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59. 18.4.53, cont.] arrangements for the 50th Anniversary Excursion of the Belfast Nat. Field Club. 19th April 53. A lovely day after a misty morning & dull weather. In forenoon drove to Ballinascorney Gap via Brittas & left car at quarry 1/4 mile above the Stone Cross & walked towards Kilbride Camp. At foot of the Forestry plantation on slope of Seehawn turned left on to moor & looked at the patch of Lycopodium clavatum discovered here on Also saw the moss Bartramia pommiformis in splendid [[image]] fruit on the west side of the road just above the last farm on that side & at same place took a ♀︎ Ichneumon {sp. near latrator but areola quadrate cheeks smooth} ant. 26, running about on the tarred road. In afternoon in back garden saw a lovely fresh Andrena nigroaenea ♀︎, also a Vespa vulgaris ♀︎, sunning themselves, and caught a ♂︎ Phygadeuonid]] ick, black with white clypeus & white mandibles, ant. 24, running in bare soil = 20th and 21st April. Both fine sunny days after misty mornings but very cold E. wind on 20th. Much more genial on 21st, & in afternoon drove to "Three Castles" between Blessington & Ballyward Bridge & walked to the top of Golden Hill, looked at the wrecked tumulus & stone circles on W. side of the summit, & walked back to the car. Very many Bumble Bees 60. 21.4.53, cont.] seen & also 1♂︎ Andrena (jacobi) & 2♀︎♀︎ Psithyrus distinctus; most Bombi were lucorum & one seen at flowers of gorse, others at Taracacum; 1 very fresh, dark, ♀︎ B. agrorum seen at flower of Viola riviniana. One green-veined, White & several ♂︎ Wood Whites seen, as well as small Tortoiseshells & Peacocks. On outward journey & between Tallaght & Jobstown saw our first Swallow of the season - all alone & sitting on telephone wire. In back garden Silene acaulis from Snowdon 1920, in flower for about a week; fronds on Osmunda appearing & the old plant of Euphorbia hiberna in front garden showing amazing growth the last few days & nearly in flower. 22nd April 53. Another all sunny day with E. wind. In afternoon drove to Glenasmole & left car at middle lodge as usual. There walked across fields to road along W. side of glen & along it to head of waterworks & back to car. Saw one Sand Martin & heard one Cuckoo - the latter at head of waterworks. Chiffchaffs about the lodge & Willow Warblers everywhere. Tried a little swreeping, but the only Braconid was a ♀︎ Dacnusa - probably D. areolaris (ant. 20). Also a ♀︎ Phaeogenes fulvitarsis, ant. 24. Saw a Large White Butterfly in front garden in forenoon (? sex) & a ♂︎ ditto in Glenasmole in the afternoon, as well as a Speckled Wood & a ♂︎ Orange-Tip. Apanteles 1 cf. vitripennis Hal. ♂︎ in garden