Convolvulus Hawk Moth, Herse convolvuli, in the Lagan AreaAuthor(s): Arnold BeningtonSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Jan., 1971), p. 26Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25537484 .

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26

it had lost a leg in the accident, but there was no external would visible anywhere?and no vestige of any leg apparent. Initially I thought of sending it to the Ulster Museum for the record. However the week-end followed by a Bank Holiday intervened so I decided to

examine it myself.

Laying the bird in a dissecting tray on its ventral side I opened the dorsal surface

just above the pelvis. The right femur and muscles were normal, but when I had worked

the skin and flesh back on the left side of the pelvis I could not find even a vestige of

femur in the glenoid socket. However it is difficult to be quite certain that there was none

whatever because the bird's back had been broken right across the pelvis just behind the

leg bone sockets and consequently there were small pieces of pelvis in the abdominal cavity. That this bird had apparently been strong and healthy at the time of its fatal

accident, speaks highly for the adaptable nature of a moorhen. Its normal fast, graceful

running gait must surely have been modified into an awkward hop. On the wing, also,,

progress must have been hampered by the lack of trim caused by the huge quadriceps and

other muscles on the right side?set opposite an empty leg socket on the left.

The complete absence of one leg in such a manner would presumably suggest a

deficiency in the foetus, but I have not got sufficient knowledge of zoology to suggest the

primary cause.

I should be interested to know if any other of your readers has known this to occur

in a wild bird.?Yours, etc.

ARNOLD BENINGTON. "Hame", Magheralave Road, Lisburn, Co. Antrim.

CONVOLVULUS HAWK MOTH, HERSE CONVOLVULI, IN THE LAGAN AREA

Sir,?On 11th September 1970, a specimen of this moth was found asleep on a

post in Lisburn and brought to me. Judging by its very large size it was a female, and had

I kept it for a day or two it might well have laid eggs as it was in perfect condition. However

if it had laid eggs the larve would have been most unlikely to mature before the fall of

the leaves from their deciduous food plant- So I give the moth its freedom. It remained

all day on the porch of my house until 8.30 p.m.

Although my brother and I collected lepidoptera from 1917 onwards in many of the

best places in the Lake District, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and in a good many counties in

Ireland, we never saw a convolvulus hawk moth until September 1941. The first came from

Ballynahich, Co. Down and since then I have seen four others?all in September and all

from the Lagan Valley area.?Yours, etc.

ARNOLD BENINGTON. "Hame", Lisburn, Co. Antrim.

BIRDS OF THE SKERRIES, CO. ANTRIM

Sir,?The Ulster University Bird Club is at present studying the Skerries off Portrush,. Co. Antrim. There was once a large tern colony on these islands which are now covered with

herring gulls. Could any of your readers who have old records from these rocks please send

them to me at this address. Records of any sort, botanical or zoological will be welcome.?

Yours, etc. D. MELVILLE, Hon. Secretary, U.U.B.C.

Ulster University Bird Club, New University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry.

REVIEWS The Burren edited by Gerald O'Cotmell. 48 pp. in stiff paper cover with colour

plate. 10 half tone plates and 1-inch OS relief map. Published by the Shannonside Mid

Western Regional Tourist Organization Ltd., 62 O'Connell Street, Limerick. (No price

given). This little handbook of this renowned area is beautifully produced on semi-art

paper throughout. The ten full page photographic plates consist of five of scenic interest and

five of historic monuments and are interleaved with a general description of the area, its

morphology, ancient historic sites, flora and insect life (this last of 6 pp!). There are outlines of suggested tours by car and rambles on foot, some account of the spelaeological interests

of the neighbourhood and extracts from literature. A rich mixture in a small compass. The insect section seems a little out of proportion when compared with the space

>nven to other sections and we notice the absence of mention of birds except in the List of literature on The Burren (which is very good). We were glad to see that botanical list was

kept to a minimum as it needs this protection from predators.

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