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156.

19th Dec. (Sunday) 1948. A fine cold day, with E. wind but mainly sunny. In afternoon went by 1.50 bus to Old Bawn [[Oldbawn]] & walked via Orlagh College back to Firhouse & thence via Butterfield Lane to Rathfarnham & so home by bus. I recently dug out roadside ditch (& so disturbed!) saw plant of Lesser Celandine with three buds ready to open; this abnormally early growth probably due to cutting away of overhanging vegetation & other disturbances.

20th-22nd Dec. '48. Dry & entirely dull, with E. wind, but no frost at night.

24th Dec. 1948. Weather very calm, E. wind, cold, dry, but some hot sun in morning. Walked from 54 bus up Whitehall Road & Willington House to Templeogue in afternoon, then bus home. Saw seasonal wasps at ivy blossom on wall just N. of Poddle River near Willington Ho. as on 12th.

25th also calm & dry, but depression approaching from W. & weather breaking

26th Depression with S. gale due but no rain till night of 26th-27th. In afternoon walked from Rathfarnham

26th Dec 1948, cont.

to Ballyboden, up military road to 645 ft., then down to gate of Orlagh College & via ruins of Oldcourt Ho.to bus at Old Bawn [[Oldbawn]]. No wind at Rathfarnham but above Ballyboden & all way to Old Bawn a severe & cold gale blew from S-SE —— a prelude to what was to come! On ivy blossom on wall along E. side of military road & just above Ballyboden saw several wasps at ivy blossom (in shelter!) & in ditch at same place saw Celandine with buds ready to open, but failed to see plant in ditch near Old Bawn reported in bad on 19th. owing to bad light perhaps...

27th-31th Dec. 1948. Very broken wild weather, cold, with gales, rain, & finally snow in late afternoon of Both followed by a frosty night. Had visit from Desmond Meikle (now on staff at Kew!) on afternoon of 30th. In evening had visit from Fergus O'Rourke, who has just got his M.B. & off to Liverpool to take up a post as lecturer in Medical Entomology at Tropical School of Medicine there, though what he can know about the subject I can't think, though a very nice young man (R.C.).

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