270
NOTES ON ENTOMOLOGY
BEETLE N E W TO BRITAIN FROM
SUFFOLK.
An event of considerable importance took place on the East coast of Suffolk in mid-June 1956, when Mr. Daltry, who was staying at Westleton, took a pair on 15th, and another on 23rd of Philonthus dimidiatipennis, Er., (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae). T h e beetles were found by treading cracked mud by the sides of dykes in the brackish marshes between Dunwich and Walberswick. T h e specimens of this species new to Britain were determined by the Reverend C. E. Tottenham who said that the species had been recorded from the Mediterranean and South Russia. It differs from all other British Philonthus by having the basal third of the red elytra black, with the apical margin of the black area sharply defined by a symmetrically undulating line rather deeply concave near the middle of each elytron. The remainder of the body is black. T h e species comes at the end of the genus and is not large, 5.5 - 6 mm. Specimens were noted at the locality in some numbers during July 1957. The Nature Conservancy were pleased to hear from this Society of this distinguished Russian visitor. (see Ent. mon. Mag 94, p. 66). 1 Aysgarth Road, Dulwich Village, S.E.21.
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS M O L E (Talpa europaea). A series of moles kept in captivity during the summer of 1959 almost invariably ate worms from the head end, holding their victim between the fore feet and pulling it towards them as they ate, at the same time pushing away with the fore feet massaging the worm from front to rear and expelling all the earthy contents of the worm's stomach out throughtheanus. T h i s " pushing and massaging " action also cleaned any earth from off the outside of the worm so producing a meal " grit free " externally and internally. One mole, caught in September and about ยง grown weighing 75 grammes, became exceedingly tarne would remain in an outstretched palm withoutattemptingtoescape for long periods, taking, with great delicacy and without biting even by mistake the hand that fed it, blow fly maggots and pupae, meal worms, earth worms, etc. from between the finger and thumb
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
271
of the other hand. Having fed it would Stretch out and go to sleep, still in the palm of the hand. Sometimes it would wake and move slowly and cautiously around, forcing each successive pair of fingers apart with its forelegs, and sniffing and peeping about. When asleep the eyes were not evident being hidden by the f端r : when feeding and when moving about the f端r around the eyes lifted so that they were clearly visible as they were when the mole was Walking about on a table. This lifting of the hair round the eye is recorded in British Mammals Barrett Hamilton & Hinton, 1910 - 21 where it is also rccorded that a mole took no notice of a lighted candle. In this particular mole a bright torch shone into the eye neither caused the hairs to fall to protect the eye if already lifted nor to lift if the eye were covered. The mole made no movement of the head if a torch was flashed onto it. CRANBROOK. Gt. Glemham. WATER SHREW ATTACKING FROG. In October, 1 9 5 9 , I heard a shrieking sound Coming from a damp but very empty water butt and looking in I saw a frog and a water shrew (Neomys). Three times the shrew jumped onto the back of the frog, but each time after a few moments of what looked like paralysed panic the frog jumped away, throwing off the shrew. I then rescued the frog but the shrew continued hunting about in the dead leaves at the bottom of the butt for some time. Mrs. R . D . HAWKER, Claydon Hall. BATS AT STREET LIGHTS. D端ring the late winter and spring from February, 1959, onwards bats were seen at dusk hawking moths, etc., at street lights in Wickham Market. This habit seemed to be discontinued during the warm summer months but was resumed in September. M. K . L Y N N ALLEN.
BATS IN W O M E N ' S H A I R . A newly caught Pipistrelle, ( P . pipistrellus) struggling, squeaking and biting, was pushed into the fairly long curly hair at the back of the head of a br端nette in the middle 30's. The bat climbed with care up onto the crown of the victim's head and took flight without getting entangled in any way. Suffolk Naturalists can take a vicarious pride in the fact that three Suffolk women have been found (see Trans. Suff. Nat. Soc. Vol. XI, part II, p. 163) ready to test the truth of a hoary superstition. It is to be hoped that some brave West Country women will try with the Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus, sp.), which are not available in Suffolk. CRANBROOK.
N E T T I N G BATS. In late August, 1959, Mr. H. E. Axell told me that he had noticed large numbers of bats Aying low at dusk over a District Council rubbish dump and had in fact with a mist net
272
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
accidentally captured half a dozen large bats and upwards of a score of small ones. On September 8th I visited the same dump with Mr. Axell when it was a little bit darker than on his previous visit. One noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and a dozen pipistrelles (P. pipistrellus) were captured, all at a height of about 6 - 8 ft. T h e noctule was taken almost immediately but as dusk turned to darkness all the larger bats went away, only the smaller bats continuing to fly around. T h e dump seemed to be alive with crickets. I later used a 20' X 9 ' mist net to try and capture bats on a number of occasions—on other cricket infested dumps, by a light on the lawn and the net hung across a river for Daubenton's bats—but without much success. Usually a bat Aying towards a net would obviously recognize and avoid it, but occasionally one would hit the net and in some cases be caught. The method obviously has possibilities when used by someone skilled in the necessary technique, as Mr. Axell's experience shows. CRANBROOK. YELLOW NECKED MOUSE (Apodemus flavicollis) has been reported from Kettleburgh, in an apple Store with A. sylvaticus. J. H .
CONSTABLE.
RED SQUIRREL (Sciurus vulgaris) 3 3 red squirrels were counted in an area of Forestry Commission woodland approximately one mile Square at Wangford Warren. Miss K. R . CLARKE, Norwich. GREY SQUIRRELS (S. carolinensis) have been reported from Withersfield (12 shot by C.A.E.C. in 1955) Dalham (1956) Gt. Thurlow and Langham, all in West Suffolk. H . G. LLOYD. SEALS ON SCROBY SANDS. 1959. The Sands were visited on five occasions during the common seal (Phoca vitulinä) pupping season. On June 7th there were present about 115 common seals and 40 grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), this is many more than were seen at any time in 1958. On June 12th the first pup was seen, on June 19th two. The first week in July seems to have been the peak period, on July 5th there were eight healthy pups about three days old and the carcasses of three dead ones. On July 21 st the last pup of the season was found, sick and much injured by Greater Black Backed gulls. R . H . HARRISON, Gt. Yarmouth. PORPOISE (F. phocaena). Two porpoises, one about half the size of the other and presumably mother with child, were seen on several days at the end of August, 1959, off Minsmere. H.
E.
AXELL.
SWANS. Düring mid August, at Stutton Ness, when the tide was ebbing, groups of swans were observedlandingat one particular spot and going through a peculiar Performance, then swimming off up-
273
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
stream. This continued for some time, and by Walking along the shore to a convenient point from which to see what was going on, it was found the birds were drinking ! Normally one does not think of aquatic birds and their liquid requirements, but obviously their needs are similar to those of other forms of animal life. The Stour swans require salt-free water to drink, and it is evident they can only obtain it at certain states of the tide. The water these particular birds were drinking is a thin film of spring water flowing Over the surface of the mud. In order to drink, they have to lay the lower mandible on the mud, and more or less suck the water into their beaks, then raise their heads to swallow as is normal. Unfortunately no camera was available to record this interesting phenomenon of swans Coming ashore to drink. 16th Sept., 1959. H. E. P. SPENCER. A specimen of the Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossa stellatarum L.), was taken during its tour of inspection of some wide cracks which Surround the badly Atting doors to the cupboards of my kitchen, at 7.15 p.m. on 27th September, 1959. On 8th October, one was observed at 9.45 a.m. hovering in the warm sunshine, and again on 9th October, at 10.30 a.m. On both occasions they were probing with the long tongues the corolla tubes of the flowers of the plant Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) (syn Plumbago larpentae), which grows at the foot of the south wall of St. Marv's Church, Bury St. Edmunds. H.
J.
BOREHAM.
I have on occasions in previous years taken odd specimens of the Solitary Wasp (Mellinus arvensis, Linn.), from the inside of the windows of my house ; but during the hot days of this September, 1959, I have taken and released on various dates no less than eight specimens, all females. H . J . BOREHAM. A. L . B U L L , Hitcham, writes that a very strong colony of House Crickets has flourished this year in a rubbish tip at Semer. T H E F L A M E WAINSCOT (Meliana flammea, Curtis), in Suffolk. On a recent visit to Southwold Mr. A. Baker of Reydon showed me a fine specimen of this insect he had caught in his m / v trap in early June. C. Morley (1937) doubts its occurrence in the County, though it is mentioned by Meyrick from Suffolk. Mr. P. J. Burton teils me he bred a male about ten years ago from the same area where it is likely that it may occur quite freely if looked for in the spring. C. G. M. DE WORMS.
274
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
AN EARLY RECORD FOR FENN'S WAINSCOT (Arepostola brevilinea Fenn.) Mr. P. le Masurier teils me he took this species at Covehithe in 1949, a year before Mr. P. Burton and I discovered it at Southwold. He also took at Walberswick the Tawny Wave (.Scopula rubiginata, Hufn.). C. G. M. DE WO
SOME OLD RECORDS From Notes in Lady Rowley's " Hind's Flora " compiled by J. C. N. WILLIS
This volumefirstbelonged to the Rev. E. F. Linton, who had been an important contributor to Hind's Flora. After examining Hind's Herbarium, deposited as Hind says immediately after publication of his Flora at the Ipswich Museum, E.F.L. made the following notes :— Ranunculus trichopyllus var. radians, found by W. in pond in Railwayfield,Barningham. Viola lutea. " In my opinion Hind's specimen, the Brandon (Grey), looks very like V. tricolor." Lathyrus tuberosum L. Railway embankment, Woo John Rasor, 1907. (Recorded in Journal of Botany, 1907, p. 31 and p. 353). AIchemiilafilicaulis,Buser (West Suffolk Journal of Botany, 1895, p. 112). Rubus ramosus, Polstead marsh, E.F.L. He corrects this Rubus erythraeus, Gener. (Hind says "first recognised 18 E.F.L.) Rosa micanthra. Hind's specimen is R. rubiginosa. Rosa stylosa. Hind's specimen is R. arvensis. R. obtusifolia, R. decipiens, R. surculosa, E.F.L. identification of these. Rosa leucochra. Wiston, E.F.L. (fide Crispin).
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
275
Hieracium boreale. Pakenham W o o d , a curious narrow-leaved form with long pedicels, and a few large heads in H e r b a r i u m of C. E. Salmon. Hieracium murorum. T h e Wilderness. Bury. is lucidulum, Ley. ( C - T - W have pellucidum. Hieracium
vulgatum.
H i n d ' s specimen Linton.)
H i n d ' s specimen is H.
sciaphilum.
Symphytum officinale, for N . E . division of the C o u n t y this should he S. tuberosum, by J. Rasor, 1916. Mentha alopecuroides, Oakley Kettlebaston. ( E . F . L . ?). Menthapulegium.
Herbarium
of C. E. Salmon.
Acton. ( E . F . L . ? ).
Linton is very critical of H i n d ' s identification of Salices. Salix fragilis S. russelliana,
at Gorleston is S. fragilis Hinderclay is S.
S. rubra, H i n d ' s specimen is
britannica.
viridis. purpurea.
S. smithiana,
H i n d ' s specimens are S. caprea
S. acuminata
also is S. caprea
X
X
viminalis.
viminalis.
S. aquatica at L o n g M e l f o r d is S. aurita X cinerea b u t S. at Onehouse and T h e l n e t h a m is confirmed. S. argentea parviĂ&#x;ora.
aquatica
at T h e l n e t h a m , H i n d ' s specimen seems to be S.
Alopecurus bulbosus, place not stated, " i n herbario m e o " . W i t h these exceptions Linton confirms most of H i n d ' s identification of Salix. Orchis ericetoram, stead.
f o u n d and named by E. F. Linton at Pol-
276
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
PORCUPINE
MAN
Professor L. S. Penrose lectured at Sudbury Grammar School on " Porcupine Man ". This man and his male descendants of three generations has presented a curious puzzle in heredity. Professor Penrose's investigations have proved beyond doubt the existence of porcupine man at Brandon, Sapiston and Euston during the 18th and 19th ccnturies. The earliest to have this abnormality was born in 1716 at Sapiston. His skin was covered with small warts or quills and resembled the bark of a tree or hide. He worked as a game keeper on the Euston Estate, he was very healthy and lived to be 90. All but one of his six children died in infancy. The survivor inherited the abnormality and he passed it on to his two sons, and the inheritance ended with a son of one of these who died at the age of four. None of the daughters were affected. There are to-day in the world a few people with porcupine, and rather hedgehog, skins in unrelated families. They do not constitute a different species of mankind. Darwin was correct, says Professor Penrose, when he referred to this family as demonstrating that hereditary peculiarities occur in man as in plants and lower animals. It is probable that this stränge skin condition was caused by a single gene which arose by spontaneous mutation in one of the parents of the original porcupine man. Mutations are known to be going on all the time in the germ cells and are the primary cause of all manner of abnormalities.
ERRATA Transactions Vol. XI—Part II p. 183 Blackcap—female not male. p. 195 Tunny not at Southwold but at Sizewell. writer was Dr. D. G. Garnett.
The