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pipes throughout the year, so that they are always ready to obey the call-note of their master, however distant they may be from his station. On this occasion the " 'decoys" were lying by the windbound western pipe, where they had supped the night before. But as soon as we had taken our new places the decoy-man blew a shrill blast on his whistle, which startled the whole pond, and made the drakes give tongue in clamorous chorus, whilst the decoys awoke to the sense that breakfast is an admirable institution.

Again the whistle sounded, and yet again, till the birds comprehended whither they ought to steer; and meanwhile the lad scattered hemp seed upon the water along the whole length of the pipe.

Soon we saw the trained birds making their way across the centre of the pond, accompanied by some three hundred wild fowl. On they came, a sight most enchanting, as they flashed in the January sun, and reflected its lustre from their iridescent plumage, till at last the leaders and their mingled following reached the head of the pipe.

The tame birds began to devour the seed with great eagerness, for they cannot escape from the pond and its immediate surroundings except by flight, which they rarely attempt, and little food is to be found in such an over-tenanted place. The wild birds, too, began to feed, and gradually advanced up the canal under the net, without any apparent fear of danger, while we slowly retired before them for fear of discovering our retreat.

The scene was strangely picturesque, as the crew of mallard and teal, with here and there a stray shoveller or pintail, pressed onwards with grace in every turn and movement, a grace which seemed to give the lie to their connection with the heavy farmyard louts who claim cousinship with them. But while we were yet admiring their beauty, and trying to fix some of their natural positions in our mind for future drawings, the scene changed. Jack showed himself abruptly in their rear, and the greater number fluttered wildly up the pipe; though a few saved themselves by flying or diving back into the pond. We followed the doomed flock at a gentle pace, gesticulating violently but silently to drive on the laggards when they showed any disposition to return. At the end we found the tunnel net taxed to its utmost strength, so jammed had the poor birds become in their fearful rush.

"Six shillings a couple for ducks, and four for teal, as they're up now," murmured our old entertainer, in an ecstacy of delight at his extraordinary good luck. "Niver, niver, saw I owt like it i' all my born days, an' shouldn't if I liv'd to be twice as old again as I am, rheumatiz an' all.”

As he spoke he knelt down, and proceeded to take out and dispatch the birds with great caution, his grandson helping in the work, but with less skill; when, "whir, whir, whir," sounded above us from

the rhythmical cadence of many wings, and glancing up, we descried some sixty ducks on the look out for any possible danger, flying round and round the tops of the trees, as their custom is before alighting. The Londoner, entirely forgetful of the strict injunctions to taciturnity, exclaimed in excitement, "What the devil's up with us! Where's a gun?" But a threatening shake of the fist from the old man, accompanied by a look which ought to have annihilated him, brought him back to a sense of decoy convenances.

"Doon for yer lives; lig oot at length; lig on your bellies an' hide your heads." Then to the stupified townsman, “Get into yon rummuck”—a tangled mass of brambles and dead nettles-"onywhere, onywhere oot o' the birds' sight."

Such were the commands issued by the irate ducker in an agonised whisper, and down he dropped on his net, from which not a quarter of the ducks had been extricated, with his head and shoulders thrust into a bed of withered herbage, despite the "rheumatiz and all."

We skulked and crouched as best we might, trying to look as unlike human beings as nature would allow; while round and round, up and down, here and there, went the birds, often dipping till they almost touched the water, yet always sheering off when our desire that they should settle seemed on the point of gratification.

"They're going, they're going," ejaculated the old man below his breath, with many strange inarticulate gutturals expressive of impatience and expectancy. "Noo, noo, they're in, I do believe. Ay, they're in at last. Jack, just get up an' hev a peep, lad."

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Up got Jack forthwith to spy through the reeds on 'the shooting," but only to fall flat again as if shot. For up and down and round about went the watchful flight for some minutes longer, till at last, when our patience was almost exhausted, they dropped into the pond breast foremost, cleaving the ripples in the most delicate and pretty manner in the world.

The moment the last bird touched the water we rose from our constrained attitudes, to indulge in a quiet joke over the thorny retreat in which our southern friend had ensconced himself, and to congratulate ourselves on the sport we had seen.

"These here will be fresh from the sea," observed the ducker, beginning to draw the quarry from the net again, and holding up a teal for our inspection. "Them as th' dog got was scarcely touched wi' red, but these have breasts as rust-coloured as can be they know nowt of fresh water. I bet they cum'd in this morning."

Birds newly arrived from the ocean are far less wary than the land-feeding fowl, which are generally home-bred, or old stagers, acquainted with every device of the fowler. Some birds visit the decoy for years in succession, and are never taken; as was the

case with a mallard duck, which had a ring of white feathers round the neck, and was much sought after for the proprietor's collection of stuffed birds.

Before we quitted the decoy the master showed us an anomaly among the trained birds, no less than a duck more than thirty years of age. It had been in the pond all its life, and had grown curly tail feathers like a drake for some seasons, having ceased to lay, or take any interest in nesting matters, though surrounded by descendants to the twentyeighth generation.

But enough for the present. We had seen a noble day's sport, and made a notable bag, for seventynine teal, sixty-three mallards, seven widgeon, four shovellers, a pintail, and a "tame-flier," or barn-yard duck, which had joined its wild relations, were counted into the game-room. A better take had not been known for some years.

After mutual congratulations, we shook hands with the jubilant decoy-man, promising to come again for another look at his birds, and turned our steps homeward, talking of gunnery and fowling as we went.

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The little river Teme, which winds its picturesque way along part of the southern boundary of Shropshire, and for some distance divides that county from Herefordshire, here forming deep and silent pools, there rippling lightly over the stony shallows, and bedecked with water-weeds all so much alike to the casual observer, but of such variety and interest to the lover of nature, has at last delivered up to us the little weed for which "search has been repeatedly made without success." The fortunate finder is Mr. Arther W. Weyman, of Ludlow, who collected it in April last, and sent it to me recently, with other specimens, for consultation. It was evident at once that it differed from any British moss which one could regard as allied to it; and having a slight acquaintance with Cinclidotus riparius, I concluded that it must be that species. Dr. Braithwaite, Mr. J. E. Bagnall, and Mr. H. Boswell have kindly looked at it, and settled the question in the affirmative. Dr. Braithwaite states that it was found two years ago in Ireland, so that the present is not absolutely the first record of the species for the United Kingdom. A description of it with figures will duly appear in the "Br. Moss Flora."

The name Cinclidotus riparius is already somewhat familiar to us, as it occurs in Wilson, Berkeley, Hobkirk's Synopsis, ed. 1873, &c., but only in con

nection with its assumed variety terrestris, now known as Tortula mucronata, Barbula mucronato, or B. Brebissoni (Brid.). The true C. riparius is different in habit, usually darker in colour, and larger. The leaves are straight when dry, smooth (not papillose), margins slightly thickened and plane (Fig. 28 a); whereas in B. mucronata the leaves when dry, though incumbent and only slightly twisted or bent inwards on the lower parts of the stem, are much twisted at the tips of the branches. They are strongly papillose, the margins more thickened, and recurved. Sometimes the effect under the glass is that of a plane

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margin with the whole of the thickening occurring on the under side of the leaf, so as to give the appearance of a recurved margin (Figs. 29 and 30 B). The nerve is generally excurrent (Fig. 31 c), and the areolæ smaller.

In some states the two mosses much resemble each other. Wilson says: "Bruch and Schimper positively affirm that they have witnessed the existence of every intermediate form," and the writer possesses specimens of each which are so much alike that, failing the very minute investigation demanded in the present day, they may easily be taken for the same. But let the necessarily careful examination be made, and the distinctions pointed out above are

there unmistakably, leading to the conclusion that the two are as closely allied as are the genera in which they are respectively placed by modern authors, but

not more so.

The present moss may have been overlooked in mistake for C. fontinaloides, but if a number of specimens of the latter from different localities be compared together, the leaves, while varying a good deal in width, termination of the nerve, and also slightly in the size of the cells, will be found to be always more or less acute in general outline (Figs. 32 and 33 D), only the actual point sometimes obtuse, and strongly twisted when dry. In C. riparius the leaves are obtuse, and either rounded, the nerve disappearing at or below the apex (Fig. 34 E); or there is a small slightly recurved apiculus (Fig. 35 F). The basal cells are more elongated and slightly narrower.

Pending the appearance of an authoritative description of the species, the foregoing remarks may be of some slight assistance to the increasing circle of students in this fascinating branch of botany who may now make search, and not without hopes of success. W. P. HAMILTON.

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The characters of the Nematocera may be summarised as follows. Body, delicately elongated, legs usually long and slender, antennæ of many joints, flexible; veins in wing numerous, alulæ small, ocelli usually present, anal cell in wing usually open.

The venation in many genera varies in the relative lengths of some of the veins and their respective positions.

Mesonotum with a distinct vertical furrow: Tipulida.
Mesonotum without such furrow.

Ocelli present (two or three).

Discoidal cell complete: Rhyphida.

Discoidal cell absent.

Antennæ half length of thorax. Pronotum brought forward, conspicuous: Bibionida.

Antennæ at least as long as thorax. Pronotum normal, conspicuous: Mycetophilida.

Ocelli absent.

Costal vein barely reaching top of wing.

Antennæ shorter than thorax. Wings, broad; tibiæ and metatarsus broad, compressed. Simulida.

Antennæ as long as or longer than thorax. Wings narrow, tibræ and metatarsus slender, cylindrical: Chironomide.

Costal vein attenuated round posterior margin of wing:
At most six posterior wing cells: Cecidomyida.
At least more than six cells.

Wings ovate; tip pointed: Psychodida.
Wings oblong; tip rounded: Culicida.

1. Cecidomyida.

Winnertz has elaborately monographed some of the European genera of this group, having devoted twenty-five years to the study of this family. The larvæ are oval, fleshy grubs, feeding on various parts

plants; many form galls, and some live in rotten wood. The pupa resemble the imago, but are of course wingless.

Degeer and others have observed the transformations of some of the species. The imagos are elegant and delicate small flies, about seventy or eighty species at least being British, though Walker introduces double this number.

Schiner recognises two sub-families.

Fourth longitudinal vein absent: Cecidomyinae. Fourth longitudinal vein present: Lestreminae. Cecidomyia destructor, Say., is the "Hessian fly," which in its larval stage does such extensive damage to the wheat. It is not rare on the continent, devastating at times whole districts, but has seldom been met with in England. It is of a brownish grey colour, with clear wings, elongated abdomen, and long, thin, black legs.

Diplosis tritici, Kirby, is known as the "wheat midge."

The neuration of Diplosis resembles that of Cecidomyia, except that the vein running towards the top of the wing is usually straight.

Some other enemies of the agriculturist are, C. brassica, Winn., feeding on rape pods. C.pyri, Bouché, feeding on pear trees. D. centralis, Winn., feeding on beech.

Westwood figures the larva of D. pini, Deg., in his "Class. Ins.," vol. ii. Fig. 125-6, and the pupa in Fig. 125-7. D. verna, Curt., Curt. 178. D. tritici, Kirby, Curt. "Farm. Ins.," Pl. 1. 8.

2. Mycetophilida.

The Mycetophilida are small, delicate flies, resembling the Cecidomyida. Many of the genera are easily recognised by the difference in venation and the presence of spines on the legs, both of which are good generic characteristics. The larvæ live as a rule in fungi or rotten wood.

Antennæ as long or longer than body: Macrocera, Pz.
Antennæ much shorter than body.

Terminal joint of palpi elongated: Platyura, Mg.
Terininal joint of palpi short.

Discoidal cell present: Sciophila, Mg.
No discoidal cell: Mycetophila, Mg.

The four principal genera may be separated as follows:-

Sciara Thoma, L., is black, with long thin legs and dark brown wings; long 4 mm.* The larvæ of this

* Twenty-five millimetres make one inch.

genus do not spin cocoons as do those of Mycetophila, and other genera.

Sciophila, Mg., frequents the leaves of trees, herbage and woods.

Mycetophila, Mg., is generally distributed. Westward notices the transformations of one or two species of Platyura, Mg.

Bolitophila, Mg., occurs occasionally in mid-winter if the weather is mild.

About 150 species of Mycetophilida are British, some being tolerably common, but the majority are less frequently met with.

Sciara Thoma, L., Wlk. vol iii. Pl. xxx. 3. Platyura flavipes, Mg., Curt. 134. Macrocera stigma, Curt., Curt. 637. Mycetophila cingulum, Mg., Wlk. vol. iii. Pl. xxi. 2.

3. Bibionida.

Most of the Bibionida are vernal, often appearing in great numbers, the males hovering in the air, their legs vertical. The larvæ are worm-like, living in the earth, on grass roots; the pupa is naked.

Antennæ four-jointed: Bibio, Geoff.
Antennæ eleven-jointed.

Palpi long: Dilophus, Mg.

Palpi short: Scatopse, Geoff.

Bibio Marci, L., a rather large black fly, appearing in March; abdomen elongated, legs rough and hairy; wings clear in ♂, brown in transformations known; long 8 mm.

Dilophus febrilis, L., is a smaller species, not unlike the above, and is sometimes taken in winter. In its larval state it infests the potato; a correspondent of mine bred it from Calceolaria.

Scatopse notata, L., is a small black fly, often common in houses in the summer and autumn; the wings are large and quite clear, the legs rather short, long 2-3 mm.

Bibio venosus, Mg., Curt. 138. B. Marci, L., Wlk. iii. Pl. xxx. 5. Scatopse bifilata, Hal., Wlk. iii. Pl. xxiv. 6.

4. Simulida.

These are often known as "sand flies" (Simulium, Lat.), and sometimes are as numerous and as great a source of annoyance as mosquitoes. The larvæ of some species are aquatic, the wings of the imagos emerging from the pupa case beneath the water.

Only two species are British; both uncommon. Walker gives five species (three being repudiated by Verrall), whilst Curtis mentions no less than thirteen as indigenous.

5. Chironomidæ.

A large number of species are British, but they have not yet been satisfactorily worked out. The species in most instances are fairly distinct, but owing to the lack of published matter, exceedingly difficult to identify.

Walker describes the larvæ of two common species.

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They are known as mosquitoes," and are small delicate flies, with clear wings and indistinct venation, the males having large feathery (plumose) antennæ. No ocelli. They are common of an evening, usually hovering in small swarms under trees and over bushes.

Chironomus plumosus, L., is the common "mosquito," the larva being aquatic, blood-red, living in stagnant water.

Winnertz has elaborately monographed the genus Ceratopogon, Mg. (known as midges).

The two principal genera may be separated thus:

Metathorax produced over base of abdomen: Chironomus,
Mg.

Metathorax short, descending to the posterior coxae:
Ceratopogon, Mg.

The bodies of some species of Tanypus are almost transparent, and most of the species have spotted wings. They are distinguished from Chironomus by the apex of the discoidal cell giving forth four veins instead of three."

Clunio marinus, Hal., a rare species, has coriaceous wings, and is found on the sea-coast.

Chironomus plumosus, L., Wlk. iii. Pl. xxx. 4. Tanypus nebulosus, Mg., Curt. 501.

6. Orphnephilida.

Orphnephila testacea, Ruth., has occurred in Britain. It is a rare species.

7. Psychodida.

These are small, blackish-grey, pubescent, mothlike flies, with very large scaly wings fringed at the edge, and pointed at the tip. The larvæ are aquatic. (Two common species live in cowdung.) One species, P. phalanoides, L., being very common, occurring in London all through the summer months; easily recognised by its zigzag movements on the windows. P. sexpunctata, Curt., is not uncommon, being easily recognised by the six small but distinct black spots along the front border of each wing. One or two species appear in mid-winter. P. sexpunctata, Curt. 745.

8. Culicide.

The too well-known "gnat," Culex pipiens, L., is the type of this family.

The larva (figured by Westwood) are aquatic, and active, the eggs being glued together in the form of a boat. Degeer and others have well worked out the life-histories of several species. The pupa is active, but takes no nourishment.

The Culicide may easily be recognised and separated from the Chironomide, to which they bear some resemblance, by their wings being fringed, and the venation being more distinct and more complicated.

The proboscis is long and powerful, composed of seven pieces. No ocelli.

Stephens, some years ago, monographed the British species, which are nearly twenty in number.

Aedes cinereus, Mg. The only known species. Found in marshy spots. Larva aquatic.

Culex, L. The lays about 300 eggs, the imagɔ requiring a month to acquire full development.

Anophiles, Mg. Rare; the ? does not suck blood.

Corethra, Mg. The larvae of C. plumicornis, F., and C. culiciformis, Deg., are well described by Walker.

Mochlonyx, Liv., has been recorded as British.

9. Dixida.

These flies are closely allied to the Tipulida, with which a recent authority (Van der Wulp) classes them. They occur in woods, and on the banks of streams, usually appearing in the evening.

The larvæ live in fungi and decaying wood. Only two or three species are British, and Dixa with Orphnephila testacea, Ruthé, forms the group Heteroclitae of Walker-both being placed by Schiner with one or two other allied genera as a group of "uncertain position." Curt. illustrates D. nebulosa, Mg. (409.)

10. Tipulide.

Over 150 species of this family are British, most of them being known generally as "daddy longlegs."

They are very delicate in structure, though many attain considerable size-the legs of the largest species when outstretched spanning a greater surface than those of any other species of Diptera. They should be pinned immediately after death, especially if it is desired to set them.

The

The legs and bodies are much attenuated. larvæ of some species are aquatic, whilst others feed on plants or rotten wood. The larva of Tipula oleracea, L., does immense damage to grass lands.

Most of the genera may be easily distinguished by the venation. There are three sub-families.

Anal vein absent: Ptychopterina.

Anal vein present.

Mediastinal vein ending in the costal, connected with subcostal by a cross vein; last joint of palpi shorter or barely longer than two preceding joints together: Limnobina.

Mediastinal vein ending in subcostal, no cross vein; last joint of palpi longer than three preceding joints together: Tipulina.

1. Ptychopterinæ. Ptychopteryx, Mg., frequents aquatic plants. They are pretty flies, with the wings generally marked with brown; the species are rather more stoutly built than the Tipuline and Limnobina. P. contaminata, L., and P. albimana, F., are not

uncommon.

2. Limnobinæ. Limnobia flavipes, F., is brown, with pale grey posterior borders to abdominal segments. The wings are grey, with lighter patches, brown veins and a row of brown spots on anterior

border; legs grey, with black rings on femora and tibiae. Long 6 mm.

Limnobia occurs chiefly in woods and fields. Dicranomyia chorea, Mg., is very common, occur. ring in London all through the summer. It is yellowish brown, legs pale brown, wings clear, with a brownish spot on the stigma. Long 6-7 mm.

Trichocera regelationis, L., is common everywhere, occurring in London houses all through the warm weather. It is a slender, blackish-grey fly, with pale grey wings, and long, thin, blackish-grey legs. Long about 4 to 6 mm.

3. Tipulina. Tipula oleracea, L., is very common, the species of this genus being very widely distributed. T. oleracea. Tawny grey, tinged with greysometimes wholly grey, with long tawny legs and grey wings, and is common everywhere; known familiarly as the "daddy long-legs." Long, about 14-15 mm. Variable in size.

Ctenophora, Mg., is a limited genus of large, handsomely coloured flies, all more or less rare, and more stoutly built than the rest of the Tipulida.

They seem to me to be partly allied to Ptychoptera, Mg. The antennæ are deeply pectinated in a different manner in each species.

Ptychoptera contaminata, L., Wlk. iii. Pl. xxviii. 7. Dicranomyia stigmatica, Mg., Wlk. iii. Pl xxvii. 2. Tipula longicornis, Schum. Curt. 493. Ctenophora ornata, Mg., Curt. 5.

11. Rhyphide.

The Rhyphida pair in the air. They live on over. ripe fruit, the larva inhabiting cowdung, or, according to Latreille, in the case of R. fenestralis, Scop., moist linen. This species is not uncommon in London (on windows), and is recognised by its wings being prettily marked with brown.

They are allied to the Tipulida, with which they have by some authors been incorporated, and as a rule are only found singly or in pairs.

R. fenestralis, Scop., greyish-brown, with ashy grey thorax marked with 3 longitudinal dark lines; face grey; eyes and antennæ black; legs tawny brown; knees and tarsi more or less black; wings grey; stigma and one or two clouded spots on fore border, brown-long 7 mm.

MY PET MARMOSET.

IN May, 1889, I bought a young marmoset (Hapale

penicillatus) in Bahia (Brazil), which since that time has been my constant companion, and, consequently, under my observation the entire time.

In spite of its comparatively low intelligence, it has become a most interesting pet; and to watch its ways and habits is a constant source of pleasure and instruction. In Brazil these animals are much valued as pets by the African women settled there; and

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