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55.

21st Feb. 1943. 
Entirely dull, but dry, with wind (N.W.) keener than the previous days.  Took bus in aft. (2 P.M.) to Rathfarnham & walked via Butterfield Lane, Lyons Hanse and Prospect to Fir House, then across Dodder & home via Willington House.  Many flowers out in hedge bank near Prospect, including Celandine, Barren Strawberry & Viola Reichenbachiana.

22nd Feb. 1943.
A most perfect day, all sunny, after a dull early morning, till 4 P.M., when dull for a couple of hours & then clear & a perfect evening;  only the gentlest possible but cool westerly breeze all day.  O'Mahony reported that Mrs. Nesbit of Clontarf saw a bumble bee in her garden on 19th.  On my return home at 5.20, when quite dull a ♀︎ Bombus flew off the ♀︎ Salix cinerea in back garden & after circling several times high over garden flew across Ellis's & away:  at no time could I see its colour, but it was probably lucorum judging by its hum.  At 1 P.M. said Salix was crowded with hive bees.  In afternoon Daisy saw a butterfly (from bus!) in Appian Way, which she thught a Peacock rather than a Small Tortoiseshell.
At least five flowers on Chionodoxa in front garden on this date & Corokia cotoneaster bush with many flowers in back garden


56.

23rd Feb. 1943. (Tuesday!)
A fine day, but not as good as 22nd, very mild but dull in morning but afternoon quite spoiled by strong, chilly, S.W. wind with small jam which just covered sun & threw shadow in place where we were.  Took 2.10 bus to Marlay Grange & walked along edge of golf links to east end of lake, round same & back to road past Marlay House, then back to bus at Rathfarnham at 5.15, by which time brilliant sun.  Swept in a few places along N.E. corner of golf links, & in plantations near lake:  took 3 Proctos., 1 Cynipid & five beetles, as follows:
[4 labelled 31.12.1944!)

Proctos.  3 -
Cynipid  1 -
Beetles:-  Tachyporus pusillus, Apion apricans, Apion sp.? (near pomonae?), Longitarsus luridus & Aphodius punctator sulcatus (very small specimen).  (Named by E. O'Mahony!)

Saw many Primroses, Celandine, Coltsfoot, Viola Reichenbachiana & one plant of Vicia sepium in flower. on way back to Rathfarnham saw one Horse Chestnut tree well in leaf at tips of branches in "The Park".