Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth in DecemberAuthor(s): W. F. JohnsonSource: The Irish Naturalist, Vol. 31, No. 5 (May, 1922), p. 54Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25525142 .

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54 The Irish Naturalist. May,

according to O'Plaherty the Squirrel still lived in Connaught in 1684 while K'eogh alludes to it in his list of birds, beasts,

fishes, reptiles and insects commonly known and propagated in this kingdom in 1739. Is it possible that the Squirrel survived the next hundred years until an impetus was given to the replantation of demesnes and tracts of forests ? The

possibility and even probability of such a survival cannot

be denied for in the 18th century there still existed large woods scattered about the country in which a few Squirrels

may have survived. The extinction of the atxcient Irish

Squirrel may therefore not have been-complete. The

question could possibly be settled by carefully comparing skins from all parts of Ireland with a series of English ones.

And this could best be accomplished in the National

Museum. If any survival of the old Irish Squirrel has taken

place some of the Irish skins and skulls may exhibit dis

tinctive features from the British ones. As yet no material

is available for such a study, and it is to be hoped that all those interested in a knowledge of our fauna will send

any skins they may be able to obtain to the Museum in

Dublin for further critical examination.

Knockranny, Bray.

NOTES,

Humming-bird Hawk-Moth in December.

On December ioth my servant called me to see a "big fly" that

was buzzing in the staircase window. When I went the "fly" was a

Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossa stellatarum). It must have

been hibernating and had been enticed from its hiding-place by the

mildness of the day. That same evening thrushes were singing and the

Dor Beetle (Geotrupes) was flying about, a sure indication of a. warm

evening. W. F. Johnson.

Killincoole Rectory,

Castlebellingham.

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