NOTES.
113
family of congeners was speedily removed from the reptiliary 'census.' "I have
seen Mr. Hay ward Rush, who tells me the above is quite correct, with the exception
that the adders were seventeen in number and the snakes two. The adders were
apparently of two families, part being from ten to twelve inches long, the others
measuring about fifteen inches. It was upon this same farm that one September
some years ago, when Mr. William Wakelin and Mr. George Hurrell were shoot-
ing with Mr. Rush, a curious black object as large as a football was noticed in a
hedgerow stub (probably oak), about six feet from the ground, which proved to be
a nest of snakes closely intertwined, estimated to consist of at least twenty indivi-
duals. These Mr. Wakelin shot to pieces ; the recent nest of adders were chopped
to pieces. Although mentioned by Bell, and well known to occur in a lesser
degree, this gregarious habit of our reptilia is at least interesting.—Edward
A. Fitch, F.L.S., Maldon. [It may be convenient to print here the following
extract from a letter received from Mr. Fitch, dated Maldon, May 23rd, 1884,
giving a few notes on our snakes and the slow-worm :—"Last week I measured
a very fine specimen of the common snake (Natrix torquata, Ray), caught at
Stokes Hall, Althorne, near Maldon; it was 47 1/2 inches long. Our ophidians
seem to be unusually abundant this year. On two consecutive Sundays in
April thirty-six adders have been killed on Danbury Common, several of them,
I am told, being quite a yard in length. Numerous snakes were also killed,
but no record was kept of them. Parties of men persecute the adders every
spring, with the idea of protecting the various animals soon to be turned out
on the common to graze. Mr. Herbert records a slow-worm (Anguis fragilis),
measuring 17 1/2 inches in length, caught at Southend on May 4th last ("Field"
lxiii. 650). I have noticed, but not measured, , several large specimens this
year. Many of the prettily marked young were turned out in digging an old
orchard here last winter."]
Lobophora viretata, Hb. in Epping Forest.—In his entomological notes
(ante p. 112), Mr. English mentions taking Lobophora viretata, on 30th April,
1862, adding that the species has not been found in the forest for many years.
I see, however, by reference to my cabinets that I took the moth in June,
1878, in the forest just to the north of Hagger Lane, Walthamstow, between
the New Road and Cook's Folly.—Hildebrand Ramsden, F.L.S., May, 1887.
Notodonta trepida (Esp.), near Brentwood.—On May 16th I found two
fine specimens, male and female, of N. trepida on the trunk of an oak tree near
the once celebrated "Devil's Head." The female has laid more than three hun-
dred eggs. I think it is unusual for any of the Notodontidae to deposit so large a
number of ova. I annually take Stauropus fagi, and have observed that the
females produce on an average one hundred and fifty eggs.—R. G. Williment,
Brentwood, June, 1887.
Chaerocampa porcellus (L), in Epping Forest.—On June 4th I took a
specimen of the "Small Elephant Hawk-moth" (C. porcellus) at rest at Lough-
ton, and another at Theydon Bois on the nth inst. Both are in fine condition.
—Charles Oldham, Woodford, June 13th, 1887.
Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula L.) at Purleigh.—I was pleased this morning
to see a male Oriole fly out of a tall hedge by the roadside, almost opposite my
Mosklyns farmhouse. I was on horseback and followed it gently, flushing it twice
along the road towards Hazeleigh ; it eventually took refuge in my little Boxiron
Grove, where I trust, if it has a mate, it may continue its beautiful, though perhaps
too attractive presence.* One midsummer holidays about eighteen years ago, I
saw an oriole twice or thrice at Wixoe, in Suffolk, and Baythorne End Essex, I
well remember seeing it on both sides of the river; it was the same year that
Mr. Squire shot a Hoopoe at Wixoe Park.—Edward A. Fitch, Maldon,
June 9th, 1887.
* [" Very little is known of the habits of the Golden Oriole in this country; for the brilliant
plumage of the male always attracts attention, and, though being far from rare, it is almost
invariably pursued with the greatest eagerness, and shot down by some of those persons who
imagine that they are thereby aiding the cause of natural history ; fortunately greater facilities
for its observation occur on the Continent, and in Italy particularly, these birds are common."
Yarrell's "British Birds," fourth edition, by Professor Newton, F.R.S., p. 234.— Ed.]
G