"pandering to the vanity of its destroyer" (cf. Zool. 1878, p. 76), for I much regret its destruction. Mr. Wright, of Clifton, near Biggleswade, informs me that he has in hand "a male specimen of the Black Scoter, Edemia nigra, which was shot on the 19th August, by Mr. Hare, of Compton Mills, near Shefford." I fancy this is a most unusual date at which to meet with a Scoter in this part of England.-C. MATTHEW PRIOR (Bedford).

TAWNY OWL NESTING IN A BURROW. In regard to its nesting habits, the Tawny Owl seems to differ a good deal from other Owls. As a rule, the eggs are deposited in the hole of some tree, but it has been observed to make an open nest in a hollow of a fork, seven feet from the ground, and sometimes to make use of the deserted nest of a Rook (see Gray's 'Birds of the West of Scotland,' p. 61). It has also been known to lay its eggs upon the ground on a heap of fir-needles ('Ibis,' 1866, p. 324). In The Ibis' for July last (p. 378) two instances are recorded of its nesting in a burrow. Capt. J. W. P. Orde mentions a nest of five eggs so placed which came under his observation in Argyllshire. One had rolled away into a branch of the burrow, the others were nearly hatched in the second week of April. Mr. Bruce, of Ederline, at the foot of Loch Awe, on April 18th, 1876, found a nest of this bird in a rabbit-hole, about two feet deep in a sloping bank. The nest contained four young Owls differing greatly in size; two were at least ten days older than the other two, and no two of them looked quite of the same age; they were covered with whitish down, and kept their eyes shut. The nest also contained a rat and two mice, freshly killed, and with their heads taken off. This approximation in habit to the well-known burrowing Owls of America is curious and worth noting.-J. E. HARTING.

COMMON SCOTER IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.-A female of this species, Õidemia nigra, was killed near Woodford Mill, on the River Nen above Thrapston, and sent to me, in the flesh, on August 20th. I consider this occurrence worthy of record, not only because it is the first appearance of the species in this neighbourhood which has come to my knowledge, but also on account of the unusual time of year for the visit of such a sea-loving bird to an inland locality.-LILFORD (Lilford Hall, Oundle).

GREY WAGTAIL GREGARIOUS AT ROOSTING TIME.-At p. 391 of The Zoologist' for 1878, Mr. H. Chichester Hart observes that he noticed on one occasion a number of Grey Wagtails congregated together at roosting time in some reed-beds in Ireland. As this seems to be a newly recorded fact in Ornithology, I have much pleasure in stating that quite recently (September 4th) I have frequently observed small parties of Grey Wagtails, consisting of a score or so of individuals, resorting to the reed-beds by the · Ouse as soon as it begins to get dusk. At this time of year this species is very abundant here.-C. MATTHEW PRIOR (Bedford).

DESTRUCTION OF WOOD PIGEONS IN SCOTLAND. - Speaking at the Central Banffshire Farmers' Club on the 15th August, Viscount Reidhaven said:I daresay some of you will remember some years ago, when I had the pleasure of addressing you in Mr. Longmore's hall, that I ventured to suggest the getting up of an association for the destruction of Wood Pigeons. However, that fell to the ground; but I wish to read to you a few returns showing that my father did not forget about the Wood Pigeons. I will read you the returns of what has been done at Cullen House between 1876 and 1879. In 1876, 1256 eggs were destroyed. In 1877, 1172 old Pigeons, 1033 young Pigeons, and 6593 eggs were destroyed, making a total of 8798. In 1878, 1320 old birds, 446 young birds, and 5946 eggs were destroyed, making a total of 7712. In 1879, 804 old birds, 124 young birds, and 1399 eggs were destroyed, making a total of 2327. Besides these, there were killed by my father and shooting friends 436 old pigeons during two seasons. My father gives so much money to anybody who brings young or old birds or eggs, and the amount of money which he had expended in this way from 1876 to 1879 has been £117 13s. 3d. The total number of birds and eggs that have been destroyed altogether during these years. has been no less than 20,529."

CURIOUS DEATH OF A MOORHEN. -From the last Annual Report and Proceedings of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club,' obligingly forwarded by the Secretary, we learn that at one of the meetings Mr. Thomas Darragh brought under the notice of the members a Moorhen. which had been brought to him for preservation. This bird was found dead on the banks of a small pond in the neighbourhood of Richmond, on the Antrim. Road. When found it was still warm, and it did not appear to have been killed by violence. Curious to know the cause of death, Mr. Darragh made a careful examination, and found, on dissection, that death had resulted from the presence of several small annelids, apparently leeches, one of which he found firmly adhering to its lungs, another to its liver, and two almost embedded in its kidneys. The only way he could account for their presence in the viscera was by supposing they had entered by the windpipe, pierced the lung, and found their way to the other parts of the body. It was stated that the pond near which the bird was found is supplied by the overflow water of the town basin, and that it was a matter worthy of serious consideration whether or not these dangerous annelids were derived from that source; and if so, whether there is any possibility of their reaching the water-cisterns, and causing fatal results to the ratepayer who may unconsciously imbibe a few. The specimens, which are upwards of three inches in length, were exhibited, and Mr. Darragh, on the suggestion of the President, promised to hand them to a competent authority for examination.

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ADDER TAKING POSSESSION OF A NEST.-Looking over last year's notes, I recently came across the following, which I intended at the time to send for publication in The Zoologist,' but which, in the hurry and scramble of a change of quarters from Aldershot to Ireland, found its way to the lowest depths of a portmanteau instead of the pages of that welcome periodical :— "June 4, 1878. Warder Ford reports a strange incident. He was at Fleet Pond, and seeing an Adder lying coiled up in the thick herbage at the foot of a bush at the water's edge, he struck at it with a thick stick and killed it. To his astonishment, the blow also knocked a young Reed Bunting, Emberiza schaniclus, out of a nest on which the Adder had been lying, fortunately doing it no injury. It turned out that the reptile had coiled itself up-probably already gorged by a previous heavy meal-on the top of the Bunting's nest, containing four young birds, like a veritable dog in the manger, waiting till its appetite returned before devoting its gastronomic energies to the consumption of its victims." It is satisfactory to know that the whole of the brood safely left their nest in due time.— S. G. REID (Capt. R.E.).

BOAR-FISH ON THE DEVONSHIRE COAST.-The shore on the western side of Plymouth, on August 12th, was strewn with Boar-fish, Capros aper. I asked some fishermen, who were drawing a seine for Mackerel, whether they had caught them; but they said that they were caught by the trawlers in the channel, who in coming into Plymouth threw them, overboard when turning out their nets, and as there was a strong easterly wind blowing at the time it accounted for so many being driven on the western shore. I should say there were more than a thousand of them, and almost all of the most beautiful colour, some quite crimson, others more scarlet or pink; but all more or less beautifully banded or striped. I found, however, that these bands soon faded or disappeared altogether on being exposed to the light and air. They had a peculiarly strong fishy smell, and their very small scales were exceedingly dry and rough to the touch. The construction of the protruding and retractile snout is very curious. On asking the fishermen, out of curiosity, what they called them, they one and all answered "Cuckoo-fish"; but I think what is generally by fishermen called by that name is the Cook Wrass, and sometimes one of the Red Gurnards.-JOHN GATCOMBE (Durnford Street, Stonehouse).

THE OCCURRENCE OF LEPTODORA IN ENGLAND. At the recent meeting of the British Association at Sheffield, Sir John Lubbock, in the Department of Zoology and Botany, called the attention of the Section to the occurrence in England of Leptodora, a very interesting crustacean

first found in deep lakes abroad, and more recently in a reservoir near Birmingham. Like many marine organisations it was as transparent as glass. This rendered the creature less conspicuous to its foes. Like other animals of the same group it laid two kinds of eggs. The young at first were quite unlike their parents, so unlike that they were thought to be a distinct species. Sir John then gave a description of this little animal, and, by means of sketches, illustrated the peculiar functions of the different organs, pointing out the difference of the organs in male and female.

INSECTS WHICH INJURE BOOKS.-At the recent meeting of the British Association, at Sheffield, Prof. Westwood, in the Department of Zoology and Botany, read a paper "On the Insects which injure Books." Referring to an address delivered by Dr. Hagen, on July 2nd, 1878, before the American Library Association, on the same subject, Prof. Westwood passed in review the life-history of the different species of insects which have been found to destroy books and printed papers, several of which were not noticed by Dr. Hagen. The caterpillars of the moth Aglossa pinguinalis, and also of a species of Depressaria, often injure books by spinning their webs between the volumes and gnawing small portions of the paper with which to form their cocoons. A small mite, Cheyletus eruditus, is also found occasionally in books kept in damp places. A very minute beetle, Hypothenemus eruditus, forms its tiny burrows within the binding of books. Lepisma saccharina also feeds on paper, of which a very curious example was exhibited of a framed and glazed print of which the plain paper was eaten, whilst the parts covered by the printing ink were untouched. White ants (Termitida) are a constant source of annoyance in warm climates; and Prof. Westwood also noticed the ravages committed by the cockroaches, Blatta orientalis. The insects that do the greatest injury are Anobium pertinax and A. striatum, commonly known as the "death watches," burrowing through the books, even, it is recorded, drilling through twentyseven folio volumes. Various remedies for the destruction of these insects were mentioned and especial notice was directed to a Report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the Decay of Wood-Carvings, and the Means of Preventing and Remedying the Effect of such Decay,' issued by the Science and Art Department in 1864. Prof. Westwood then detailed the various remedies proposed, as washing with solution of corrosive sublimates in alcohol, exposing the books to the vapour of benzine, or carbolic acid, or hydrocyanic acid, or fumigating with burning sulphur. Placing the volumes under the exhausted receiver of an air-pump for an hour has also been found successful by Dr. Hagen.

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PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

August 6, 1879.-J. W. DUNNING, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations to the Library were announced, and thanks voted to the respective donors.

Mr. Phillips exhibited living specimens of both sexes of Spercheus emarginatus, taken at West Ham.

Mr. Stainton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Grigg, of Bristol, larvæ of Röslerstammia Erxlebella, a genus of which the larvæ had hitherto been unknown. These were obtained from lime trees near Bristol, feeding externally on the leaves, quite exposed. They were very transparent, showing the whole of the interior of the larvae, and with the segments deeply incised. When full-fed they turned down the edge of the leaf and spun the cocoon within the fold thus made, just like the larvæ of the genus Ornix.

Miss Ormerod read a paper entitled "Sugar-cane Borers of British Guiana," and exhibited specimens of the insects referred to in different stages of development. The first-a moth stated to be a Proceras (sp. ?)— was the most destructive, and the other insects were Coleopterous belonging to the genus Calandra—C. sacchari and C. palmarum. Miss Ormerod made the exhibition on behalf of the Colonial Company, who were anxious to receive any information as to available and practical methods of dealing with these attacks.

Mr. W. L. Distant stated that these insects had long been recorded as destructive to the sugar-cane in the West Indies, and that the circumstances were almost the same on the plantations in the Straits Settlements at Malacca, where the usual remedy, and possibly the only one, was searching for and burning the infested canes, thus gradually diminishing, and possibly eventually to a great extent extirpating, these destructive insects.

Mr. Swinton contributed the following note:

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"At page xii. of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London' for 1877, contained in the third issue for that year, I find the following observations recorded:- Mr. Meldola stated that. . . . the larva of Liparis auriflua, which feeds upon hawthorn, sloe, apple, oak, &c., and which possesses the well-known property of "urticating," could be adduced as an example of a larva feeding on non-poisonous plants, and yet elaborating poisons by chemico-physiological processes.' Mr. M'Lachlan remarked that the received opinion, on the other hand, was that, 'the urticating property. was due to mechanical irritation, the numerous brittle hairs of the larva