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45.

6th Dec. 1942. The mildest day for some time, with S.W. wind, strengthening as day advanced; mainly cloudy but some gleams of warm sun in aft.
Walked via Kimmage cross to Watlington House, & then by the Templeogue Bridge & Butterfield Lane to Rathfarnham & home by bus 2.30 till 4.30 P.M. On ivy-blossom at Watlington Ho, saw many wasps - at least 30 counted!; a few also on ivy by the Poddle & also a few between the Children's Home & Templeogue bridge. All seemed to be ☿☿ & all Vespa vulgaris.

13th Dec. 1942. A day of full gale from S.W. after a whole wet & stormy day on 10th, but fine on 11th & 12th. In aft. walked from Rathfarnham to Willington house, via Butterfield Lane & Templeogue Bridge. In shelter at Willington House saw plenty of wasps as on 6th

16th Dec. 1942. Very fine in middle of day, with clear sky & hot sun, after a terrific deluge with S.E. gale early in morning, S till 9 A.M.

In afternoon walked via Orwell Bridge & the 

46.

16/12/42 cont.

Narrow Walls to Rathfarnham in lane just E. of The Narrow Walls is a nest of Vespa vulgaris (seen about six weeks earlier!) in full swing, the workers jostling each other in the entrance as if it was August. The wasps seemed very excited &, although I stood & watched them for a minute, two chased Daisy, who was in front of me, down the lane & one continually got entangled in her hair & stung her just above the ear. None made any attempt to attack me. We suspected that some boys coming home from school had annoyed the wasps, just before we arrived.

Crocus & some other bulbs just showing their green noses above the soil in front garden, but no sign of the Snowdrops, one of which flower during first week in Dec. in 1940 & 1941.

17th Dec. 1942. A very mild day with much quite warm sun. Went by 9.0 A.M. train to Drogheda & by car to tumulus at Dowth & New Grange with Prof. R.A.S. Macalistea, H.G. Leask & G.F. Mitchell. Spent some time in both tumuli & heard many 

Transcription Notes:
.♂♀☿