ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. (By "Alpha.")

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 86

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. (By "Alpha.")

I SEPTEMBER. September, if mild and not too much given over to the spirits of the winds, is, foo- the Nature-lover, one of the most delightful months of the year The early flowers, doubly dear by reason of their lomg absence, smile once again from their setting of tender green ; the birds flash to and fro busy with he cares of nesting time; the first insects, bursting from their chrysalid prisons or waking from their long winter eleep, flit hither and thither in the sunshine, and Nature, flinging off her "winter garment of repentance," revels in the hop© of the coming summer. The entomologist must now be out in the field on every opportunity. Much can be learned by observation in the spring. Often he will be fortunate enough to observe insects emerging from their pupal state, or he may be lucky enough to notice the depositing of eggs, and thus be in a position to follow an insect's life-history "from beginning to end» In September there is not that bewildering- effect of abundance that characterises the summer time, and the attention can therefore be the better con' cehtaated. One of the earliest spring moths is the little Atomotricha ommatias. Though not at all striking in appearance, it is an interesting insect by reason of the flightless condition of the female. Her winge «u-e but fragments, but 6he can hop like a grasshopper. Just why one sex ehouid have good powers of flight and the other be unable to fly at all is, with our imperfect knowledge of the insect's daily ; life, somewhat of a. mystery, but thai saen a differrenoa in faculty does not exert any j harmful influence on the species is evident , enough from the abundance of the moth in question. The genus iMallobathdsa, also Sep- ; tembe-r forms, ape likewise notable for the wingless state of the females. The males of Malloba-thira are Ihtle brown or black moths that flit about in the brightest sunshine. They are very difficult to follow with the eye, and are consequently hard to capture. The females, thougih doubtless common enough, aro seldom met with. They run with great swiftness, and may be occasionally found on ferns or other low herbage. The Red Admiral (Vanessa gonerilla) is the first of our butterflies to put in an appearance. They are sometimes seen before the end of August. These pioneers are individuals which have hibernated during the winter in some safe retreat ; they ar>» usually rather fa<kd and much tattered ami torn, though this is not apparent as they sail past. The nettle plant should be searched for their larvsp. which is not difficult to roar. Almost all the different methods of collecting n.ay be employed during September; sugaring, light, dusking, or beating will all yield faaT, though not exceptional, results. Beetles will be fourid to be fairly common under logs or flakes of ttead bark, and the- earlier Neuroptera may be sometimes met with on bushes in the vicinity of streams ox ponds. THE MAORI INVASION OF OTAGO VIA HAAST PASS. I must thank readers for co kindly supplying my wants. Mr R. Gilkison sends me a letter, and 6O does Mr Ro. Carrick; and someone from Gore sends me the Mataura Ensign of August 20, which contains the seventeenth of a series of pioneer recollections collected by Mr H. Beattie. "TOLD THROUGH THE AGES." Let me introduce to you to-day a de-

ligixtful series of books for both home and school libraries. It i» the ■" ToM Kirough the Agea " series published by G. Hxrrap and Company, of New York and London. The soope of the series will be shown by naming some of the volumes : " Legends of Greece and Rome"— of the several editions of this over 60,000 have been sold; " Favourite Greek Myths " ; " Stories from Greek History " ; " Stories from Greek Tragedy " ; " Stories from the JEneid"; "Stories fi-om the Odyssey"; " Stories from the Iliad " ; " Stories of King Arthur and His Knights " ; " Stories of Robin Hood and His Merry Outlaws " ; " Stories from Chaucer " ; " Storiee from Wagner " ; " Stories from Scottish History," and co on. The literary matter is good, the type a pleasure to read, and each volume has numerous half-tone pictures beautifully done, of classic statues and bas reliefs, and of paintings by eminent artists Jiving and dead. Each volume has an introductory chapter longer or shorter, as is deemed necessary; and also when necessary there is at the end a pronouncing list of proper names and an , explanatory index. The cloth edition is published at half-a-crown. I 6trongly recommend the series to readers, and hope iha.* our teachers in both the primary and the secondary schools will sample them and he stimulated -to rouse the interest of their pupils in the facts and legends of the past. "VOICJ^TRAIEnaSrCr-IN SF-EEGH AND SONG." v The training of the voice should receive much more attention than 'it does by everybody in every wait of life. It isn't ■tfveryone who can afford to take lessons io voice-training, so s book on the Subject and written by an experienced teacher ought to be in good demand. One such, an eighteen-penny hook in the University Tutorial Series, published by W. R. Clive, came into my hands a month or so ago. It 3 author is H. H. Hulbert, M.A., Oxon., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., lecturer on voice production to the London County Council, the London University, and several training colleges and other educational establishments. In the introduction the author says: "The training of the voice is the tuning of the vocal organ, and the removal of defects, whereby the instrument is enabled to do its work efficiently and easily. It would bo better to call it voice-building oar voicersnovatin.g — the process of renovation being a special form of physical education." Further on in the preface, speaking of voicemaking, be insists on three points— (e) The development of a flexible body as a whole, (b) the development of a flexible chest, and (c) the development of the muscles of the artkulatory organs,— >and enlarges upon each; the last, for instance, including details upon the muscles of the lips, tfae jaw, the cheek, the tongue, the soft palate, and the pharynx — all of which may become flexible and easily governed *t will. The nine khapters in the text-book — it covers the ground for the Home teacher's certificate in voico-fcrairfing — are upon "Speech,", "The Vibratory Apparatus," "The Breatihiiyr Apparatus," "The Control of the Bieath, "The A^rtjcuUtoTy Apparatus," "Distinct , Articulation," "Tb& Vowel Sounds," "T2» Consonants,"" and " T4» Arfc of Speaking and Beading." To illustrate the chapters about-. 30 diagrams are used, and there is an exhaustive series of vocal and . phonal exercises. The little book is packed full of good matter, and public speakers will find it very suggestive and helpful. NOTES ON CORRESPONDENCE. I owe " J.," Rimu, an apology. His note published to-day reached me some time ago, but was overlooked. M» belongings have bean in a state of topsy-turvydom for' some weeks past, and the disentangling process is now being gone on with. " Abbotsroyd^s " caterpillar came to hand safely. It 'S probably the larva of some species of Mekndara, severasi species of which aire oommon— 4hey axe rather large and dark. I wish a few coa-respondents woald get caterpillars — say, half a dozen or or so of each sort; write an accurate description of each kind; feed each of the six on a different food (feeding two or three on the food with which their life seems to be identified); write daily notes on changes taking place in size, colouration, activity, etc., ; note time taken, to obange to a chrysalis ; give time elapsingfrom entering chrysalis stage to time of emerging; and describe' resultant moth or ca-terpillar. I am sure they would find this interesting, and I could get come interesting notes to encourage omen. There is (room for someone to take in hand a few beetles and to work out- their development. One -young student has recently spent scores of hours in recording observations of & few flies, and he also drew many of them in oolour many times life-size. Who will try? The wax-eye may be tmdul? fond of small feruit, as reported by " Abbofasrojxi," but he also does good, Shougrh I hadn't heaatf before that he cleared the wattle tree of an aphis. Who has had the same experience as " Abbotsroyd "? Mrs Tomtit cannot have a very musical ear if her hubbycan captivate her with musical (?) notes resembling those made by the movement of a rusty wheelbarrow. But love in birdlife, as in human life, makes curious interpretations. The phenomenon mentioned by my correspondent is not uncommon, and I have »aen an explanation somewhere. Perhaps some reader can send it alon#. ".Student" points out the difficulties attending the forming and the keeping up of a field club, I have had a little experience in the white-heafc enthusiasm spoken of. and of the subsequent cooling down to freeing point: I do not know if Domuiionites are wor&e than those in other pai-te of the Briti-h Empire. But this J do say : school children are supposed to ha\e everything made so easy for them tha* they are growing up with a positive determination not to face anything that requires close and continued application. All the same, I should like to see a fi^ld club started. " Queenstownite'e " bird, " Ornithologist " saye in his letter, is the cock chaffinch. Perhaps Mr Shore can kill two or three birds as suggested, or get it done by deputy, and get the mystery solved. £ am glad " Ornithologist " corrected me. I am learning a great deal through these columns, as well as my correspondents. " Alpha " sends his monthly contribution and a continuation of his "A Ramble on Riverton. Beach." What pleasures the soientifically-bent man -can have that are unknown to the unobservant. Sometimes when I have been in the Museum I have noticed the great difference in the inspection by visitors. Many wander aimlessly

febonty looking idly or vacantly at tibia or tihat, and becoming bored and tired in no time- Others spend an hour or so in examining • few objects they bave come definitely to see, a few exhibits they have picked out, and with these time k all too short. And- co elsewhere. "North End** gives us a definite note about the minab. If these columns had been in existence, say, 30 years ago, we should now have a mass of such notes recorded which would' be of great interest to lovers of Nature. CORRESPONDENCE. Dear "Magisteur," — I owe my friend "Dinarnis'* an. unqualified apology. The passage in which he commended the 4se of eketdh. and note book quite ecaped my notice, thenfoxe my strictures on the point were altogether unjustified. My only excuse is that these notes, axe generally huzriedly written in the too brief leisure time of a busy life, an explanation which " Dinornis " — himself no- idler — will, I hope, appreciate. Dear " tfa&sAez"— ln reply to " Ornithologist," on.* the female tomtit disappearing directly after the breeding season: The male tomtits, voting and old, ststt fighting, and this, eoatiaww. ' a£T the airtam, while- the females: have" sought shelter in the dense bush or out «£ the- way from the disgraceful w-eaes r being enacted. Two of my girls coming from school last autumn caught two tomtits rolling on the road fighting, so they caagkt th«m and let them fight" to a finish, and then let' them go. 3. caught two myself while they wese fighting" one day..' The minah is _a votive oi India. What does " Ornithologist" mean when he says if the two iaatail species infcei'breed and are only varieties? If he can explain what he means I can answer him. He goes on to ask why are there no black ones Been in the north, where the- pied are so common. The blackvariety ia wanting, that is why. I think the prevailing winds, from, the Souih Island do not strikft the North Island. If not, they wiH be carried to sea. J. Euro. Dear "Magister," — I hope the caterpillar that I sent you a few days ago- reached you Baiely. For a long time I * have thought that the bitten edge of the flax was the work of a caterpillar, and th«t it was identical with the one thai bites notches out of the cabbage, tree leaves, but could never discover it on the flax until the other d»y. Anybody who notices their ei'bbage tree leaves bitten will', if they get & ladder and climb up, find light green caterpillars at work on. the inner leaves. They vary in sixe and some have a- ticg* of yellow on the back. They axe not so easily found on the flax as they hide among the dead leaves at th» root. Tho best time to look for them is at nighffc or on a dull damp day. It is no use looking for them where there are no freshly bitten leaves. I think " Ornithologist ia wrong in supposing th*t the waseyes have . always been, about. Some years they disappear almost completely. I don't like them. They are greedy little beasts, and not a gooseberry or ' an; other eort of berry will they leave in ' the garden. One good thing I notice they have done: They have helped, along with fun tails and other birds, to clear the wattle trees about, here of a kind of aphis that was causing tb* leaves to hove a dingy look and almost completely spoiling the flowers. Do- you know if this blight has been common about? The aphis vary in size and colour and some have wings. I have heard the tomtit's little song almost every day for the last five or six weeks, and I can't make it fit in with- the notes " Ornithologist " gives. This is what I make it: F.JP. shaxp, E.F.E.V.E. (in the third octave) The nearest thing that I can compare to it i» the squeak of a rusty wheelbarrow. I imagine he is asking Mrs Tom to cpnw home at once. If I am not taking up too much of your space I shou'd like to ask if any of your readers have ever witnessed a similar phenomenon to the one I - will do my best to describe as shortly as possible. One frosty foggy morning we were standing on the brow of the Taieti Gorge. The fog lay thick and heavy below us. while we were on th-e outskirts of it. The sun appeared %a when seen through smoke. Our shadows were cast in giant proportion en th* fog below, and round the head of each shadow appeared ,a halo in rainbow colours. This halo could not be seen by the others only when standing clcee together. Perhaps this means that we are all saints when together, but when separated we can distinguish no sign of eaintlinefis in the other fellow. It ia often so. I have been out in hundreds of fogs, but never saw the same thing again. You may expect another long letter from me — about the period ol the next blue moon. Abbotsbotd. August 30. Dear " M*gL&ter," — Suggestions having bgen asked for re forming a field club, I beg to venture aa opinion. First, while it might be- possible to get a club toge&er, there would be great difficulty in keeping it going. Often tfoeee ciwba co^weace witl» white- Heat enthusiasm which, however, cools so rapidly th*t fiie club dies' an untimely de&fch. Others linger on in a more or less sickly condition before giving in. Again, while thera axe many who like to dally with n*tural history, there are few who persevere till they have gained come real knowledge. Often tbeae clubs do harm by destroying the native flora. Suppose a plant of Gleiohenia Cunmngharnii was found by an enthusiastic party (this pant is probably extinct about Dnnedin). every one handy would take a piece or else the plant would be transplanted «nd so destroyed. Professor Henalow pointed out in an addxeae, " The Uses and Abuses of Botanising," that species had actually disappeared from England through would-be botanists and collectors. I "feel humble in writing this, for I have collected myself. Then there is the difficulty of a real peientific men as leader for the majority of members a-re usually unscientific small-talkers who need special guidance or else the club descends into a rambtmg olu'b pure *nd simple. My experience h+a been that those who were in love with their subject (to use a common exEression) went on their own. Colonials, or 'ominionites, prefer sport to field clubs. Student. Desr " Magister,"— Bird Day is a capital id«*. Let us try to arrange on*?' here. J. Shore's letter is very interesting, particularly about the starlings. Is he ouite certain as to hi* facts? They may be *II males, an excess due- to some unknown cause, and these bird* nwy be unable to find mates. I have often noted two male* competing for th» fawovrs of ft handsome female, and the disappointed suitor has to- betake himself el«ewheze and find consolation in some other looalitr. The matter could be settled if Mr Snore can bring himself to shoot two or three birds, and bave them examined by Dr Benhazn. They may b» old birds, but tbi» I doufci. It is a curious point which •hoold be cleared up. In my last letter I mentioned that Hugh Sprott considered the bird he saw was about the Eize of »

thrash, whereas the shining cuckoo is not more than half the size of a full-grown English thrush. The North Islted thrash ia mentioned, but I do not think this is ' the bird, for the » thrush is not green above, but olive brown, its wings are short and; only come to- the root of the tail; the song is not as Hugh Sprott describes it, bu* consistß of five distinct bars each repeated five or six times, and also it makes a curious rattling- sound and spreads its tail while so doing. It is very pretty «md its occasional pio-pio whistle is charming. The bird you sent to me was the cock chaffinch, Fringilla Calebs. " Lex " is quite right, " Magister," pardon ray correction. The mocker, moko, koromako, or belFbird, is often called the. green tui, as distinct from the tui or koko. I never knew it attack any bird but a cuckoo or a morepork. OKuxxuotoctiST. Dunedin, August 28. DeaT "'Magister,"— ln the y«ar 1882 I distinctly remember a fleck of Australian min«fes in Dowling street, Dunedin. They used to perch on the sunny face of Messrs Sargood, Son, and E wen's " premises. Nobth End. Two or three letters and references to two or three specimens are held ov«r until next week. As I generally exceed my allotted space, I have to be pulled up with a round turn occasionally.