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188.

11th, 15th, 16th April 1949. 
All fine with very hot sun & little or no wind.  Considerable growth in gardens - pears, apples, cherries blackcurrants, &c. all coming into flower, as well as mossy Saxifrages & sedges.


17th April 1949. 

Entirely hot sun till 3 P.M. then some clouds, but SE wind got up about 1.30 & spoiled collecting in afternoon.  Left home in car, Daisy, George, Marcus Graham & myself & drove to Kill & then to Devonshire Bridge over Grand Canal, where left car;  then walked W. along canal & cut across fields to the big deserted sandpit on railway line just N. of where it crosses canal near Sallins.  In this sandpit on - - 192- I took a specimen of the Hemipteron Sehirus luctusus, but sun going behind cloud & wind very strong gave no chance of seeing more today. Lasius flavus, Myrmica laevinodis & scabrinodis & Andrena gwynana ♂︎, the only hymenoptera seen today.  Did a little sweeping along N. edge of canal on way but wind too strong to expect much & all taken were:

Atractodes cf tenebricosus? 1♂︎: not mtd. 
Phygadeuon ♂︎, ant. 22 = 
Aspilota nigrescens? ♂︎, ant 24. 
Dacnusa aphanta ♂︎, ant. 31, very dark legs.
Dacnusa maculipes ♀︎, ant. 23.
Aphidius sp. 10♂︎♂︎, dark legs: not mtd
Monoctonus caricis 1♂︎, 2♀︎♀︎ : not mtd
Proctos 2 = Lugocerus? ♂︎ & ♀︎

Graham swept a small sawfly beside canal near lock W. of bridge which he thinks is Fenella nigrita ♀︎ - Yes! AWS. 20.4.49. - a very early date

[[marginalia]] Sand Martins seen on railway at sandpit.  Willow Warblers everywhere; no Chiffchaffs. [[/marginalia]]


189.

17 Ap. '49, cont.

Euphorbia hibernica in front garden in flower this morning (old patch) although only six inches high about 5 days ago.  Orchis mascula in back garden: this plant with unspotted leaves brought from between Fair Head & Torr Head, Co. AN. in May 1913, has three flower spikes this year & the first flowers opened today.  Korokia bush now smothered in flowers & scenting the whole garden this morning.

18th April. 
A fine dry, rather harsh, windy day, with much sun & some cloud.

19th April. 
Strong W. wind & drizzle for most of day but never wet anything except about 3.0-3.30 PM.  In afternoon drove to White's Gate at W. end of Phoenix Park & walked to Furry Glen & back to car.  Much growth of grass, &c. everywhere & would have made good sweeping had it not been wet.  Maples & Sycamores & several Horse Chestnuts in flower, but only a few leaves here & there on beech.  Hornbeam near boundary wall between White's & Knockmaroon Gates full of witches' brooms, & just coming into flower & leaf - a very curious sight at this stage.  Saw pair of Jays as usual.