Welsh Journals

MAMMALS Notes and records on mammals, amphibians and reptiles, should be sent to L. S. V. Venables, Ty'n Lon, Bodorgan, Anglesey (for North Wales) and to D. R. Saunders, Sunny Hill. Rosemarket. Haverfordwest (for South Wales). GREY SQUIRRELS IN CAERNARVONSHIRE Inexorably making their way north, Grey Squirrels have now reached the coast of Caernarvonshire. One was seen in May 1974 in a garden at the edge of the Menai Straits. Only 4 miles to the south of Bangor others were seen on 16 and 17 September in country lanes where the Red Squirrel was known to occur but has not been seen in 1974. On 22 December, another was seen near Tregarth, on the ffridd above Moel-y-ci farm, running on the grass before disappearing up a tall tree on the hillside. M. J. MORGAN ANGLESEY FOXES In a recent note on this subject (antea 1974 pp. 56-7) G. R. Hill showed that before 1961 there were no known records of Foxes in Anglesey but in that year poultry were killed near Valley and subsequently 3 adults and 7 cubs were destroyed in that area. One of the vixens appeared to have been wearing a collar for some time "and enquiries revealed that the adults had been taken to Anglesey some twelve months previously and had either been released or had escaped". In January 1975 the Anglesey Fox Destruction Society stated that since the establishment of the Society in March 1973 more than 300 Foxes had been destroyed on the island. The mean litter size is 4.7, there is only one litter per year and the young can breed in the winter following birth (data from the Handbook of British Mammals). Unfortunately it seems doubtful whether destruction can gain decisively enough on this natural increase to eliminate the population in so suitable a habitat though certainly every effort is being made. L.S.V.V. INVERTEBRATES All entomological notes and records and those dealing with any other invertebrates should be sent to Mrs. M. J. Morgan, Department of Applied Zoology, University College of North Wales, Bangor. BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS IN 1974 Most correspondents seem to agree that last summer was one of the worst seasons for butterflies for several years. The spring started off well, with Peacock butterflies to be seen on the wing in March and April after their winter hibernation. Small Tortoiseshells were also common and it looked as if the three species of Whites might be building up to large numbers later in the year. Hundreds of Small Whites were seen in a field of rape near Dolgellau in mid-August (Mrs Joan Brown).