ra ue The Reading Naturalist No. 13 Published by the Reading and District Natural History Society 1961 Price to Non-members— Two Shillings & Sixpence ee ee THE READING NATURALIST No.l3 for the Year 1959-60. The Journal of The Reading and District Natural History Society President: J.F, Newman, B.Sc, F.RE.S. Hon.Secretarys Editors Mrs, A. Fishlock, Enid M, Nelmes, Clarence Lodge, 27, Westbourne Avenue, 93 London Road, Acton, W.3. Reading Editorial Sub-Committee The Editor, B.R. Baker, Miss L.E. Coub, A. Price, Mrs. A.tM. Simmonds Miss S.Y. Townend Honorary Recorders Botany: Miss K.I. Butler, 18, Morgan Road, Reading. Entomology B. R. Baker, Esqe, 7iA, Berkeley Avenue, Reading. Geology: Professor H. L. Hawkins, F.R.S., 63 Tilehurst Road, Reading. Ornithology: Dr, &. V, Watson, Little Court, Cleeve, Goring—on-Thames Mamnals : Mr, C. Johnson, 67 Vasterm Road, Reading. 1961 -~-2Q=— A i A Meetings and Excursions 1959-60 The Young Naturalists! Evening The Council for Nature Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Naturalists! Trust, Natural History of the Chilterns Weather Data for 1960 Presidential Address: Change and Decay Extracts from the Annual Reports of the Honorary Recorders: Entomology Ornithology Botany Fungi at Kingwood Common (Supplementary List) Observations ¢ A Rare Alien in Berkshire Crown Galls on Daphne and Bramble rematogaster scutellaris ~ an unusual record Trapping Small Mammals Notes on Microlepidoptera of the Reading Area I. Hints on collecting for young Entomologists Biological Notes on some Trypetids (Diptera) in South Oxfordshire and Central Berkshire A study of the Heathland Flora of the Reading Area Unnatural History List of Members S.Y. Townend 4.G. Bourne A.E. Moon Prof, HL. Hawkins B.R. Baker E.V. Watson Ki, Butier A.M. Simmonds D. Leatherdale H.H. Carter H.H. Carter and C. Johnson H. Dolton D. Leatherdale. JG. Hodgson eS Vear 53 56 oa: Hditorial The growing membership anc wider activities of the Reading & District Natural History Society are reflected in the greater length of this part of its Journal, in which is represented the work of a complete cross-section of the Society, from some of the youngest in years, years of membership, or both, to some of the most senior. Several members have responded to our invitation to submit observations and papers, am we hope still more will do so for the next part. In thanking all our contributors for their support, we take the opportunity of expressing ovr gratitude and appreciation to My, Parry, who, though not a member, has for ten years kindly provided us with meteorological data, This task has now been taken over by Mr, A. E. Mcon, whom we welcome among our ranks. We also thank the Director of the Museum and Art Gallery, Mr. T. L. Gwatkin, for granting production facilities, the Cultural and Entertainments Committee of the Reading County Borough Council for a generous grant towards the cost of the Journal, and all who have helped with the work of publication. A PRELIMINARY LIST OF BERKSHIRE MICRO-FUNGI. By Harold Owen (Department of Agricultvral Botany, Uni- versity of Reading This considerable paper, which was published at the end of 1960 as a supplement to "The Reading Naturalist" No,12 and occu- pies 30 pages, is available at 1ls.3d. per copy to members and 2s.6d. to non-members, fny members with observetiocns of general or topical interest that do not, by their subject or nature, fall within the scope of the Recorders! Reparts, @re invited to submit accounts (typed, with double spacing, if anyhow possible, please) for consideration for the next part of the “Reading Naturalist" before ist January 1962, ffers of longer articles would also be welcomed. rte Meetings and Excursions 1959-60 The winter programme of evening meetings opened with the Annual General Meeting (attendance 37), and at the next meeting Professor H.L. Hawkins gave his Presidential Address on the subject of "Change and Decay" (40). Apart from two evenings set aside for Members! Exhibits (both with an attendance of 40), the re- maining meetings were devoted to lectures, The speakers and their subjects were Dr. F. Baronyovits, "Desert plants and citrus orchards in Califormia" (60), Dr. K.H. Mann, "Animal life in rivers"(27 ~ a snowy evening); Dr. Winifred Page, "The flora of a rabbit pellet " (34)3 Mr. D. Leatherdale, "The study of plant galls" (35): The Earl of Cranbrook, "Small British mammals" (76); Professor 0.V.S. Heath "Stomata" (41), Unfortunately, fog prevented Mr. Maxwell Knight from coming to give a promised talk, and his place was taken by Dr. J. Towmrow, who spoke about "A trip to the Shetlands and the Fares" (45). An innovation this winter was a programme of outdoor meetings on the first Saturday of each month, which got off to a flying start in November, when 12 en- thusiastic members walked from Dunsden Green to Emmer Green in thick fog. Other walks were to Aldermaston gravel pits in December (10); from Pangbourne through Sulham Woods to Tilehurst in January (8); +o Aborfield in February (12); and to Coley Park heronryin March (22). The summer excursions were as follows:~ April 9th Beenham for spring flowers and birds (8); April 23rd, Stoke Row for cherry blossom; May 7th, Nuney Green fo woodcraft (13)3 May 21st, Aldermaston Court, by kind permission (about 30); June Ist, Wokefield Common, for plants and freshwater biology (15); June llth, Bix for orchids (29)s June 25th, Wellington College, by kind permission of the Gram Master (35); June 29th, Reading University Agricultural Botanical Gardens (20); July 9th, Blewbury Hill, for chalk flora (11); July 13th, Dunsden Green (6)3 July 23rd, Pamber Forest, for plant galls; a meeting open to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Maturalists' Trust (31); August 6th, Heckfield Heath end Riseley Mill, for water plants (8); August llth, Hazeley Heath, for Sphagnum bog (9); August 20th, Henley to Sonning Common (6); September 3rd, Swallowfield Park, by kind invitation of Sir Arthur Russell (17); September 17th, aia (8); October lst, Kingwood Common, Fungus Foray (momming 14, afternoon 52) Publications Received South-eastern Naturalist Middle-Thames Naturalist Journal of the North Gloucestershire Nutural History Society Bird Report of the North Gloucestershire Natural History Society Report of Bradfield College Natural History Society na, By ig Report _on the Young Naturalists' Evening held on 23rd March 1960 The Young Naturalists! Evening held in 1959 was such a success that it was decided worth while trying to make this an annual event. So on the 23rd March the Town Hall was well filled with Reading's Young Naturalists. The first part of the programme again took the form of a Nature Brains Trust, with Mr. Maxwell Knight, Professor H.L. Hawkins, Mr. J. Ounsted amd Mr. K.E.L. Simmons kindly serving on the panel and Mr, W.A. Smallcombe as Questionmaster,. The reponse of Reading school children to the request for questions was even greater than in 1959 for 511 questions were submitted. Unfortunately there was time to answer only 11 of these, Two book prizes were given by Mr. Maxwell Knight and six by the Natural History Society. These were presented by the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Reading, Alderman A. Haslam as follows:- Best question by a boys Ian Briggs, Norcot Primary School (10% years). Best question by a girls: Christina Tozer, The Hill Primary School (11 years). Other prizes: Mary Belcher, Battle Junior School (11 years); Jennifer Curtis, Alfred Sutton Secondary Girls! School (13 years)s wae Woods, Redlands Primary School (8 years); Marian Davies, St. Michael's Primary School (11 years); Gillian Papworth, Kendrick School (13 years) 5 Alison Johnson, Whitley Park Junior School (38 years) Janette Cameron, Westwood School (11 years, 11 months); and Roberta. Foster, The Abbey Junior School (9 years), The colour film "Journey into Spring", chowing the cuore history of Sel— bourne, was then screened, It was again a very successful evening with everyone concerned determined to -Yepeat the venture in 1961. Shirley Y. Townend. ee a ee ee ee We congratulate one of our young members, Paul Reiter, on winning the Laffan Prize for Natural History (Junior Section) with a study on toad migration and a | well-known member, John Hodgson, on being highly commended in the same section \z a study of clovers in a small area in Tilehurst, We aiso congratulate Huw |P. Thomas, a pupil at one of our member schools (Reading School) on wimning the [Prize in the Senior Section with a study of spiders of a suburban house and | garden, : - 6 = The Council for Nature In 1960 our Society joined the Council for Nature, an organisation founded in July 1958, and by so doing we are now in the compeny of 47 national societies, 176 local societies, 11 county neturalists' trusts, 9 school and college societies and 13 museums, All these comprise the wide body of naturalists to which the Council for Nature extends its severel services. It is in essence a central consultative body linking amateur, specielist and populer interest in natural history. Among the aims of the Council for Nature we finds "To provide a standing advisory service, available to member bodies and others. On appropriate occasions to organise public opinion and to make representations to Local Authorities ani Government Depertments, and if necessary to Parliament, in respect of any matters properly the concern of the Council or its member bodies. To assist the work and devel opment of member bodies, and generally to arouse and stimulate public interest and to educate public opinion in natural history and the need for the con- servation of nature and natural resources". The Council also organises a Conservation Corps of some 700 young volunteers vho devote short periods of their spare time to such work as scrub clearance, drainage, tree felling and planting, mainly on sites in which the County Naturalists! Trusts heve an interest. Tasks lasting for a day or week-end to up to two weeks have been undertaken at such well known places as Wood-walton Fen and Askham Bog. The Carnegie United Kingdom Trust has made a generous grant enabling the organiser of the Conservation Corps to meet costs of accommodation and to help towards the fares of the working parties. Should work be required on sites with which our own Naturalists! Trust is associated then the Conser— vation Corps could rightly be approached to assist. The Intelligence Unit of the Council, under the directorship of Mr. R.5.R. Pitter, collects and indexes information on the work being undertaken by societies, groups and inviduals in the whole field of natural history and conservation, Any members of our Society wishing information on a particular natural history topic can seek the aid of the Intelligence Unit. Tdcing one of the many requests published in "News for Naturalists" (copies of which we as a member society receive) as an example, we read — "The August Syrphid invesion of the South East Counties - RA. French, Rothamuted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts, would like to know whether the purposive flight or presence of unusually large numbers of syrphids (wasp—like black and yellow flies) has been noted in other parts of the country than in the south east". We have fairly recently had a very full paper on syrphids published ir our ow Reading Naturalist and it is therefore easy to appreciate how such a request for information as the one nentioned above could have effective results from members of a natural history society who would not by any means be specialist entomologists. Finally the Films Officer of the Council will give advice to those wishing to try their hand at cinematography, or what might, perhaps, be of more immediate use to us, a list of films which can be borrowed by societies for showing to their members, ae ae The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Naturalists! Trust The Trust has now been in existence for fifteen months and for most of this period its activities have been guided by a Provisional Executive Committee. On January 22nd, 1961 the first meeting of the Council of the Incorparated Trust took place at Oxford and we now look forward to a year of increased activity during which it is hoped to commence a re-surveying of the many Sites ‘of Special Scientific Interest (S.S.S.1I's) which fall within our area. During the first year we have had to consider what action might be taken on @ number of sites scattered over a wide area, but members of this Society will doubtless be most interested in the activities of the Trust which have e bearing upon places within the Reading district, For instance, some concern was felt by the residents in the Woodley area over ‘the proposal to acquire land, consisting of gravel pits and surrounding woodland much frequented by birds, for use as refuse disposal sites, This natural bird Sanctuary has been the subject of 2 report by the R.O.C. The Trust supported ‘the Woodley Parish Council in their efforts to retain part of the land as a bird reserve, and an agreement was reached in November whereby about 10 acres of ground will be left undisturbed. An agreement has also been made between the Trust and the owner of one of the two sites on the Berkshire Downs where the Pasque Flower grows, We have been granted permission to fence off a small area, enclosing the largest patch of the ‘plants, in order to investigate the cause of lack of flowering of the Pasque Flower in this locality. : In the Crowthorne area the setting up of a2 bird sanctuary at a well—known \leke is being investigated by one of ovr members, am in the Kennet Valley we Ope it may be possible to lease a marshy area where, as recent work has shown, @ number of very uncommon insects are known to breed. | We would welcome any reparts from members of this Society of instances where “important natural haoitats or uncommon animals and plants are threatened by development, Further bulletins will be issued to members during the year and any inform ation on Trust matters may be obtained from the Hon,Local Secretary Berkshire Gir. B.R. Baker), or from the Membership Secretary (Miss S.Y. Townend) both at Reading Museun, The membership to date for the 3 counties iss- 351: Berkshire 99 Buckinghamshire ps 8 Oxfordshire 141 -~ § « NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CHILTERINS Arthur G. Bourne. Hon. Secretary Chiltern Research Committee. The Chiltern Research Committee was formed to encourage and co-ordinate research and field-work in the Chilterns, a large natural region, but of great interest to the naturalist. relatively unknown to, The Committee, made up as it is of natural history societies in ora@joining the region, launched its first year with five research projects, each organised by an expert and designed to stimulate the interest of naturalists in the nember societies. Table 1. C.ReoC. Projects launched in 1960 Group Project Birds Status of the woodlark and wood-—werbler Insects Clifden blue butterfly, linked with its food plan, the horseshoe vetch Plants Vicia cracca — aggregate distribution Juniper distribution Geology Drift Deposits over the Chalk In 1961, the Committee is introducing six more projects, eleven and thereby increasing the scope to suit the wide of the members. Table 2, C.R.C. Projects launched in 1961 Group Project Marmals Distribution end status of the nuntjec Birds Distribution and status of the nuthatch Reptiles & Distribution am status of the reptiles Anphibians and amphibians Molluses Distribution of colour forms of Cepaca nenorelis Plants Distribution of Candy-—Tuft Distribution. of Fungi Organiser Mr, RAF. Gillmor Mr, Ermest Taylor Mr. D.A. Jones Mr. ReS.R. Fitter Professor H.L. Hawkins FRS. bringing the total to variety of interests Organiser Mr, T.J. Pickvance Mr. 4.G. Bourne Lt.Colonel Taylor Dr. A.J. Cain Mrs. Wig Pawl Dre Spb Hors malic age The Chiltern Research Committee is a novel venture in joint research among natural history societies, and enables naturalists to join in 2 rewarding and worthwhile programme of research, thus enriching his own experience of the Chilterns and their natural history, Congress of the South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies, 1961 The next Congress of the S.#.U.S.S. will be held at Haslemere, Surrey, from 26th to 28th May 1961 and its theme will be "The changing Countryside", The Presidential Address, on "The land and Man in the Wester Weald", will be given by Professor S.W. Wooldridge, C.B.E., D.Sce, FeReSe, at 8.15 pom. on.26th May, The remaining programme of lectures and excursions is as follows:-— 27th May 10~11 a.m. "Invertebrate life in south-east England", by J.H.P. Sankey, B.Sc. 11 6530-12 ,.30 "The changing flora of south-east England" by J.&, Lousley, 2015-6 Pelle Excursions Selborne — Natural History (chalk flora). Leaders, Mr. J... Lousley and Mr. CR. Northcliffe. - Archaeology and general, Leader, Rev. GH.C. Knapp, Blackdown, Fernhurst, Woolbeding, Midhurst - Wealden geomorphology. Leader, Prof. Wooldridge. 9.15-10 poem. "Birds in a changing world", by Miss P.M. Bond 28th May 10 AeMe "Problems of managing Nature Reserves", by Dr, J. D.. Krazer. 10.30 asm. — 6 pom. Excursion to Juniper Hall Field Centre, Box (approx. ) Hill, leader, J.H.P. Sankey. Limited hotel accommodation, 27/6-30/— per night; private accommodation, &5 inclusive for whole period. Purther information can be obtained fron the Society's Secretary, Mrs. A. Fishiock, hs Weather Records in 1960 By A. E. Moon The data refer to Reading University Meterological Station except for a period in April when there was an unavoidable bresk and for which figures for Sutton's Seed Trial ground (shown in brackets) have been used, A "rain-day"is a day on which rainfall exceeds 0,01 ing The averages for temperature refer to the period 1921-50, those for amount of precipitation to 1916-50, and those for number of rain-days to 1881-1915. - STATION - READING UNITERSITY HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL - 148 FT. YEAR 1960 RT ase aS | | [MEAN DAILY MAX, 145.8 50.3 | 64.9) 71.9 68.4 68,1) 64.5) 57.5] 52.01 44.41 51 Al | TEMPERATURES |MIN, |35 12 4813) 55.31 53:3 5218! 50.2| 46.5 | 40.3] 35.9) 44 || OF “MEAN 39/5 56.6} 62.6, 60,7) 60.5, 57.3| 51.9 | 46.1 401! 50 | RANGE 186 18.6 14.8] 15.3| 14.3) 10.8/ 11.7] 8.5) 13 GRASS MIN, 30.8} 28.5 | 34.3| (33,0) | 39,9! 45.8] 48.6 46.3] 43.2 | 30.5] 38.0 XTR-W 7] ks = - 5 i] } ' EMPERATURES DATE 8! 5| 5,28 F 'E.MIN, 24 DATE 14 IE ,GRASS MIN, 19 91° st > a DATE 10 | 93,29 274 ‘or oT Of eo e pee ens : GROUND FROST 18 | 0 0 0 17} 88 ro SUNSHINE SUM 40 8} 81.7 [78.9 9 es 7}180 .9' 257 +3} 1436, 161.0 134.2; 75.7 | 75.5 | 54.5)1442 | 38 | S52} 29 | “36 35 23 28 22 sa (5. 29) 5.83! 8 57 4.63| 5.19 4 4 AT | | 2.44 | 44 }2 2 52 | 1.75) 75 | 5.9 HOURS % POSS, b 165) Be" 7 i DAILY MEAN bh i52)| @,8P 1p ae PRECIPITATION | AMOUNT i2.63| 2,1411.53; 0.45 | 1.68) 1.10] 2.75| 4,05 3.27 | 6.87 | 87 | NS, 'RAIN DAYS | 22 Ti. (42 i aa) i iMAX,RAIN IN 1 DA DATE. LONGEST RUN OF CON-; SECUTIVE RAIN DAYS | ONGEST RUN OF CON={ }0.71; 0 38 | 0.435 | | | \ Boy ‘DAYS OF HAIL |SECUTIVE DRY DAYS | 5 | SNOW OR DAYS | 5 |DAYS YIN in STO Se THUNDE R= T R eae jDAYS OF THUNOE 1 0 0 $ f 45.21 46. 3,510.8 56.9) 65.77. 169.2. | ' 34.3 34.5156.1 140.1 — 44.8 150.5 | (66.8 | 58.8 | Tae eS 49.9 43.8 | 38.35} 36, 3 42 | ATURE oF {MEAN | 39.8 40.4'41.0 | 48,5 | | (58.3 151.5 | 44,3 | 40,51 50 | precrpr- {AMOUNT | 2.41] 1,78/1,69'1.9 11,86 11.61 i2, | 2.11) 2.612.74!2.3 | Zoli { 1 4 . - ; : — | & | We Sap / 15 } 15 TATION 'RAIN DAYS ll 15 | u = stg Ne Change and Decay (Being a summary of the Presidential address, November, 1959) by Professor H.L,Hawkins, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.G.S. In the early days of philosophy our ancestors, with child-like egotism, believed that the world (and indeed the Universe) was constructed solely for the convenience of mankind. Faced with phenomena that were too large and too durable for compre— hension by the trivial and transient human mind, they concluded that everything around them had been created once and for all time and that (supernatural inter- vention apart) all was stereotyped and everlasting, We, their descendants, have gradually become conscious of our limitations; and, although the pageant of Nature is still awesomely beyond our comprehension, we realise that no part of the physical universe is static, and that creation and recreation is a perpetual pro- Although the hills seem "everlasting" to minis with a span of observation limited to less than a century, we can actually watch their destruction in pro- Ngreas — usually slow and piecemeal, but occasionally catastrophic. Every shower of Tain, even the passage of a cloud over the sun, disrupts and dislodges fragments of the rocks, and every river is a one-way conveyor~belt transporting the debris from the land to the sea, The fate that befalls a sandcastle when the tide comes in must yield. The effect of the weather destroys the form of the land, but does )not destroy its substance, The minerals broken from the rocks may undergo chem- | location. These transported relics are sorted and coilected, usually on the floor Hof the sea, and accumulate as the raw material for 2 new set of rocks, Subterr— janean forces may cause upheaval of new land to replace the old, but the materials Jof which this is composed have already been used in previous rounds of the re- yCcurrent cycles of change. Decay of the land is an essential preliminary to its 'reconstructior — there is nothing permanent in Geography. Similar cycles are manifest in the organic world, and here some of them are ‘Speedy enough to be evident to all. Perhaps the most femiliar case is that of ‘the foliage of plants, where the growths of one season wither and decay to provide nourishment for those of future seasons, In all living creatures death and decay fis a prerequisite of growth and regeneration. Worn-out tissues must die and be discarded to make room for new ones, which are themselves constructed from the de- eayed relics of others. It may seem a somewhat nauseating thought that our bodies “are built from the decayed (or digested) carcasses of animals and plants, but that fis the way of things. And if our bodies were not perpetually dying and discarding Misurplus matter the effect would be even more disconcerting, All through life, lfrom cradle to grave, perpetual changes occurs and these changes are brought about ‘by the replacement of worn-out tissues by fresh ones that are not quite identical. ‘Life includes death ~ we stop dying only when we are dead, | The processes of decay and change that determine individual life are an illus-— tration in miniature of those in the longer cycles of racial history. New gener— \ctions are never exact replicas of their parents; but unless the parents die to jleave room for their descendants there will be neither space nor material far the offspring to develop. Medical science, by reducing infant mortality and in- | | an ae creasing longevity, contributes disastrously to problems of population that threaten the very existence of our species, This may sound a harsh arm un- sympathetic statements but the fact remains that there is only a certain amount of potential organic matter in the world, and unless this is kept in constant cir- culation, no healthy life is possible. Hach new generation must climb over the dead bodies of the pasts thus and thus only can the chenges that it brings come to full development. It is the same on the more extended scale of specific and generic changes, Evolution (which is another name for Life) needs extinction of the effete quite as surely as inception of the new. There was little chance of success for the Mammals until the Reptiles had relinquished their monopoly. The record of Pala— eamtology is one of the old order dying out, giving place to new. In fine, the whole Universe, and all its parts, is in a state of perpetual flux. In that respect it may be said to be "alive", for change is one of the attributes of life. It seems to be an everlasting law of Nature that no thing can last for ever, And so we can close this painfully morbid essay on a note of confidence, Though the hills may melt, and the stream of time may bear every— thing away, behind all the change and decay the eternal verities -endure, The Recorder's Report for Entomology, 1959 - 60 By B. R. Baker. The entomological report is, of necessity, very much a summary of the field observations of a number of keen workers. As the Recorder's own observations for the period under review are almost entirely confined to those made in the Kennet reed—bed area at Woolhampton, he acknowledges with grateful thanks assistance from J.H. Cooper, Mr. A. Price, Miss L.E.Cobb, Miss E.M.iielmes and Mrs, A.M.Simmonds, The Director of Reading Museum has again kindly made available the relevant insect records kept at the Museum, Harly Appearance of Hibernatars 2ist February Wormsley Valley, Stokenchurch, In this Chiltern valley numbers of Seven-Spot Ladybirds, Coccinella 7—punctata L., were ob-— served together with Hive Bees, Apis mellifera L., a Mirid tentatively identified as Stenodema calcaratum (Fall.) and numerous unidentified Diptera. 28th February Bramshill. Wood Ants, Formica sp., actively working. Crowthorne. Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly, Aglais (Vanessa urticae (L). 7th April Caversham, Peacock butterfly, Nymphalis io (L.), observed in a garden in Hemdean Road, a oa 19th April Lower Warren. Brimstone butterflies, Gonepteryx rhamni (Lia's and Small Tortoisesheils flying on a warm, sunny day. Notes on Individual Insect Orders Order Plecoptera (Stone—flies) During the course of a seven-month survey of certain nocturnal insects made at Woolhampton, Berkshire, it was very apparent that an attractant such as a mercury— vapour light—trap could not be used to assess the relative abundance of such insects as stone~flies. These are but weakly flying creatures and of many thousands of insects examired over the seven months from April to October only 2 stone—flies were noted in the light—trap, vizs Night of 9th/10th April Nemurella inconspicua (Pict. ) 1 female Ath/5th May Isoperla grammatica (Poda) (Yellow Sally) 1 female Examination after dark of a wooden bridge over the river Kennet revealed, however, that stone—flies were to be found if searched for close to the water, The large species Perlodes microcephala (in which the male has much reduced wings) was recorded as followss— Night of No. Male Fenale Notes 6th/7th mor. Le (not recorded) At 00,25 hrs, a male specimen com menced to emerge from its nymphal skin. Complete release took 10 minutes. This newly emerged stone~ fly was bright yellow in colour - this would change to a subdued brown, with orange and black as the cuticle hardened, Observed after this date 9th/10th April 15 ae 4 13th/14th " 2 1 1 16th/17th " 3 2 i 20th/21st " a 1 - 23rd/24th " 2 i! 4 30th/1st May 1 = i Ath/5th " 1 al =f Tth/sth " él apa — No others 6 18 8 = Ly annatica, another fairly large species, was also regularly found after dark on the same bridges: Ath/5th May 3 These specimens were emerging at 22.30 hours and were bright green in colour on leaving the nymphal skin, Night of Time Nos. of Isoperla grammatica Tth/8th May - 6 1ith/12th" > 23,300hrd, i Wth/15th " 23,30 " 1 18th/19th " 229504" = 21st/22nd " 02,00 " 25th/26th " O1sA5 No further specimens observed after this date. Order Odonata (Dragon~flies) Agrion splendens (Harris), Banded Agrion. A nymph of this very common species was observed on the bridge at Woolhampton, It had crawled up the woodwork until about 3 feet above water level, and was ready for the final change into the winged adult dragon-fly. Close by was an empty skin (by its condition very recently tenanted), - these observations were made et 01.45 hrs. on the night of 25th/26th May. Late May and throughout Jue is the usual time to see these beautiful dragon—flies in swarms on the banks of slow flowing rivers. I was therefore very surprised to observe a female A, splendens on the river bank at Woolhampton on Ath September — surely a very late date, Cordulegaster boltoni (Donovan), golden-ringed Dragonfly. A specimen was captured in a woodland ride near Broadmoor reservoirs on 21st July. Aeshna grandis (L.), the Brown Aeshna, and A, cyanea (Muell.), the Soutern Aeshna. These were both observed on llth September at Wokefield Common — both are common in our aistrict and may be seen on the wing from mid-summer to early autumn, Orler Trichoptera (Caddis—flies) New to our county list is Hydroptila forcipata (Eaton), one of the smallest o the British caddis. This specimen was recorded at Woolhampton on 7th/8th May. Also from Woolhampton, and not previously recorded there: Limnephilus luridus Curt., (29th/30th June, 2nd/3rd & 9th/10th July) Melampophylex mucoreus (Hag) (19%h/20th: 26th/27th October) A very large number of caddis—flies taken at Woolhampton still await naming ey ae Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) Migrant Species Apart from Red Admiral butterflies, Vanessa atalanta (L.), a species which became fairly numerous with us in late summer, there is little to report on migrant butterflies. However, on the ilth September a solitary Clouded Yellow, Colias eroceus (Fourc.), was observed along the Icknield Way at Watlington, Oxfordshire. By comparison, migrant moths were more in evidence: | Herse convolvuli (L.) Convolvulus Hawkmoth 1 Female, High Street, Reading 25th August 1 Male, # Baynes Timber Yard, Berkeley Avenue, Reading 20th September 1 Female Woolhampton 2nd October. | Plusia gamma (L.) Silver Y moth, was generally common in the Reading area, | Nycterosea (Nyctosia) obstipata (F.), The Gem. A single specimen 26th/27 th October, Woolhampton. | Margaronia unionalis (Hb.), Scarce Olive-Tree Pearl, A single specimen 24th/25th . September, Woolhampton. | Resident Species The Comma butterfly, Polygonia c-album (L.), was noted in Pamber Forest on 24th July - this species was subsequently seen on a number of occasions during the autumn in town gardens. The Holly Blue butterfly, Celastrina argiolus (L.), seems to have had a good year. On 29th July a female was seen in a garden at Northcourt Avenue, and speci- mens were noted in other gardens in the town during May and August. It was also recorded as abundant in Garrick Wood, Crowthorne. A larva of the Death's Head Hawk-moth, Acherontia atropos (L.) was found on }an allotment at Woodiey on 15th September. The Sallow Clearwing moth Aegeria flaviventris Steud. Larvae of this most recently discovered of the British clearwing moths live within sallow stems for 2 years, the only visible sign of a tenanted stem being a pear—shaped gall which is produced during the second winter, It is interesting that these galls are only to be found in odd/even winters, From Owlsmoor, near Crowthorne, 2 dozen or 80 stems were cut on 19th March, From these a single moth resulted on 2nd July, \ample evidence that this species, suffers badly from parasitization, as does the [wpete fanily. Waved Black moth, Parascotia fuliginaria L, Larvae were found in some mnbers at Sindlesham on 7th May feeding upon fungi which were growing on a fallen jtrunk, The adult moths were bred through and emerged from 22nd June to 4th July. This Sindlesham record is very interesting - Sindlesham is well away from the cele- brated localities for this moth in our district, such as Crowthorne, Samhurst and Camberley. Order Coleoptera (Beetles) 20th January Cist February 6th March 6th March 20th March 2ist March 29th April 12th June 10th July 25th September ~ 16 - Anisandrus dryographus (Retz.) (Scolytidae) Several specimens found in West African timber, Abura (Mitragyna ciliata), in the woodwork shop at Redlands Senior School. Dorcus parallelelipedus (L.) (Lucanidae) Abundant in a deceying oak log at Little John's Farm, Reading. The dimorphism of the male and female was very marked. (In the same log some 24 queens of Vespa sp, were hibernating in the old feeding holes of Dorcus larvae. Rantus grapii (Gyll.) eae A single example (male) found at Harley Power Station. Cychrus caraboides var. rostratus (L.) (Carabidae) Four specimens found in cells beneath the loose bark of an elm log at Sonning. Xestobium rufovillosum (Deg.) Death-watch beetle (Anobiidae) Dead adults and living larvae were found in an infested beam which had been thrown on to a rubbish dump at Tilehurst. Nacerdes melanura (L.) The Wharf Borer (Oedemeridae) & single specimen found in a cubicle at the heated Arthur Hi Swimming bath, The normal time of emergence of this beetle is from July to September, Pyrochroa serraticornis (Scop.) (Pyrochroidae) A single example bred from a pupa found in wood at Redlands School. Coelambus_confluens (F.) (Hydradephaga) Six exemples found in a gravel pit near the Newbury Sewage Works at Thatcham, Oreodytes rivalis (Gyll.) (Hydradephaga) Twenty four (in teneral condition) found in the Sul strean at Sulhan, Necrodes littoralis (L.) (Silphidae) As the specific name suggests, this beetle is normally found on the sea share, though known from riversices at inland localities. A male and female were taken in a light-—trap at the Museun Field Station, Woolhampton, - 17 = 1960 was reported to have been a very good year for Melolontha melolontha (L.), the Cockchafer, (Melolonthinae) at Crowthorne, where the leaves of oak trees were eaten bare. Se RE RR RTE SN ee ES OE a RE A a Class Crustacea 14th February Niphargus aguilex The Well Shrimp. 4 single specimen found in a gravel pit near the Oval Pond, Padworth. Hirudinea Leeches ist May Trocheta bykowskii dn example of this uncommon leach was found beneath a brick at the water's edge in Harley Power Station Swamp This species is normally found in or near running water — the river Thames is not far distant from this swamp, The Recorder's Report for Ornithology, 1959-60 By E. V. Watson I propose this year not to draw on records already published in the R.0O.C. Report for 1959 (obtainable from Hon.sec. Reading Ornithological Club, price 2/6de) but to confine myself to notes sent in by members, together with my own Observations and some records kindly supplied by Mr, Robert Gillmor. The method adopted will be to pass the year in review, season by season, The winter pericd, November 1959 - February 1960 inclusive, furnished few records, Mr. Gillmor, however, reported a pair of Gadwall at Theale gravel pit on January 10th, 1960, All references to Theale are to the !new! pit (now about seven years old), unless otherwise stated. The same observer saw three Sheld— duck at Burghfield gravel pit on 7th February and on the same date 2 drake Perruginous duck at Theale, These are three rere duck for the Reading area, The most outstanding winter record among other birds to come in was that of @ female Black Redstart, seen by Mrs. Skinner in her garden at Upper Basildon on February 29th, It stayed for four days and the identification was corroborated by Miss Wigan, There are a few notes of our more ordinary winter residents. The Skylark population in a large arable field at Cleeve (Goring) was estimated by me at about 250 birds on January 10th, irs. Simmonds wrote of two Gold finches feeding among lavender bushes, Hemdean Road, Caversham, on February 5th, = i¢ «= They are always attractive birds to see, especielly when one comes on them by surprise at close quarters in e town setting, Mr, Gillmor was fortunate to see the much more elusive Hawfinch in Northcourt Avenue on February 24th. Bull- finches, sometimes up to ten together, were prominent in and about my garden at home, but I con report a much larger apple crop than usual, Admittedly they were seen mainiy near mid-winter, woilst the heaviest depredations on fruit buds are & spring event. Mr, K.E.L. Simmons reports a Greater Spotted Woodpecker frequenting his dird table et Roslyn Road, Woodley, during late autumn, 1959. It ate varied 'scraps! and visited the coconut, Miss Nelmes commented on the great size of Woodpigeon flocks during February — anounting to several hundred together on each occasion — in the Burghfield, Stokenchurch end Wokingham areas. A Grey Wagtail frequented the tiny pond on Seniozx Common Room lawm, University of Reading, more or less reguiorly from early December until the end of January. On suitably mild days, song began to be noticeable very early in the year, especially of course the Missel Thrush which is always conspicucus vocally in JaNUATY « I noticed a cock Linnet singing well on Streatley golf course on January 5th. 4 Blackbird, individually recognisable to me because of its peculiar phrasing of the song, began to sing outside the University Botany Department on January 28th. On March 3rd, I heard a Starling giving a remark- ably good ‘imitation’ of a Lapwing outside my University window, A. Natural History Society visit to Coley Park Heronry (March 5th) was re— ported by Mrs.Simmonds and by Miss J.M. Watson. Seventeen nests were found to be occupied and nearly thirty birds were seen. Mrs, Simmonds records eight Rooks! nests in Forbury Gardens, which she believes to be a new Rookery site. Cn March llth, a Carrion Crow was revisiting its own old nest at the top of a large Platonus in the University. On February 24th, I noticed two Goldcrests in the University grounds chasing one another from bush to bush in an excited state, Short "tinkling" notes were vttered all the while but never the true song, The crests were not seen to be fanned, as sometimes happens in Gold-- crest courtship, A record by Miss Nelmes of two Cirl Buntings in a chalk pit near Newbury is of interest, Although present for most of the year at Cleeve (Goring), the species is very local in the district as a whole, The earliest Spring arrival record is that of a Chiffcharf seen by Miss Nelmes on March i3th, Mr, Brian Baker reported Nightingale and Grasshopper Warbler, both on April 7th, and Cuckoo on April 8th, from the reed beds at Wool— hampton. These are early dates and illustrate what can be done when one is called upon (as Mr, Baker is with his entomology) to spend much time in a fevoured spots; especially if some of thet time is in the early hours of the morning, My own first dates for some other species were: Swallow, April 14th (Aldermaston), Yellow Wagtail and Sedge Warbler, April 16th (Theale) and Lesser © Whitethroat, April 22nd (Cleeve). Mrs. Fishlock sav the first Swifts on May Ath; it is astonishing how, year after year, the main influx of this species is within the same few days in early Mey. On Mey 5th, the first Turtle Dove had arrived at Cleeve. On May lith, I saw ny first Spotted Flycatcher, although Sir John Wolfenéen noted it a couple of deys earlier in his garden in Upper Redlands Road, My last "arrival" was Garden Warbler, singing at Cleeve on May 15th. -19 = Visits to gravel pits can be productive in April and May for, although most non—breeding duck have gone by the end of March, there are breeding populations to study and sometimes birds of passage, waders and others, to be seen. On April 16th at Theale, I noted three Pochard, cbout sixteen pairs of Tufted Duck and some six to ten pairs of Great Crested Grebe. A further visit to Theale, May 14th, showed two pairs of Pochard and eight to ten pairs of Tufted Duck were estimated, On May 27th at least one pair of Great Crested Grebes had well~grown young (in stripey plumage). Meanwhile, a visit to Sonning Eye gravel pit on May llth had revealed a pair of Canada Geese with six fair-sized goslings. No important spring passage waders were reported but Black Terns were noted by me (two) at Sonning Eye on May llth, by Mr. Gillmor (five) et Burghfield on Mey 12th, and again at Sonning I saw a single one on May 13th. This one narrowly escaped being "run-over" by a speed—boat with water-—skier in train} On May 12th, Mr. Gillmor also saw five Common Terns and one Little Tern at Burghfield. Little Ringed Plovers were again to be seen on certain of the pits in May. I noted a passage Lesser Black—backed Gull at Theale on May 27th. On the same day both Yellow and Grey Wagtails appeared to be in territory there, the latter a pair attracted to the weir on the canal behind the gravel pit. : : High summer saw the outstanding event of the ornithological year in our area, This was the single Red-n2cked Phalarope which frequented a small village pond at Marsh Baldon, near Newnham Courtenay, for fully a week at the end of June, if saw it on the evening of June 28th and it had certainly been in the area since the 25th. It was tame, or perhaps one should say indifferent to the presence of observers, to the extent that Phalaropes are reputed to beg and hence it allowed all who visited it (and they were many) to approach as ieee as the water made “possible, to sketch and to photograph. Bd ie 0. ustulata L. (Dark-winged Orchid). Twenty plants seen in flower, Aston Up— tharpe Downs (lirs. Simmonds). 0. morio L. (Green-winged Orchid). Miss Cobb reports seeing it at Aborfield on May 8th -— she noticed that several had evidently been picked by children and thrown on a path by the Whitewater near Riseley. A search of neighbouring meadows failed to reveal growing piants, although the flowers found were fresh and probably from quite close at hand. QO, strictifolia Opiz. and 0. praetcrmissa Druce. These two Marsh Orchids were —a ee seen in a field near Nunehide Lan: by Miss K. Watson and the Recorder. Gymnadenia conopse= (L.) R-Br. (Fragrant Orchid). Wormsley Valley, June 6th (iliss Cobb). Coeloglossum virics (i) Hartm. (Prog Orchid). Two plants, Watlington Hill, Rugust 27th (Miss Nelmes). Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz (Broad Helleborine). Wood near Fair Mile on October LOth (lirs, Simmonds) 3 a large number of flowering plants were seen at the edge of a wood near Harpsden by Andrew Isherwood, one of our juniae members, to whom credit is due for not picking a single specimen, but reporting his find to Mrs, Simmonds and showing her the locality. INTRODUCED PLANTS Impatiens glandulifera Royle (Policeman's Helmet), Riseley Mill, August 6th (Miss DF near junction of River Enborne and River Kennet, Woolhempton (ifr. Be Baker) 3 seen growing freely a’ edge of wood near Kingwood Conmon, on the occasion of the Fungus Foray, Galingsoga parvifclia Cav, (Gallant Soldier), Still a troublesome weed at Suttons Trial Ground (Mrs. Simmonds) Elisha Hicks Rose Gardens (ir. Bowden and the Recorder); Him Road Nurseries, Reading (the Recorder). Ge ciliata (Raf.) Blake, One plant outside yard at Harpsden, August 15th (irs. Simmonds) 3 in a garden, Southamptsn Street, Reading, growing with G. parvifolia (irs. Simmonds). Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit. After a lapse of years has reappeared inside the railings of the Southern Region Goods Yard (irs, Simonds). Barbarea intermedia Bor. (Intermediate Yellow Rocket), Riseley (J,Hodgson)s growing plentifully by the side of a track at Grey's (Mrs. Peul)s about six plants on rubbish tip at Woodcote (irs. Paul)s on side of road from Woodcote to Wallingford (Mvs. Paul). i ed B, verna (Mill,) Aschers (Harly-flowering Yellav Rocket). Is quantity at Whitchurch (lirs. Hudgson)3; a very fine specimen on the bank of Mrs. Paul's house at Peppard. Ts? OS INSP h preyis Lae Sisymbrium orientale L. (Eastermm Rocket). Waste ground at Woodley, where it was first observed in 1945 by Mrs. Simmonds, Melissa officinalis L. (Balm). Well established along river bank between Earley Power Station and Soming Lock (Mrs. Simmonds). Tragopogon porrifilius L. (Salsify). One plant at Cockney Hill (J.Hodgson) Allium paradoxum (M.Bieb.) G.Don. Established itself on a piece of land at Peppard Common (ifirs. Paul). Tetragonolobus maritimus (L.) Roth. Plentiful by roadside, Hanover Hill, Fingest, flowering between August 12th and September 17th. Locality first found in 1956 (Miss Nelmes). Brigeron annuus (L.) Pers. A native of N. America was found by Mrs. Simmonds in Reading, and identified by Dr. Warburg — see separate note by Mrs. Simmonds. Mrs. Hodgson and John Hodgson have been particularly interested in alien plants, with special reference to some local rubbish tips, on which they have re— corded the following:— HAZHLEY HATH, Sisynbrium altissimum L. (Tall Rocket); Onopordum acanthium ite ‘oreo Thistle, Cotton Thistle), many plants; Solanum sarrachoides Sendtn.; Chenopodium polyspermum L. (All- seed). PANGBOURNE Hyoscyams niger L. (Henbane), one plant; Amaranthus retroflexus L., one plant. THEALE Datura stramonium L. (Thorneapple), one big plant. THAMES—SIDE, Lolium temulentum L. (Darnel)s; Sisymbrium altissimum L. READING (Tall Rocket); S. orientale L, (Eastern Rocket) $ Coriander sativum L. (Coriander), one plants Cannabis sativa L. Hemp), one plent about 9 ft.3; Linum usitatissinun L. Cultivated Flax), several plants; Echinochloa crus-galli (Le) Beauv. (Cockspur); Setaria viridis (l.) Beauv. (Green-Bristlegrass). Some plants occurring as garden weeds have also been recorded by Mrs, and John Hodgsons:— Fumaria capreolata var. babington determined by Kew, one plant, Tilehurst; Rorripa islandica (Oeder) Borbas (Marsh Yellow-cress), pavement, Tilehurst; Chenopodium polyspermun L. (Allseed), abundant in flower beds on Reading Promenades Lemium hybridum Vill. (Cut—leaved Deadnettle), pavement weed, Tilehursts Mercurialis ennua L. (Annual Mercury), male and female plants abundant in a garden in London Street, Reading; Stachys arvensis L. (Field Woundwort), several | plants in a garden, Tilehurst. | | The Recorder wishes to thank all those who contributed to this Report, | | a Fungi ot Kingwood Cormon At the Society's Foray in 1960. which was honoured by the presence of both Dr. F. B. Hora and Dr. J. Ramsbottom; over 100 species were collected and identi- fied by them, including those recoried below, which did not figure in the list of species found in 1945~57 published :n lio,12 of the Reading Naturalist. Bispor 2 (noniloides ) Mycena cmmoniaca galopus Cantherellus cinereus A A OE Nectria sp; es Pe. ee Clavaria funosa Ae ee 20 coe ee stricta Nolanea sp. Collybia exrythropus Penus stipticus eee warts sai sae or ome Fn rent Coprinus cinereus Pezize badia Cortinarius albo violaceus Polyporus fragt jis Oh. A nee a Ae eT ATS bolaris giganteus eerie aS reomase Coryne sarcoides Psathrya gossypina Dacroryces deliquescens Psathyreila digseninata Entoloma spe Russule densifolia Fomes annosus Schizophyllumn cormune Inocybe_asterophora ctereun purpureun “Te lenkyod 6Cy ~“yug08 sun Lycoperdon pyeneles saccatun Stropheria seniglobata ene ee ce isieR} 1amMo0sa 4) wees ee Marasmius ¢ exrythr thropus : Trichod ders. (wiride e) oe mes ere oe er eS: pee OPBSERVATTONS A Rare Alien in Berkshire Brigeron annuus (L.) Pers. is of such rare occurrence in Britain that it would be more correct to designate it a casual, Seven plants appeared and flowered in a small area of sown grass—land near Reading in June 1960. Presumably the seeds were among the mixture of imported grasses and clovers which had been sown in 1959. The plants survived mowing and flowered again in August. Unfortunately, the land was ploughed in early September before any seeds could develop, E. annuus resembles E. acris L. (Blue Fleabane) to the extent that its generic relationship is unmistakeable but the ray—florets are white and the leaves a very fresh green, The plant is a native of northern U.S.A. and Canada where it is most frequent in the eastern states, and occurs as a widespread weed in moist ground and waste places, As far as can be ascertained there is no previous record for either Berks or Oxon. It is not recorded in the County Floras of adjoining counties, although there may be subsequent records. A. M. Simmonds, Crown Galls on Daphne and Bramble On 18th February 1960 I received from Mr. B.R. Baker, Reading Museum, a specimen of mezereon (Daphne mezereum L,.) that had been sent in by Suttons, the seedsmen, for identification of the galls upon it. The specimen came from a gerden in Reading, : : : | The stems bore nearly spherical, woody galls ranging in diameter from 2 m, _to 12 m., and as many as 14 were present on a piece of stem 15 cm. in length. A tentative identification of crown gall was made, but attempts to confirm that by isolating the bacterium on potato agar were unsuccessful, for only woody tissues were available and green tissue is recommended for such work, Subsequent reference to the literature confirmed that the crown-gall organism , obacterium tumefaciens (Smith & Townsend) Comn,, does gall D. mezereun a 1%6, Bakterielle Krankheiten. Hendb, Pflkrankh. 2. (2): 542-343, 6 PiatTs) « Dowson (1949, Mmual of bacterial plant diseases, London) does not list daphne as a host—plant, end it is probable that the only previously | published record of crown gall on D. mezereum is that of Stapp (1940, Der | Pilanzenkrebs und sein Erreger Pseudomonas tumefaciens, IX Mitt. Daphne mezereum L, als weitere neue Wirtspflanze. Zbl, Bakt. (Abt. II) 102:295~300), tho found it in the late autumn of 1938 in north-western Gemmy. In Stapp's | Material, the galls were restricted to the lower parts of the plant, particularly the collar, A number of larger crown galls, about 2 cm. in diameter and rougher on the surface, were found on a bramble (Rubus sp.) at Pamber Forest during the Society's field meeting on 23rd July 1960. They occurred on arched stems, some four feet | | | | | = 26 te above the ground, at intervals of abouts tvo inches, Although the occurrence of A. tumefaciens on bramble is not rare, it is sufficiently unusual to warrant recording. D. Leatherdale,. Crematogaster scutellaris — an unusual record Sen rere ee ose. This species has been recorded many times from the British Isles, where it usually arrives. with, a consignment of cork, It has elso been knovm to establish jtseif and breed indoors in hot--houses and similar places, The ants which form the subject of this note are therefore unusual in nesting cut of doors in an unprotected site, My attention was first drawn to them on June 2nd, of this year (2.960), when they were running busily to and fro on the hand-rail of the wooden bridge crossing the miil-leat of Caversham Mili, In the bright sunlight the red head and thorax contesting with the black abdomen, caught my eye and I captured three for clc at examination later on, Some of the ants were carrying aphids which they had found on the willow trees that overhang the end of the bridge, These were evidently homeward bound and I was able to trace them to their nest in the crevices of the wood-work et the foot of a supporting post. Under the mMLCEOSCODS y my captives refused to be identified as any British species, ccordingly I went back to the nest for more live specimens, which were identified by Dr, Yarrow at the British \useum as Crematogaster scutelliaris Olivier, an ant which is common in the the Mediterranean area, Presumably the founders of the sara were imparted by cork factory which nov occupies the buildings of Caversham Mill, Some weeks later, and quite by chance, I came acroes a reference to the g@mus Crematogaster in a work on Africen insects, from which I learned that they have the imgtlish name of "Cocktail Ants." This is apparently an allusion, not to their in- temperate lala but to the fact thet when disturbed they tilt their abdomens up~ wards and emit a foul-smelling secretion. A%s the time when I read this, I had not myself chacavett this behaviour, but on a later visit to the nest, which had now been removed to more commodious quarters at the top of the post, I attracted the attention of two interested small children, Before I cculd stop her, the younger & the two began to sir up the inmates with a grass stall, and they et once responded in the proper manner. The smell was not perceptible in the open air, but the paired glands which produce it were visibly extruded at the tin of the abdomen. Sep ae =. ae lee [6 Ses 1 ty At the time of writing the colony still flourishes, in spite of the discour— aging weather they have experienced. } oT remains to be seen whether they will survive the winter, H. Carter. PC A RE NRE AC LO TNR oe ee SO SR re cm a eo Pi The ents remained active until the eni of October, but on 7th November had not been seen againe cae SMALL MAMMALS OF THE READING ARBA By H.H. Carter and C.H.Johnson This paper records the results of investigations into the small mammal popu- lations of three localities near Reading, carried out by the authors during the summer of 1960, AREAS WORKED frea I - Heel banptbon. This is a part of the proposed Nature Reserve in the Kennet valley near > the village of Woolhampton, It comprises the narrow strip of Jand between the River Kennet and the Western Region main railway line from Reading to Newoury, and extenis from Wickham Knight's Bridge upstream to the brook which comes in from the village, a distance of 400 yards, The ground here is very wet and intersected by numerous drainage ditches, and the vegetation varies from willow end alder at the western end of the strip ee, reed bed at; the eastem end, The Reading Museum field station is situated her on the towpath 100 yards west of Wickham Knight's Bridge. area It — Mapledurhan, This in effect falls into two subareas lying clase to~ gether on Gravel Hill, north of the Warren end 150 yards east of the edge of Chazey Wood. Here ae soil is dry and well-drained, with a strong slope to the south, and the vegetation is mainly close--cropped pasture. This proved to be so exposed that it was impossible to se% traps without running the risk of disturbance by passers—by, so trapping was concentrated in the two sub-areas mentioned. A smail ccpse of mixed deciducus trees, with a patch of dense brambles and nettles to the north of it, formed the northern sub-area, The southern was 100 yards to the South on the rim of an old chalk pit and including part of a coutteer plantation on the stcepest part of the siope, Area I ITI = a It was decided to conduct a trapping survey on the agri- Cultural site of ir, B.W. Lows of 31 Anglefield Road, Reading, hee he has taken ever as a Baelhelaine of 25 acres, This lies net of the Henley Road and east of the road to Playhatch, ae is roughiy 100 yards square. Two aces gardens abut on to the centre of it, It borders on a barley field to the north, has thick bushes along the eastern edge, and across a gravel track to the west are gardens of five more hovses. it is divided into three strips, There is a small haystack in tae centre piece, a well end some iron sheds, The natural vegetation consists of Mesttle, dock am thistle, with dandelions and couch grass which are due to be Sprayed and cultivated for humus, When Mr, Low tcok over the land, the weeds were over three feet high and it was "Over-—run with vermin." It is now well manured and the weeds sprayed. The middle strip is a rough pig ley and the other two are cul- tivated for hay and swedes, Mr. Low, along with the keeper, poisoned rats with “Wacfarin" last year, and the second author was interested to see how this had -atfected the various species, especiaily rats. Some trans were later moved across the Henley Road and set along the side of Berry Brook, between Marsh Lane end Sonning Old Gravel Pit. 2 ABO) Fig.3. WOOLHAMPTON. To Ak’! Main reed bed r Kiet: | | i W | CEE aa ons ne EL Pape Uitte a NR I is an a ae esa ois eS eae es ee SE 5 Sas Pie Pore: aaah % y J W v ee ae Fag Ge ee BA gn ° CLE Eee Field | hot tyer.K enn R ms éé a. ee SF eee station ~-~-- or 1 bee 3 Figed. « PLAYHATCH. \ po ree. on a a ee ae ae foray { Pa iy ahbeyes 2s re att . 1 Fea ar aaa t 1/ h Hs Nas '™ 94 Rough grass torn pnt j 2s to en Barley field tf, Geol ae : Wes Te kk ee hai a See ee \ 132: ie. By ech tana me S aa a ; [ Py OE ts 7g Oy aati, llugo (Hedge Bedstraw) with 4-6 short leaves in a whorl. The buds are @ pinkish colour and the white flowers form whorls but the flowers are not nearly so abundantly produced as they are in G,. mollugo. This is 2 cormon plant of heathland, especially grass heath, and may be found in flower fron May to August. Bogs, Pools, Marshes and Fens, These sorts of situations are gradually decreasing owing to drainage, However, many such places still exist, the best bog being on Hezeley Heat, eS Bogs and Marshes are very similar in many ways and are difficult to define, Marshes have 2 mineral soil whereas bogs have a vegetable soil (peat). Marshes also have fairly good drainaze, Bogs. These are found at Crowthome, Silchester, Hazeley Heath etc. and are formed mainly of Sphagnum moss on an acid soil. Bogs may be divided into three min ereass Sphagnum, Bare Peat and Wet Grass Heath. Sphagnur A Sphagnum bog usually floats on water or on very wet mud. Plants of vhis community are Eriophorum angustifolium (Cotton grass), Drosera rotundifolia (Round—leaved Sundew), Eleocharis spp. (Spike Rushes) Erica tetralix (Cross— leaved Heath) and Narthecinm ossifragum (Bos Asphodel), E. angustifolium, whose cottony heads make it the most distinctive local plant in the sedge family, is the ouly species of Eriophorum found in the area, N. ossifragum is found mainly in Sphegnum, It is a hairless, creeping plant up to about 9 in, high with e tuft of leaves as the base of its stem, which holds a long spike of golden-yellow flowers. It is fairly frequent at Silchester, Hazeley Heath and Crowthome and flowers from July to August. D. rotundifolia is widely distributed but local, although fre- quent in some areas, It has rounded, reddish stalked leaves that form a rosette and catch flies and other small insects. It produces a spike of white flowers, which are usually self-pollinated, in June-August. The other two insectivorous plants in the Reading area are Utricularia vulgaris (Bladdexwort) which is found at Little John's Farm and Burghfield Gravel Pits, and D. intermedia (Long—leaved Sundew), which is found on Hazeley Heath. I have noticed a few Spike Rushes in this area, They are Eleocharis palustris (Common Spike Rush), E, multicaulis (Many~stalked Spike Rush), Trichophorum caespitosum (Deer Grass) end Bleositon fluitans (Floating Club Rush) mainly on Sphagnum or Wet Grass Heath, Bare Peaty Patches. This habitat is found locally only on Hazeley Heath, Although it forms a rather small percentage of the bog, it has quite a wide range of plants, mostly small perennials or annuals, The main plants are D. intermedia, D,. rotundifolia: Angallis tenella (Bog Pimpernel) andi Lycopodium inundatum (Marsh Clubmoss) . L. inundatum is the only local clubmoss and is found in small quantity. It has a prostrate stem which withstands the winter but its erect stems wither quickly. These stems bear & cone from June omvards and. then die off. It is found in the moist, bare, peaty places on Hazeley Heath, OD. intermedia grows mainly in bare peaty places that are not usually as damp as those where D. rotundifolia grows. It has smaller narrower leaves end is smaller in its appearance, It has a spike of white flovers which appear from June to August. A. tenella grows on Hazeley Heath and Coleman's Moor, % is 2 prostrate perennial rooting at the nodes and has very small opposite leaves. Its pale pink flavers are about $ in, across and may be found from June to August. - Wet Grass Heath This is found st Hazeley Heath quite abundantly and has numerous plants growing on it, including Scutellaria minor (Lesser Skull-cap), Pedicularis 2 862 sylvatica (Lousewort) chospore alba (ithite Beak-Sedze), D. rotundifolia, Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fem), Erica tetralix and Succisa pratensis (Devil's—bit Scabious). f. palustris is a very rare fermm in this area, I have only seen it on the grass heath on Hazeley Heath, It is really a plant of fens and peat bogs. The spore cases are in clusters near the edges of the leaves. The spores may be seen from July to August. S. pratensis is a hairy plant, 18-36 in, high, with simple obovate-lanceolate leaves, Its rounied, purple—blue heads are 7o—thirds of an inch to an inch across. Its root is very short and is supposed to have been bitten off by the Devil, hence its name of Devil's—bit Scabious, Pools. The main plants in pools are Eleogiton fluitans, Ranunculus hederaceus (Ivy- leaved Crowfoot), Potamogeton polygonifolius (Bog Pondweed) end Hypericum elodes (Marsh St. John's-vort). These pools are at Hazeley Heath and are gradually draining away. P. polygonifolius does not appear to flower at Hazeley Heath, but its fairly narrow submerged leaves signify its presence clearly. R. hederaceus has ivy-shaped leaves and roots in mud or floats in ponds or pools, it has white flowers and hairless fruits which apnvear in summer and autumn, It flowers from May to July. 4H, elodes is a greyish mat-forming perennial with downy roundish leaves and a few bright yellow flowers, It blooms from May to September. Damp patches, and sometimes little pools are formed on woodland paths. The pools often contain Lemma minor (Lesser Duckweed) and Callitrichs stagnalis (Water Starwort). The typical plants growing on the damp patches are Peplis portula (Water Purslanc), C. stagnalis, J. bufonius (Toad Rush), and Llysimachia nemorun (Yell ow Pimpernel). L, nemorum is @ creeping plant with yellow-green, oval, pointed leaves and solitary yellow flowers abouts in. across. It is not uncommon on demp woodland rides and flowers from Mey to September, At Pamber, on a wood— land ride, Viola palustris (Marsh Videt) and Equisetum sylvaticum (Wood Horsetail) also cccur. Marshes The best marsh in this area is at the "Three Firs" on Burghfield Common, It has a stream running through it and thereby draining it. The vegetation consists of Myosotis secunde (Water Forget-me-Not), V. palustris, Carex laevigata (Smooth Sedge), Callitriche stagnalis, J. articulatus (Tointed Rush) , Je kochii, etc. {, secunda is found on acid soils and is easily mistaken for the other, commoner, water forget-me—not, M. palustris, from which it differs in its numerous leafy runners and longer fruit stalks (3-5 tines as long as the calyx). It flowers from June to October. V. palustris is ebundent at Burghfield. It has almost kidney—shaped leaves, which ave hairless, and smell pale—pinkish flowers with a very short spur. It flowers from April to June. Je kochii is bigger and nore robust than J. bulbosus (Bulbous Rush) and has six instead of three stamens, It is found at the "Three Firs’. Fens We have only one fen in Berkshire, It is at Cothill and is a nature reserve. Fens differ from bogs in having basic neutral soils. Typical plants there are Parnassia palustris (Grass of Parnassus) end Schoenus nigricans (Black = Bl 3 Bog~rush) . Bs. _pelustris is a small plmt with cordate leaves, Its flowers are white and quite conspicuous. it is probably the prettiest fenland plant and biooms from July to September. i have dealt very briefly with the local areas of heathland which I know, but there are mony others still to be explored and many nice plants which deter— mined searching could finds for heathland is.a refuge for animal and plant life undisturbed by men and will, I hope, continue to be so for many years. ae ee ee ee ee Grasses, Sedges and Rushes Grasses, Sedges and Rushes are very underworked species in this area so I have ailotted space ca the nomes and local distribution of the species more typical of heathiand, Rushes have more or less rounded stems, usually solid. sedges have triangular stems, and Grasses roundishhollow stems, Rushes 6xke Bec) Juncus squarrosus (Heath Rush), Dry acid soils, mainly with little vegetation - common. De senuis (Slender Rush) » Dry or damp, usually sandy, places — very locally abundant, but increasing, J. bufenins (Toad Rush). Damp places ~ very common. ory. aes ree ee a J. Situsus (Soft Rush) . Damp and marshy places. Var. compacius is frequent. J, articulatus (Jointed Rush) . Danap and marshy places ~ fairly unccmmon,. Js sowtifioras (Sharp—flowered Damp and marshy places — cormon, Rush). J, buibosvs (Bulbovs Rush). Wet heathy places ~ frequent. occ lom Amemocm ce nerets cas J, Kochii. Wet heathy places — overlooked but probably quite frequent, tuzule canpestris (Field Wood~ Grassy places ~ frequent. SS ers \ i rush). di, muitiflora (Heath Woodrush) Dry acid heathiand — frequent. Eriophorum anesustifolium Boggy places ~— uncommon, but lccally E (Coron on Cotton-grass). ' abundant. a sme Trichophorum @espitosum (Deerwgrass) . Boggy places — very rare. Bleocharis multicaulis (Many-stalked Boggy places — rare. Spike-rush ), E. palustris (Common Spike—rush),. Boggy and marshy places — common, Eleogiton fluitans (Floating Ponds and pools — uncommon, Scirpus). Rhynchospora alba (White Beak Sedge). Boggy grassland - locally abundant on Hazeley Heath, Carex binervis (Moor Sedge). Dry acid heathland - frequent. C. demissa (Common Yellow Sedge). Damp acid places. C. laevigata (Smooth Sedge). Only in 2 marsh at the Three Firs, Burghfield, C, pilulifera (Pill—headed Sedge). Dry acid places — not uncommon, C. nigra (Common Sedge). Wet acid places — quite common, C. panicea (Carnation Sedge). Wet but mildly acid places ~ common. C, achinata (Star—headed Sedge). Damp and dry acid situations - frequent. C, ovalis (Oval—headed Sedge), Dry and wet acid soils — frequent. Grasses Molinia caerulea (Purple Moor-grass). Damp acid soils - cormon, Sieglingia decumbens (Heath Grass). Damp acid soils — common. Festuca ovina ssp. tenuifolia (Fine- Dry heathland — often abundant. leaved Fescue). F, ovina (Sheep's Fescue). Dry heathland - cormon, F,. rubra (Red Fescue). Dry heathland - often abundant. Deschampsia_ caespitosa (Tufted Hair- Woods, grassland end roadsides - very grass ). common. D. flexuosa (Wavy Hair-grass). Dry sandy places - very common, Aira praecox (Small Hair-grass). Dry sandy places - very common. A, caryophyliea (Silver Haizr—gress). Dry sandy places — frequent. Agrostis spp. (Brown Bent). This is avery difficult group, but many species seem to be very common, in-— cluding A. tenuis (Common Bent-grass). es ee = ae ee ee ae ee UNNATURAL HISTORY orc oe ne I LE ET An address to our members On a lawn in Swallowfield Park by Thomas Vear. Many naturel objects suffer from stupid, misleading or objectionel names. mong these are animals, birds, insects and plants, and even men, To take one of the oldest and jeast happy examples, there is the cameleopard, a combination of leopard ana cemel, But whet similarity is there between the sleek, graceful end perpendicular giraffe and the shaggy, lumpy, horizontal camel? Hippopotamus (xiver horse) is not much better, Where is the likeness to a horse? True, they poth have four legs; so has a hedgehog or 2 weasels there the resemblance ends, Rhinoceros (horny nose) and warthog are much better, They are at any rate des- criptive. The birds of paradise were so named by the crnithclogists who received the prepered skins from New Guinea and what is now Indonesia, The natives who pre- pared the skins for expart used to cut off the feet. This made the scientists cf Hurope think the birds had no feet and spent their lives in the air, being unable to perch, so they nemed them apoda (rithout feewy, he turkey did not eone from Turkey, but from North Awerica, The yellowhanmer has nothing to do with the familiar tools amex is German for finch, Moorhens are ofterer seen on lakes than on moors and I imagine that some of the moorhens must be cocks, thse night—jac got its name of goatsucker when it was seen jumping up to the tdders of goats and cattle to catch the flies on which it lives. Of course gt does not suck milk, The pineapple was so called because it faintly resembles a cone, and the “apple” part of the name is used for many different fruits end other things, such as oak—apples, pot ato—apples (the poisonous fruit of the potato plant) and the French pommes de terre ond the Dutch aardappelsn, earth apples, Grapfruit is an avsurd name for a fruit which already has a good name cf its ow — pomelo. The glow—worm and the wireworm are not worms, the glow-worm is a beetle, The silkworm is the caterviliar of a moth, and woodworms are the larvae of beeties, Such as the death watch, which owes its sinister name to the fears of super— Stitious old wonen. nel Btls Popular books on trees still give "sycamore or false plane", The only false thing about the tree is the nam, Sycamore, too, is really an Asiatic figtree; our tree ought to be called the great maple. The Robinia is called the fdse acacia, Again the only falsity is in the nam, The rowan is called mountain ash although it has no particular liking for mountains and no connection with ash. Pencil cedar is a juniper and ground ivy hes no affinity with ivy. It was the herbalists of four or five hundred years ago who gave to our common plants the uncomely names that many of them still bear —- such as rotgrass, sheepsbane and scrophularia end scabious, which continue to remind us of scrofula and scabs. They cared nothing for the beauty of a plant but only for its supposed virtues or possible uses am so we get fleabane and lousewort, The Jerusalem artichoke is not an artichoke and has nothing whatever to do with Jerusalem, It is a sunflower and the Italian neme was girasole (turning to the sun), yet it is used to make Palestine soup. Could absurdity further go? London Pride is not named from the city of London, About 100 years ago there was a well—known firm of nurserymen who laid out and maintained the gardens of the nobility and gentry. The name of the firm was London & Wise. When they intro duced this little saxifrage they called it, after one of the members of the firn, London's Pride, In the same way Messrs. Sutton & Sons might produce a flower and call it Sutton's Glory, In after years all the numerous towns and villages namd Sutton might think it was their om particular glory. I an reminded of another "London" story, with local connection. The Bishop of London received a parcel from the Duke of Wellington containing 4 pair of breeches with a note saying they were the actual pair he wore at Waterloo, He returned them with a very cool note which caused the Duke to look more closely at the original letter. He found it was signed J.C. LOUDON, who was 2 well-known writer on tress, His chief work, Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum (in 8 volumes), was published in 1838. The writer said he would be glad of permission to inspect His Grace's famous BEECHES, I have ea profound disbelief in the authenticity of this story for several reasons, Over the years I have personally inspected many hundreds, if not thousands, of trees on the ducal estates (ad- mittedly some eighty years after the date required by the story), but I cannot recollect seeing eny beech, Neither of the Iron Duke's successors would be at all likely to fell trees that had become famous. I have talked with the estate foresters about their rare or remarkable trees and have been shown the trees, If there were ary famous beeches I am sure I should have heard of them, but I never did. Finally the soil is unsuitable for growing beech, The story is evidently an ingenious and amusing fiction, "Dog" and "horse" prefixed to nemes of plants ere always depreciatory, as dog violet because it is scentless, dog's mercury because it is a poisonous and troublesome weed, horse chestnut because it is uneateable, I suppose many people know the derivation of the term "chestnut" for an oft—told tale. If so, the following is one} Early last century a play was running in New York in which one of the characters had just returned from Spain, accompanied by a Sponiard, He was fond of telling a story cbout a tree end he began —- "It was a cork tree", "No, no", said the Spaniard, "I have heard you tell that tale twenty-seven times and it was always a CHESTNUT", The word evidently supplied a long-felt want. nS rss The chief sufferers from ill nemes are men end women. There may have been a certain eppropriateness in the bestowal of nicknames such as Fright, Wether-— head or Sheepshanks on the first person to be called by these names, but it is yery hard that all dcwm the centuries their thousands of descendants, many of them ladies of perfect face ard form should be saddled with such nicknomes,. There is the historic case of a gentleman named Bugg who naturally wished to change his nome, This word has been epplied to the insect only in quite modern times, In Shakespeare's day it meant spectre or apparition, It survives in bogey, bogle and bpugbear. A dictionary of 1747 brackets bug and bugbear and says "An imaginary moniter vfed to frighten children with". As changing ones name legally is en expensive affair, Mr, Bugg decided to have his money's worth anil chose the aris— tocratic—sounding Norfolk Howard, with the result thet the insects were called "Noxfclk Howards" for some time, The briar pipe is not made from briar, About « hundred years ago a French pipemaker went to Corsica for a holiday, He had the misfortune to break his only pipe, & meerscnaun, This last word is another absurd designation, It as German for sea foam and is applied to a fine white clay which, when it was first discovered, was thought to be petrified sea foam, About seventy years ago there was a fashion for smoking meerschaum pipes until they acquired a rich brown colour that was highly prized. A friend of mine, a mate on one of the great liners to Australia, was walking down a street in Melbourne smoking a well- coloured pipe, when an Australian offered him a couple of pounds for it, but it was his favourite pipe so he declined the offer, A few days later he dropped it on the pavement and it broke into a thousand pieces. Well he said a thousand but I don't suppose he counted them, (That ney have been only an estimate). ‘The sene thing happened to the Frenchmen, so he sought out a wood-turner am asked him to tum a pipe from the hardest wood he could find, This was done and he wes so pleased with the pipe that he enquired what wood it was and was told it was from the root of bruyere, a large heath. He secured a quantity of it and on vetvrning home made it into pipes. These soon became popular, especially in Hngland, where they became English Briars, being neither English nor briar, There is a village or small town in the south of France, whose name I have forgotten, where most of these pipes are made. During the war the Germans looted the whole Stock of pipewood, which the owners had counted on to keep them supplied for two or three years, IT understand that most of the workmen there are English, Stilton Cheese has never been made at Stilton, which is a village on the Great North Road. In stage-coach days it was a busy places horses were changed there and the coach passengers dined at the greet im, One of the landlords had @ sister, « farmer's wife in Leicestershire, who made a good cheese and she sent some to her brother, The passengers liked it so much that he had to arrange for @ continuous supply. As it could be got only at Stilton it was called the Stilton cheese, If there was any local sale round the farm where it was made, it would no doubt be called Mrs, Lester's cheese, or whatever the lady's name was, Bath bricks are not made at Bath but at Bridgwater from the silt brought down by the River Parret, Bath being the nearest big town they would be sent thither and distributed from Beth, Bridgwater is 2 misnomer, too. The nere has nothing to do with either bridge or water, It was the Burgh of Walter de Douay, Who came over with the Conqueror. ia) ct 9) These last examples ere of course not Un-natural History, but simply, not natural history. READING AND DISTRICT NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY Honorary Members Dolton, H. L., 36 Chester Street, Reading, Berks, Hastings, Somerville, M. Be, M.S., F.R.C.S., Brackenfell, Kingwood Common, Henley—on-Thames, Oxon. Hawkins, Prof. H. L.,D.Sce, FeRoS., FeGeS., 63 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks. Runge, Ce, 11 St. Andrew's Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Vear, T., 134 Shinfield Road, Reading, Berks, Ordinary and Junior Members Allaway, 4., Waylands, Shiplake Row, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon, Allen, Mrs. Jo, 2 Betchworth Avenue, Earley, Reading, Berks, Arnold, T.S., Heath Barton, Manor Road, Goring, Oxon. Arnold, Mrs., Heath Barton, Manor Road, Goring, Oxon. Ashworth, Miss L., Holdfast Hall, Jealott's Hill, nr. Bracknell, Berks. Baker, B.Ro, Bedce, AMA. FARE.S., 71a Berkeley Avenue, Reading, Berks. Baker, Mrs. He, fia Berkeley Avenue, Reading, Berks, Baker, L.W., Hillfoot Cottage, Cockney Hill, Reading, Berks. Baker, Mrs., Hillfoot Cottage, Cockney Hill, Reading, Berks, Baker, Master Stephen, Hillfoot Cottage, Cockney Hill, Reading, Berks. Balfour, A. Pe, F.L.5S., VeMH., 4 Baskerville Avenue, Sonning Common, Oxon. Bambury, Mrs. R., Flat 8, Kestrel Way, Burghfield Road, Reading, Berks. Barham, Ro, BeSce, Windy Ridge, 102 Winton Road, Reading, Berks. Bennett, Mrs. O., 62 Reading Road, Woodley, Reading, Berks. Bentall, Mrs., Crooksbury, Upper Woodcote Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks, Bentall, Miss, Crooksbury, Upper Woodcote Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks, Blackwell, Mrs. E.R., 81 Wilderness Road, Harley, Reading, Berks, bees RNS Blakeney, Miss C.C., 63 Erleigh Road, Reading, oe Bourne, A., Flat 8, Southcote Parade, Reading, Berks Bowden, Jo, 419 Wokingham Road, Earley, Reading, Berks, Bowden, lirs. E., 419 Wokingham Roed, Harley, Reading, Berks. Boyce, Re, B.Sc.,Black Horse Lodge, Hurley, near Maidenhead, Berks. Bramall, lirs. 4. M, K., Burden Cottage, Soming, Berks, Brown, Miss R. M., Berin's Ridge, Lower Basildon, Reading, Berks. Bunting, ae A. He, M.Sca, Dept. of Agricultural Botany, The University, . Reading, Butier, iiss K. I., 18 Morgan Road, Reading, Berks Carlile, C. 5., 8 Hazeley Close, Hartley Wintney, Hants. Carliie, Mrs., 8 Hazeley Close, Hartley Wintney, Hants. Carr, Mrs. Sylphide de Ravenna, 26 Westcote Road, Reading, Berks. Carcer,0.¢@Al2 Raglan Gardens, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Charnaux, H. L., 168 Reading Road, Wokingham, Berks. Chevasse, Rev. S.l., 18 College Road, Wokingham, Berks, Clements, Mrs, H., 108 Kenilworth Avenue, Reading, Berks, Clements, Miss, 108 Kenilworth Avenue, Reading, Berks, Cobb, Miss L. E., BoA, 55 Northcourt ivenue, Reading, Berks. Cole, J. fe, Boley M-Sco, 530 Nicholas Road, Henley—on-Thames, Oxon, Coie, Mrs., Bling 30 Nicholas Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. Cole, J. H., B.Sc., 60 Rivendon Road, Cleeve, Goring-on-Themes, Oxon, Coles, W. J,, 11 Whitley Wood Road, Reading, Berks. Coles, lirs., 11 Whitley Wood Road, Reading, Berks. i Cooper, J. He, 2 Broadmoor Estate, Crovthorne, Berks. | Corbet, lirs. B, M., 59 Westem Elms Avenue, Reading, Berks. - 58 = Coster, Mrs., 49 Sherwood Street, Reading, Berks, Dalzell, Mrs. A., 216 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks. Darling, J.W., 21 Filey Road, Reading, Berks. Dean, Miss L. R., 64 Cressingham Road, Reading, Berks. Hager, Stephen, 76 Redhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, Berks. Hdwards, W. Je, 201 Halls Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks . Edwards, Mrs., 201 Halls Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks, Elston, J., Department of Agricultural Botany, The University, Reading, Berks. Erith, Miss A. G., B.Sc., Ph.D., 70 Highmoor Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks, Fishlock Mrs. A., 93 London Road, Reading, Berks. Flack, Miss 0., 198 Reading Road, Wokingham, Berks. Gant, Mrs. L., 51 Stanhope Road, Reading, Berks, Gant, H. S., 51 Stanhope Road, Reading, Berks, Geoghegan,Miss, Royal Merchant Navy School, Bearwood, nr. Wokingham, Berks. Gill, N. E., 69 Park Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. Gipps, Mrs., Six Oaks, Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks. Gipps, Master Richard, Six Oaks, Hasthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berks, Goldring, Dr. R., 4 Falstaff Aveme, Harley, Reading, Berks, Goldring, Mrs. A. Be, B.A., 4 Falstaff Avenue, Earley, Reading, Berks. Greenup, Miss R. B., Ashton, Heatherdene Avenue, Crowthorne, Berks. Graves, Miss P.M., The Filberts, Bath Road, Calcot, Reading, Berks. Gwatkin, T. Le, M.A., 14 Courtenay Drive, Emmer Green, Reading, Berks. Haddock, Mrs. E., 78 Kidmore End Road, Emmer Green, Reading, Berks. Harris, Prof. 1. M., M.A., FR.S., FeL.5., Department of Botany, The University, Reading, Berks. Hart, S. H., Bushy Shaw, Checkendon, Oxon. Hart, Mrs., Bushy Shaw, Checkendon, Oxon. Hartley, Miss, 260 Oxford Road, Reading, Berks, Hawkins, Mrs., 63 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks, Heather, F.L., 6 Pembroke Place, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Heather, Mrs., 6 Pembroke Place, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Hilder, 4., Cedar Cottage, Wiltshire Avenue, Crowthorne, Berks, Hilder, Mrs., Cedar Cottage, Wiltshire Avenue, Crowthorne, Berks. Hinton, G. Ge, 215 Reading Road, Wokingham, Berks, Hodgson, Mrs., 29 Thirlmere Avenue, Reading, Berks. Hodgson, Jeg 29 Thirlnere Avenue, Reading, Berks. Homer, T. J. H., M.A., Yelton Hotel, Hastings, Sussex. Horrocks, Miss J,, Department of Agricultural Botany, The University, Reading, Berks, Hyde, R. A., Woodside, Reading Road, Finchampstead, Berks. Johnson, Olive, 67 Vasterm Road, Reading, Berks. Jones, Miss M., Northforeland Lodge, Sherfield—on-Loddon, nr.Basingstoke, Hants. Kemp, B. Ra, 421 London Road, Harley, Reading, Berks. Key, Miss G. L., 224A Southcote Road, Reading, Berks. lambden, Mrs, H. De, B.SCay 74 Beech Lane, Harley, Reading, Berks. Lappin, Go, 45 Gloucester Road, Reading, Berks, Latto, Mrs. Be, 5 Derby Roads Caversham, Reading, Berks, meatherdale, Do, F.L.S., F.R.E.S., MoInst. Int, Scie, Hastfield Lodge, Whitchurch, Oxon. Leeke, C.J., B.Sc., A.MsI. (Biol), 1 Heathway, Chapel Hill, Tilehurst, Reading, perks. Levashew, Miss Le, 20 Wavell Close, Shinfield Rise, Reading, Berks, Levy, Be Geo Bedsy PHoD., Horticultural Advisory Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Coley Park, Reading, Berks. Lewis, F. H., Lexden, Bath Road, Reading, Berks. « 60 - Lewis, G., 49 Rances Lane, Wokingham, Berks, Lewis, Mrs., 49 Rances Lane, Wokingham, Berks, Lidiard, Miss H. S., Essex Farm Cottage, Burghfield Common, near Reading, Berks, Lukin, Mrs. R., Lockram House, near Mortimer, Berks. Matson, Miss B. N., 9 Manor Crescent, Didcot, Berks. Mason, Miss Do, 21 Alpha House, Kendrick Road, Reading, Berks. Mayhew, Miss V., 166 Thirlmere Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks, Mollison, Miss D., 24 Greystoke Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Moon, A. Ee, Fer Met. S., Department of Geography, The University, Reading, Berks. Moore, Mrs. M. Le, 28 St. Michael's Road, Tilehurst, Reading. Berks, Mune, Jes 97 Queen's Road, Reading, Berks. Nelmes, Miss E. M., M.A., 27 Westbourne Avenue, Acton, London, W.3. Newman, Mrs. W., 52 Northcourt Avenue, Reading, Berks, Newman, J. F., B.Sce, Harley Cottage, 25 Beech Lane, Harley, Reading, Berks. Newman, Mrs., Earley Cottage, 25 Beech Lane, Harley, Reading, Berks. Owen, Dr. H., Department of Agricultural Botany, The University, Reading, Berks. Padley, F. C., 2 Eldon Place, Reading, Berks. Paul, Mrs. V. N., B.Sce, Overdale, Peppard Common, Oxon. Pearse, Miss M., 6 Bishops Road, Reading, Berks, Pearson, Bo, 18 Heath Road, Pamber Heath, Basingstoke, Hants. Phillips, Mrs. V. A., 42 Alexandra Road, Reading, Berks. Price, A., 6 Mansfield Road, Reading, Berks. Price, Mrs. A,, 1 Bulmershe Road, Reading, Berks. Price, Miss D., 1 Bulmershe Road, Reading, Berks. Price-Jones, Dr. D., 82 Shinfield Road, Reading, Berks, Price-Jones, Mrs., 82 Shinfield Road, Reading, Berks, Priest, A., 104 Cholmeley Road, Reading, Berks. i on f Quartermain, T., Beechcroft, Purley, Berks. Quick, Dr. H. H., B.Sce, FeR.C.S., Craythome, 259 Shinfield Road, Reading, Berks » Ranger, Je, 148 Nine Mile Ride, Finchampstead, Berks. Reynolds, Miss D., 28 St. Michael's Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks, Reiter, Paul, 31 Ramsbury Drive, Reading, Berks. Rhodes, J., N.D.H., 65 Tilehurst Road, Heading, Berks e Rhodes, Mrs. B.Sc., 65 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks, Rhodes, Miss Judith, 65 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks, Rogers, Mrs., 33 Shepherd's Lane, Mapledurham, Oxon. Rogers, Miss Dilys, 33 Shepherd's Lane, Mapledurham, Oxon. Rothwell, J., 16 Albert Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks. Rothwell, Mrs. E.M., 16 Albert Road, Caversham, Heed, Berks Runge, Mrs, Me, 11 St. Andrew's Roac, Caversham, Reading, Berks. severn, Lady, Winterbrook Lodge, Wallingford, Berks Sherwood, Miss A,, 25 Wardle Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. Simmonds, Mrs. A, Me, 45 Highgrove Street, Reading, Berks, smith, Miss J. Robson, 136A Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks, Smith, M., 117 Silverdale Road, Earley, Reading, Berks. soole, Miss I,, 5 Pearl Buildings, Station Road, Reading, Berks. Sparrow, J. Ne, School House, Bearwood, Wokingham, Berks. stephenson, D.G., Department of Geology, The University, Reading, Berks. Sumerfield, Miss G., 4 Newfield Koad, Sonning Common, Oxon. (Holidays) Willow Court, Moulsford, Berks. (Term cwadling, Miss M. Mo, F.L.A., Berin's kidge, Lower Basildm, Reading, Berks, Tobias, Miss J. ll., 17 Ramsbury Drive, Harley, Reading, Berks. Townend, iiss 5. Y., B.esce, 7i Berkeley Avenue, Reading, Berks. =~62 = Townsend, Mrs. I., 97 Queen's Road, Reading, Berks, Trickett, Miss S., 13 Tilehurst Road, Reading, Berks, Usherwood, Mrs., 37 Kenton Road, Earley, Reading, Berks. Usherwood, Master Peter, 37 Kenton Road, Harley, Reading, Berks. Vear, J. Re, 134 Shinfield Road, Reading, Berks. Waight, Miss F. M. O., F.L.S., 139 St. Peter's Road, Harley, Reading, Berks. Ward, J. A,, Caretaker's Cottage, Gillotts High School, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. Watson, Dr. E. V., Little Court, Cleeve, Goring-—on-Thames, Oxon. Watson, Miss J. Me, 30 Westwood Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. Watts, Miss D. M,, Abbotts Ann, 61 Elm Road, Earley, Reading, Berks. Watts, Miss L., Crumplehorn Cottage, Inkpen Common, Berks, Weller, Miss J,, Flat De, 4 Bath Road, Reading, Berks. Williams, Dr. L. H., 31 Armour Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. Wood, Dr. No, Elmhurst, Milestone Avenue, Twyford, Berks. Wood, Mrs., Elmhurst, Milestone Avenue, Twyford, Berks. Schools Abbey School, Kendrick Road, Reading, Berks. (Miss S. M. Hardcastle, M.Sc., Headmistress ) Alfred Sutton Girls! School, Cumberland Road, Reading, Berks, Bradfield College Natural History Society, House on the Hill, Bradfield College, Berks. (H. Evans, Hon.Secretary) E.P. Collier Central School, York Road, Reading, Berks, Forest School, (The Biology Society), Robinhood Lane, Winnersh, Berks. (Mir. M. C. Hayes Allen). The Grove School, Surley Row, Emmer Green, Reading, Berks. Ienley Grammar School, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. (The Principal). Kendrick School, London Road, Reading, Berks. ee - a — ca oe Ranelagh School, Bracknell, Berks. (Mr. D.G.R. Martin). Reading School, Erleigh Road, Reading, Berks. (The Bursar). St, Joseph's Convent, Broad Oak, Reading, Berks. WSt. Peter's Hill School, Caversham, Reading, Berks, (Mr. & Mrs. T. W. Ratliffe). pouthlands Girls! School, Basingstoke Road, Reading, Berks, (Miss W. Page, Senior Science Mistress). Co Whitiey Park Junior School, Basingstoke Road, Reading, Serks. (Mir. D. W. Croker). acy * Fis ) aa da a OTN RY Toes