit. Sprouting Seed Potatoes. Testing of Farm Seeds. Out oj Print. Field Experiments — Wheat. The Jlanagemcnt 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 Treee. Oit of Print Out of Print. The Prevention of Tuberculosis in Cattle. Forestry : Planting, Management, and Preservation of Shelter-Belt and tlediierow Timber Out of Print. Out of Print. The Planting and Management of Hedges. Some Common Parasites of the Sheep. Barley Sowing. American Gooseberry Mild«w. Scour and Wasting in Young C^attle. Home Bnttermaking The Cultivation of Small Fruits. Catch Crops. Potato Culture on Small Farms. Cultivation of Main Crop Potatoes. Cultivation of Osiers. Ensilage Some injiirioua Orchard Insects. Dirty Milk. Barley Tlireshing. The Home Bottling of Fruit. The Construction of Piggeries. The .Advantages of l->.rly Ploughing. Black Scab in Potatoes. Home Preservation of Eggs. ]\Iarketing of Wild Fruits. Out of Print. Store Cattle or Butter, Bacon, and Errcr.? 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 Vrgctablcs. 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 issned. Copies of the above leaflets can be obtained free of charge, and port free, on aputication to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and '.l^'ichnical InstrtJCtiev for Ireland. Upper Merrion ttreet, 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, RoytU Scottish Museum. Edinburgh. WILLIAM EVANS. F.R.S.R. Member of the British Ornithologiais' Union. PERCY H. GRIMSHAW' F.R.S.E., NMural History Departtnent. Royai Scottish Museum. This Magazine— founded in 1871 —is devoted to the publication of Origrinal Matter relating to the Natural History of Scotland, and includes Papers contributing to the elucidation of the Fauna, Observations on Lif-? Histories, etc., and Notes recording the occurrence of uncomtaon specie:; and other useful and interesting facts. Edinburgh : OLIVER &, BOYD, Tweeddale Court. NOTICE. Authors ol Papers in the IRISH NATURALIST can be 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 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 15t'n 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 ioT identification. G. H. Cakpenteb, Royal College of Science, Dublin. R. Lloyij) Praeger, National Library, Dublin. Vol. xxxi., No. 12. December, 1922. CONTENTS. The Wolf in Ireland — R. F. Scharff Irish SdciExiEs : Dublin Microscopical Club . , • - . . ' , . Dublin Naturalist's Field Club Belfast Naturalists' Field Clvib . . ... ' .. ' Notes : Gynardromorphs of Euchloe cardamines in East Tyrone — Thos. Greer Swans in Valentia Harbour — -M. J. DelAp . . . . Swans in Strangford Lough — Robert Bell , . , , The Gull and the Golf Ball — R. J. Welch . . . . PACE 133 137 137 139 139 140 140 140 Mmfi^h" /^■J.^^Uei*^ JLf/^/jL/' \ tvto 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.) HARBUTT'S PLASTICINE LTD., 56 LODGATE 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 [ According to Quarter Page ^ ..... 4 0 . A Reduction given for a Number of Insertions, Poaition. ALEX. TBOM AND CO , LIMITED, DUBLIN. WH lABH 7