Nature in Ca111bridgeshire No 37 1995

Contents

Page Editorial Philip Oswald 2 Hobbies - elegant masked bandits that have moved

into Cambridgeshire and beyond Peter Prince & Roger Clarke The Cambridgeshire Dragonfly Survey

1991-1993 Rotifers of Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire:

Val Perrin & Ian Johnson

a preliminary survey Rosalind M. Pontin Lower Wood, Weston Colville Steve Boreham & Frances Applin Further-localities for the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill

in Cambridgeshire C.D. Preston & S.E. Yates The incidence of Lolium x boucheanum Kunth

in Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29) P.J.O. Trist Black squirrels in Girton Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale A Cambridge crocodile Erica Swale & Hilary Belcher Adventitious woody plants of the A14 cutting in Girton Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale

Persicaria species at Mare Fen, Swavesey

Review: Flora Facts and Fables, Issue Number One

Max Walters & Philip Oswald

Max. Walters Unusual observations of the Swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon L. in Girton T.H. Sparks & C. C. Smith

Vascular plant records C.D. Preston Bryophyte records C.D. Preston & H.L.K. Whitehouse Weather notes for Cambridgeshire 1994 1. W. Clarke Index to Nature in Cambridgeshire, Nos 1-37

Cover painting:

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35

41 43 43

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48 49 51 53 55

Adult Hobby calling after landing (West Carobs, 19 August 1994) Bruce Pearson

Photo opposite: Mare Fen, Swavesey (see pp. 46-47)

Dr S.M. Walters (Chairman)

Philip Oswald

Editorial Board: Mr P.H. Oswald (Editor) Dr L.E. Friday Mr C.D. Preston Mr R.J. Symonds Mr M.G. Walters

Copies of Nature in Cambridgeshire may be obtained from the Herbarium, Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA (price £3.00 by post). Copies of many earlier issues are also available. Articles for consideration for No. 38 should be submitted to the Editor, Mr P.H. Oswald, at 33 Panton Street, Cambridge, CB2 1HL, by 31 December 1995.

ISSN 0466-6046

Editorial

This issue of Nature in Cambridgeshire is the tenth since the journal, previously published by the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists' Trust

· · · (CAMBIENT), was relaunched as an independent publication. The Editorial Board have decided to celebrate this anniversary with our first colour cover, featuring one of Bruce Pearson's evocative sketches of Hobbies in Cambridgeshire; described in the title of Peter Prince and Roger Clarke's article as "elegant masked bandits", these migrant falcons, once regarded as a heathland species in Britain, have recently expanded their breeding range north-eastwards over farmland areas and may now number 40--50 breeding pairs in 'old' Cambridgeshire. We are very grateful to Mr Pearson for his generosity in allowing us to use this painting.

Since dragonflies are a major element of the Hobby's prey, it seems appropriate that this issue also includes an account of the Cambridgeshire Dragonfly Survey carried out in 1991-1993. The remaining items maintain the balance between botanical and zoological topics mentioned in my last two Editorials. We welcome Dr Laurie Friday as a new member of our Board who will help to support our links with University zoologists and with Wicken Fen. She has edited the paper on Wicken rotifers by Rosalind Pontin.

The tenth anniversary of the 'new' Nature in Cambridgeshire also seems a timely occasion to publish an index to all 37 issues of the journal. We are grateful to Lorna Walters for her efforts in compiling this and to Anne James for typing the draft. Anne James has acted as a most efficient distribution secretary ever-since the journal was relaunched. She now wishes to retire, so we take this opportunity to thank her warmly for her valuable help over the last ten years.

Copies of many past issues of Nature in Cambridgeshire are still available at £2.50 per copy, with reductions on purchases of more than three copies. We also have offprints of Chris Preston's paper, The distribution of the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire (N. in C., No. 35: 29-60), and of Dr David Coombe's paper, 'Maritime' plants of roads in Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29) (N. in C., No. 36: 37-60), at £1.00 per copy including postage. Please apply to me at the address on the previous page.

We hope that our readers have noticed that the cost of a copy of Nature in Cambridgeshire has remained £2.50 ever since it became a priced publication in 1986! (We have only raised the additional charge made for copies posted ­from 40p to 50p -in 1992.) This is not a preamble to an announcement of a price rise: thanks to our original 'priming' grants and more recent financial aid for the publication of particular papers, the support of our regular subscribers, services given free or at low cost by a number of people, and the wonders of modem word-processors, our financial situation is such that we see no immediate need to put up the price. We are deeply grateful to all the contributors to this issue and, as usual, to Dr Ken Joysey for the use of the Macintosh LaserWriter at the University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology.

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Philip Oswald August 1995

Hobbies - elegant masked bandits that have moved into Cambridgeshire and beyond

Peter Prince & Roger Clarke

Introduction The ornithologist's admiration for the Hobby Falco subbuteo dates at least

from Walpole-Bond's (1914) eulogy on the "glorious" flying abilities of a Hobby in pursuit of a Swift. Simson (1966) rated it as "the fmest bird on the wing these islands have to offer", and modern ornithologists have no less admiration for this exuberant but elusive and little-known small falcon. On so many days we have caught but a fleeting glimpse of a Hobby, perhaps appearing momentarily over the tree-tops, dashing alongside a hedge, passing overhead in Cambridge itself or striking at the stragglers in an autumn hirundine roost at Wicken Fen. These encounters carry long-lasting impressions, of the long black 'tears' of the facial mask, of the red 'trousers' , and at times of a truly astounding turn of speed. On each occasion it has made our day. At other times the Hobby can be found sitting quietly on a bare 'look-out' branch, perhaps not far from a nest site.

Breeding records of single pairs were reported in Cambridgeshire in the 1930s. The 1932 Cambridge Bird Report contained a photograph by W.R.D. Harrison of two ringed young in a nest. The next records suggesting breeding came in the mid 1960s, but the Hobby was not known as an annual breeder until the mid 1970s. The number known or suspected to breed in 'old' Cambridgeshire has built up to a current estimate, based on extrapolation from areas of known density around Cambridge itself and in West Cambridgeshire, of 40-50 pairs in the whole of the county (Prince & Clarke, 1993). Such extrapolation may not provide a totally accurate figure of course, but the species is inconspicuous throughout much of the breeding cycle and a full census in the field would be a major undertaking. The pattern does however fit a north-eastwards expansion of the breeding range of the Hobby in Britain. Examination of records for Lincolnshire indicates a similar colonisation, lagging some five years behind Cambridgeshire (Prince & Clarke, 1993). It is generally accepted that there has been a substantial range expansion (Parr, 1994; Wingfield Gibbons et al., 1994). The big question, of course, is "Why?".

The expansion appears to have been happening at a time when many of our birds of prey were still struggling to recover from the knock that their populations took from organochlorine pesticides. There is no suggestion that the Hobby took a similar blow, and its ecology appears to be rather different Twenty years ago the Hobby was regarded as a heathland falcon, but since then the discovery of populations and the evident expansion of range has been almost entirely in farmland areas (Fuller et al., 1985; Prince & Clarke, 1993).

Nest-sites The Hobby breeds mainly in old nests of the Carrion Crow. Fiuczynski &

Nethersole-Thompson (1980) had records from England of 251 clutches out of 278 (90%) being laid in Carrion Crow nests. Of the 23 breeding attempts that we have observed in Cambridgeshire, all have been in Carrion Crow nests.

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5 Commonly recorded

19751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988

Year

Figure 1: Cambridge Bird Club records of sightings of Hobbies in 'old' Cambridgeshire, excluding Wicken Fen and the Ouse Washes, from 1975

We have one unconfmned report of a pair that bred in a Rook's nest. In Cambridgeshire, the Carrion Crow is considered to be the most widely distributed corvid, with confmned or probable breeding in 43% of tetrads and a presence in a further 8% (Bircham et al., 1994). It is more abundant in the west of the county than in the south-east and is absent from some fenland areas.

In West Cambridgeshire, where most of our observations have been made, there is an almost unlimited supply of Carrion Crow nests. The only obvious characteristic selected for in a Hobby nest-site is all-round vision from the nest. All the nests that we have observed, apart from two, have been in hedgerow trees or isolated trees in open farmland. The two exceptions relate to the same pair (or at least birds in the same territory), which nested in a larch tree inside a wood for two years. They then moved half a kilometre to another small wood and nested in a tall Ash. In each case the nest tree was within 30 metres of the

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woodland edge and only at the first locality could vision from the nest have been restricted, the second site offering all-round vision.

Prey distribution, availability and capture The Hobby, a migrant from winter quarters in Africa, does not show the

indecent haste to breed that most of our summer migrants do. Our earliest observation of two together has been in April (at Burwell), but eggs are not laid until mid June. The key to this lies in synchronisation with the abundance of prey necessary to feed young in July onwards.

The most detailed study of the Hobby so far undertaken in this country is that by Parr (1985), who investigated the breeding biology and diet in the traditional breeding area of the species in southern England. He found both habitat and seasonal differences in the prey taken, particularly during the incubation and nestling periods, with more 'open country' species being selected during chick-rearing. Swallows, House Martins and Swifts were dominant in the prey, but one pair of Hobbies breeding at the centre of the New Forest preyed mainly on finches and tits throughout the breeding period. House Sparrows also occurred in the diet, indicating that the Hobbies hunted near human settlements. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining pellets containing insect remains, Parr undertook no quantitative analysis of insect prey. However, he did establish that dragonflies were frequently taken. In the New Forest the species available were those of the valley mires - the Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa and the Four-spotted Chaser L. quadrimaculata, along with the Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens during midsummer and the Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum during late summer. A wide range of other insects was taken too, including many Coleoptera throughout the summer. Daytime-flying moths, Diptera, winged ants Formica spp., Cocltchafers Melolontha melolontha and Dor Beetles Geotrupes stercorarius were taken in large numbers when available.

Swallows, martins, Swifts and Skylarks are likely to prevail as bird prey in the diet of the Hobby in Cambridgeshire. Skylarks are the most widespread of these potential prey species, breeding in 85% of tetrads in the county (Bircham et al., 1994). The next most widespread species is the Swallow, which breeds in 62% of tetrads, followed by the House Martin (38%), Swift (27%) and Sand Martin (5%). In terms of density at the breeding sites, however, the reverse order is likely to apply, with Sand Martins breeding at the highest density and Skylarks at the lowest. Skylarks and Swallows are evenly distributed across the county, whilst House Martins and Swifts breed in most parts except for some fenland areas but are most numerous in built-up areas. Sand Martins occur in small colonies in various central areas but are more abundant at gravel­pits along the Ouse Valley, just outside the county in Huntingdonshire.

Our own observations involve Hobbies taking House Martins and Sand Martins at their nesting sites. Observations of Hobbies hunting at Caxton village show that they are targeting Swifts and hirundines. The Hobbies will fly upwards towards the eaves of buildings in an attempt to catch their potential prey as it leaves its nest and before it has gained any forward momentum. An imminent attack is always greeted by the alarm calls of Swallows, which immediately flock together and try to gain height One such attack observed resulted in a House Martin being taken within a foot of its nest. However, most

5

attacks are unsuccessful and the Hobby gains height and leaves the village. In these circumstances the Hobby will often perch in a nearby tree for periods of 10--20 minutes before another hunting attempt, either in Bourn or again in Caxton. It is not unusual for several attacks to take place on the same day at the same location. At Godmanchester gravel-pits the Sand Martin colonies are probably attacked daily. On seven overnight visits to mist-net Sand Martins we have never failed to see a Hobby attack one of the various colonies at sunrise when Sand Martins were leaving the burrows, having roosted overnight inside them. As with the attacks on Swifts and House Martins, the Hobbies approach the cliff face from below and sweep up from about a metre above ground level in an attempt to catch the Sand Martins as they leave their burrows. We have not observed Hobbies catching prey over open ground but have seen birds flying at low levels, which suggests that they are trying to flush birds up from the ground.

When Hobbies first arrive in this country from their winter quarters in Africa, they can often be seen feeding over water. The Ouse Valley attracts many birds during May and early June. As insects begin to emerge, Hobbies can be seen feeding along the entire length of the valley, from Paxton gravel­pits to the Ouse Washes. Often, four or five birds can be seen simultaneously. They catch insects with their talons and can been seen passing the prey to their beaks while in flight. Usually, it is impossible to determine what prey is being taken. However, we have observed them feeding on mayflies and in June the Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly Orthetrum cancellatum is taken in large numbers. Dragonflies feature in the diet over the remainder of the summer too, as different species become available. Away from water areas our observations of insect-feeding are less frequent, at least until late summer. We have seen Hobbies feeding over rape fields, nearly always when the air temperatures are high. We have also seen them feeding over the tops of some local woods such as Madingley Wood in midsummer.

Essentially, Hobbies are insectivorous raptors. However, during the breeding period, when the female is engaged in full-time nest attendance, the male has to provide her with most of her food. To deliver insects would be expensive of energy for the smaller male, and it therefore makes sense to deliver a large meal in the form of bird prey. The male can continue to feed on insects and probably does so while out on hunting forays for the female. When the chicks hatch, the male has to deliver more bird prey whilst the female broods the young chicks. As the chicks grow, the female starts to catch insects again but does not leave the vicinity of the nesting area. When the chicks fledge, they remain dependent on the parents for at least two or three weeks (Newton, 1979). When they first fledge, they remain close to the nest-site, and during this period we have observed young Hobbies on the ground at two locations. Owing to the distance from which our observations were made, it was not possible to determine whether the chicks were feeding on grounded insects, but it does seem possible that they develop some of their initial handling skills in such a way. During thiS period we have observed juvenile Hobbies feeding on insects, usually dragonflies, either the Common Darter or the Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta. This latter species is now very abundant in Cambridgeshire, and during late August and September it can occur in large numbers away from open water. We have often observed juvenile Hobbies feeding on this

6

gregarious species, usually in the shade of a hedge or woodland, as the insects congregate away from the prevailing wind. At Godmanchester gravel-pits during the autumn of 1994, Hobbies (possibly a family party) were regularly seen hunting dragonflies from late August until 23 September.

The influence of new water bodies Prince & Clarke (1993) suggested that increased abundance and expansion in

range of several species of dragonflies are a major factor in improving the survival of juvenile Hobbies and so in eventually providing an adult population capable of range expansion. We argued that the huge extension of inland water­masses through the creation of reservoirs and gravel-pits in centr~ and eastern England has provided a food source during the fledgling period, when juvenile Hobbies are unlikely to be able to catch birds but instead rely on insect prey, especially the Common Darter and the recent colonist, the Migrant Hawker.

Proposed research of interest to extraction and water industries The increase in the Hobby, a popular and elegant small falcon, appears to be

an exciting indicator of the wildlife benefits of new water bodies. Detailed investigation of our theory is planned under the research programme of the Hawk and Owl Trust (Registered Charity No. 259359). Funds are urgently sought by the Trust to put a biologist in the field and give the subject the depth of study that it merits. The Trust can be contacted c/o Zoological Soc;iety of London, Regent's Park, London NWl 4RY or via Roger Clarke, New Hythe House, Reach, Cambridge CBS OJQ (Telephone/fax: 01638 742447).

Acknowledgements We thank Linda Capper, Mick Whitehouse, Nancy Harrison and Dirk Briggs

for help with our field observations, Redland Aggregates for allowing us to visit many of their gravel-pits and the Cambridge Bird Club for access to its Hobby records.

References Bircham, P.M.M., Rathmell, J.C.A., & Jordan, W.J. (1994). An Atlas of the Breeding Birds

of Cambridgeshire. Cambridge Bird Club, Cambridge. Fiuczynsld, D., & Nethersole-Thompson, D. (1980). Hobby studies in England and

Germany. British Birds, 73: 275-295. · Fuller, R.J., Baker, J.K., Morgan, R.A., Scroggs, R., & Wright, M. (1985). Breeding

populations of the Hobby Falco subbuteo on farmland in the southern Midlands of England. Ibis, 127: 510-516.

Newton, I. (1979). Population Ecology of Raptors. Poyser, Berkhamsted. Parr, S.J. (1985). The breeding ecology and diet of the Hobby Falco subbuteo in southern

England. Ibis, 127: 60-73. Parr, S.J. (1994). Population changes of breeding Hobbies Falco subbuteo in Britain. Bird

Study, 41: 131-135. Prince, P., & Clarke, R. (1993). The Hobby's breeding range in Britain. What factors have

allowed it to expand? British Wildlife, 4: 341-346. Simson, C. (1966). A Bird Overhead. Witherby, London. Wingfield Gibbons, D., Reid, J.B ., & Chapman, R.A. (1993). The New Atlas of Breeding

Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991. Poyser, London. Walpole-Bond, J. (1914). Field Studies of some Rarer British Birds. Witherby, London.

7

The Cambridgeshire Dragonfly Survey 1991-1993

Val Perrin & Ian Johnson

Introduction Recent years have seen an upsurge of interest in Odonata throughout Britain.

Research and field excursions to study dragonflies are increasing all the time, and membership of the British Dragonfly Survey is now over 1,300. In addition, published surveys of Odonata have appeared for several counties or regions, including Dorset, Cheshire, Essex, the Bristol region, W orcestershire, Norfolk and, most recently, Suffolk. A national Odonata Recording Scheme (ORS), co-ordinated by the Biological Records Centre (BRC) at Monks Wood, has been running for a number of years to identify key sites and establish proof of species breeding. An atlas of the data from this scheme is due for publication in the near future.

Former dragonfly records Historically, there have been few reviews of dragonflies in Cambridgeshire.

In the last century, the Revd Leonard Jenyns, a local parson with an interest in natural history, provided only one brief mention of dragonflies in his diary but no species names (Jenyns, 1846). Another local parson, the Revd F.A. Walker, writing on the flora and fauna of Dry Drayton parish (Walker, 1876), cited just four species, Aeshna cyanea, Libellula depressa, Calopteryx virgo and Coenagrion pulchellum. Marr & Shipley's Handbook to the Natural History of Cambridgeshire records a total of 23 species, including such rarities as Aeshna isosceles, Sympetrum danae (scoticum), Lestes dryas, Ischnura pumilio and Ceriagrion (Pyrrhosoma) tenellum (Morton, 1904). Lucas (1925, 1928) also gives localities in Cambridgeshire for 23 species. The Victoria County History, published in 1938, lists 25 species as having definitely been seen in the county (Imms, 1938). This list includes Erythromma najas and Aeshna mixta, which were not included by Marr & Shipley. However, at that time, no sightings had been made for many years of Ceriagrion tenellum (formerly found at Gamlingay and at Wicken and Chippenham Fens), Lestes dryas (formerly at Thomey), Ischnura pumilio (formerly at Gamlingay) or Sympetrum danae (formerly at Gamlingay, Knarr Fen and Thomey and at Wicken Fen in 1926). Hammond's (1983) distribution maps show Cambridgeshire records available at the time that his book was published. More recently, the rates of colonisation of new ponds by dragonflies at Bar Hill and Woodwalton Fen have been recorded (Moore, 1990, 1991).

Dramatic changes to the Cambridgeshire countryside have taken place during the last 50 years, and wetlands in particular have suffered greatly on account of drainage, nutrient enrichment from agricultural practice, and pollution. On the other hand, a number of large lakes have been created in the county as the result of gravel extraction.

Since no comprehensive survey of Odonata had previously been undertaken in the county, in 1991 it was decided to conduct the present survey with a view to discovering as much information as possible about the occurrence and distribution of species within the county.

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Methodology The aim of the Cambridgeshire Dragonfly Survey was to map, in as much

detail as possible, the distribution of all species of dragonflies and damselflies which occur in v.c. 29 ('old' Cambridgeshire). As well as being worthy targets for conservation in their own right on account of their threatened status, Odonata are valuable environmental indicators. The presence of particular species or assemblages of species at wetland sites helps to determine the importance of those sites in conservation terms. Evidence of proof of breeding, especially of uncommon species, was also encouraged as one of the survey's aims.

Because of manpower resources and the fact that the survey was to be conducted over three years, it was decided to map the distribution of each species on a tetrad (four 1-km squares) basis. Only one record of each species in any tetrad was required to establish the presence of that species there. In order to maximise efficiency, each recorder was encouraged to adopt one or more 10-km squares in which to concentrate his or her recording efforts. Although records from all habitats were welcomed, fieldwork was targeted principally towards ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, dykes and ditches, particularly those with emergent vegetation or bankside vegetation. Recorders were asked to try to cover as many tetrads as possible during their time available, rather than to spend an undue amount of time in one tetrad compiling an exhaustive species list. Recording activity was carried out from April to October, ideally on warm, sunny and still days around the middle part of the day. A simple identification guide with line drawings was made available to assist recorders, and meetings were held annually in late winter or early spring, both to plan strategy and to provide feedback on the progress of the survey.

A special survey form was designed, on which details of recorder's name, date, species, place, tetrad, O.S. grid reference and additional comments such as observed breeding were recorded. It was recommended that field data should be recorded in a notebook initially and later transcribed to the recording forms, grouped together by 10-km squares to facilitate data-processing. All the forms were returned to Ian Johnson, then the Wildlife Trust's Conservation Officer, at the end of each season, when data were extracted to produce individual species distribution and overall coverage maps. Copies of the data were sent to the regional dragonfly recorder for the ORS.

All data from the survey have also been entered onto a computer, using Levana software (Speckle Wood Software, Marcham, Abingdon, Oxon), which will enable much greater use and flexibility of the data for the future.

Results Twenty-four recorders contributed data to the survey over the period 1991-

1993. Coverage of v.c. 29 is as shown in Figure 1; 251 tetrads were surveyed. This represents 38% coverage (total 666 tetrads). Although this seems low in relation to the total area of the county, most of the major water bodies (Figure 2) have been surveyed during this period. Areas such as the south-east and extreme south-west of the county are comparatively 'dry', and recording effort was rightly concentrated on the important wetland areas elsewhere as being more productive. Only five surveyed tetrads were reported to have no species recorded in them.

9

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Figure 2: Major rivers and SSSI wetlands in v.c. 29

One important factor limiting the amount of coverage was the weather. During the period of the survey, drought conditions persisted over many parts of the country during the summers 1991 and 1992 and smaller water bodies dried up. Weather in 1991 was predominantly cool and dull until late August and September, when it became anticyclonic, fme and warm. By contrast, in 1992, settled and warm weather was the keynote for May and the latter parts of June and July, although much of August and September was wet, changeable and cool. The most recent year, 1993, was very unsettled, with few prolonged spells of ideal dragonfly weather. Weather patterns have obviously curtail~d opportunities for recording in what is a comparatively short season for adult dragonflies.

During the period of the survey, a total of 19 species ·of Odonata (11 dragonfly and eight damselfly species) have been recorded for the old county (Table 1). This represents about half the British list. It is not possible within the scope of this article to detail the full results of the survey; the more interesting and important fmdings will therefore be highlighted.

Table 1: Species of Odonata recorded in 'old' Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29) 1991-1993

Species

Damselflies Ischnura elegans Enallagma cyathigerum Coenagrion puella Lestes sponsa Erythromma najas Calopteryx splendens Pyrrhosoma nymphula Coenagrion pulchellum

Dragonflies Sympetrum striolatum Sympetrum sanguineum Aeshna grandis Aeshna mixta Orthetrum cancellatum Aeshna cyanea libellula quadrimaculata Anax imperator Brachytron pratense Libellula depressa Libellula fulva

No. of tetrads in which present

183 149 95 83 75 53 22 17

147 120 116 102 84 69 66 52 25 19 14

%age of surveyed tetrads

73% 59% 38% 33% 30% 21% 9% 7%

59% 48% 46% 41% 33% 27% 26% 21% 10% 8% 6%

The most abundant and widespread species was Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans , recorded in 183 tetrads (73% of those surveyed). This is as expected and in keeping with its distribution in most parts of lowland Britain.

11

It is the most pollution-tolerant odonate in Britain (Hammond, 1983) and was found on even the smallest ditches, drains and ponds, frequently as the only species present. The Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum is also found throughout the county in all areas, and both this and the previous species have probably always been widely distributed (e.g. Fryer, 1938).

By contrast, the Coenagrion species are much less common. The Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella was found in only 38% of the survey area, but it is a common garden pond species and for this reason may have been under­recorded in the survey since few records came from such sites. Its much scarcer cousin, the Variable Damselfly C. pulchellum, is a very localised species throughout Britain. In Cambridgeshire this also holds true (Figure 3). Here it is confined largely to sites such as the Ouse Washes, the Forty Foot Drain, Quy Fen and Wicken Fen. However, where it occurs it can be surprisingly abundant and is often the commonest blue damselfly early in the season. It prefers dense vegetation bordering the water body on which it breeds, which can be either still or slow-flowing water. There are old records in the BRC from many other sites in the county, including the Cambridge area and the Ouse at Ely and Littleport, where it is absent today.

Provided that there is floating vegetation such as water-lilies (Nymphaeaceae) or pondweeds Potamogeton spp. on rivers or lakes, to supply perching and display sites for the males, the Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas is usually found. Old records show this species as widespread throughout Cambridgeshire. The present survey revealed most records to be from the River Ouse, Ouse Washes and Wicken areas, but even isolated sites in the Fenland rivers in the north of the county harbour this species, ·as well as flooded gravel-pits. One record came from a garden pond.

The elegant Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens is found over the southern part of the county, along the River Cam and its tributaries, and also along the River Ouse (Figure 4), where the males' fluttering display flight is very noticeable in spring. This species requires slow-flowing rivers with muddy substrates, as well as tallish bankside vegetation. It is rarely seen away from running water. Most Fenland river banks are denuded of any appreciable plant cover, and this could be one reason for the absence of the species north of the Ouse Washes. Records for this century at the BRC are in accordance with the present distribution, but there are two older records (1893 and 1900) from Thomey Dyke in the Fens.

One surprising fmding from the survey was the relative scarcity of the Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Traditionally regarded as one of Britain's commonest species, as well as being the ftrst on the wing each season, this damselfly's records in Cambridgeshire were very scattered (only 9% of tetrads surveyed) and often only of singletons, making it one of the county's rarest zygopterans. Why this should be so is unknown, but it was formerly far more widespread (Fryer, 1938). It is more common at Wicken Fen than elsewhere. Evidence of breeding is needed from other sites in the county.

Of the dragonflies, the Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum was the most common species, being found throughout the county, frequently well away from water and even in arable habitats. Its congener, the Ruddy Darter S. sanguineum, was found to be almost as common, and it often shared the same localities. This species may be distinguished from the former by the

12

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blood-red colour of the male abdomen, which is more 'waisted', and by the all-black legs. Often thought of as uncommon (Hammond, 1983; McGeeney, 1986), S. sanguineum was found in almost half of all surveyed tetrads and proved particularly well-established and abundant throughout Fenland (Figure 5). It was present in all good-quality dragonfly habitats and even at some garden ponds. However, its former distribution in the county was more widespread, particularly in the south-east. Records at the BRC mention Cambridge Sewage Farm, Chesterton, Fen Ditton, Waterbeach, Fulbourn Fen and Hildersham for the period 1938-1959.

The aeshnids were found to be common and widely distributed, both in aquatic and dry habitats, throughout the season. The Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis and Southern Hawker A. cyanea usually occurred singly, but the Migrant Hawker A. mixta was sometimes seen in feeding flocks in late summer, particularly along hedge- or tree-lines where insect prey was concentrated. This species was found all along the Ouse Washes and was also well-recorded in Cambridge from gardens, particularly in the first year of the survey. It is a highly mobile dragonfly, once considered to be only an immigrant from the Mediterranean to southern Britain (Hammond, 1983). County records at the BRC date only from 1960, although there is an earlier record from Wicken Fen (Fryer, 1938). Recently it has undergone a considerable range expansion northwards, with breeding now firmly established in this country.

Another species that is presumably on the increase is the Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum. Historically, records are few, dating only from the latter part of this century. Fryer (1938) recorded it from "Bottisham Park and occasionally elsewhere. No records for many years". It is a good colonist of newly-created water habitats such as flooded and worked-out gravel-pits. Although not especially numerous overall, this dragonfly was found along many rivers in all parts of the county, as well as on large ponds, lakes and gravel-pits. On the newer pits it was often conspicuous as the main species, the males being fond of basking on bare ground.

The Four-spotted Chaser libellula quadrimaculata was recorded widely. The form praenubila was very evident in some localities during 1993. In contrast, another libellulid, the Broad-bodied Chaser L. depressa, is on the edge of its range here (Hammond, 1983) and also proved uncommon during the survey, being seen in only 8% of recorded tetrads (Figure 6). This is possibly an under-estimate, since the species is frequently associated with garden ponds and these were not well-covered during the survey. On the other hand, L. depressa may have declined owing to the loss of farm ponds and the unsuitability of village ponds where these occur. It is noteworthy, therefore, that 40% of the present records came from garden ponds; in fact this was the only type of site for the species in north Cambridgeshire. There are scattered records from earlier this century at the BRC from the Nene Washes in the north to Fowlmere RSPB reserve in the south and from Swavesey in the west to Great Widgham Wood in the extreme east This species does occur sometimes in old woodland; two females were seen in Eversden Wood in May 1992.

The third libellulid, the Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva , is a Category 3 Red Data Book species (found in 15 or fewer 10-km squares nationally: Shirt, 1987) and is probably Cambridgeshire 's most important dragonfly.

14

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It is confined mainly to the River Ouse and adjacent well-vegetated old gravel-pits in the St Ives area. During the survey isolated individuals were also reported from the Forty Foot Drain and the Cam Washes near Upware (Figure 7). These sites are linked by rivers to the Ouse and are further evidence of L. fulva's known ability to disperse widely. Indeed, it often occurs at Monks Wood and has recently been recorded on the edge of the RSPB reserve on the Nene Washes; a thriving colony exists on Great Raveley Drain at Woodwalton Fen (N.W. Moore, pers. comm.). There were also good numbers of L. fulva breeding on the Ouse Washes in 1993.

Another interesting species, which may have undergone some re-expansion during recent years but is still by no means common, is the Hairy Dragonfly Brachytron pratense. This is usually one of the earliest dragonflies on the wing, the males flying low down, in and out of bankside vegetation. During the survey it was found on some large ponds and lakes, as well as in riverine habitats, at scattered sites in central Cambridgeshire (Figure 8). These included some lakes and old gravel-pits in the River Ouse valley, certain stretches of the Ouse Washes, and the Wicken Fen area. Records were confmed to clean-water sites with emergent and floating vegetation, as well as bankside cover with trees. Breeding was confirmed in at least one non-protected site.

The largest of our dragonflies, the Emperor Ana.x imperator, was found at many clean-water sites, where it was the dominant species, single males holding large territories and aggressively chasing off other dragonflies. Although not very numerous in the northern parts of the county, it could be found on high-quality sites isolated in vast areas of arable land. It was found mainly on lakes but bred even on larger garden ponds in the southern part of the county. This is another species on the edge of its range in Cambridgeshire (Hammond, 1983) which appears to be increasing.

Provided that water quality is maintained at key breeding sites and sympathetic habitat management is carried out, it is hoped that the present species list will not be impoverished. Indeed it is even possible that it may be increased, since some species formerly found in the county may yet recolonise suitable localities or may have been overlooked during the survey.

Discussion: the future The present survey is but a start in discovering the dragonfly riches of the

county. It is intended to act as a stimulus for further work. There is considerable scope for advancement of our knowledge, not just in mapping the occurrence and abundance of Odonata but in determining their habitat requirements. In turn this will lead to a better understanding of those county sites that are important for Odonata in conservation terms and allow management of key sites to take proper account of these insects. Regular population monitoring and studies of the biology of certain species at key sites (and elsewhere) will further this aim, and there is unlimited opportunity for further innovative work in this regard.

It is recognised that there are limitations to the survey as it stands. County coverage is not complete and to some extent reflects recorder effort together with the availability of optimum weather for recording during the flight periods of the adult insects. For this reason the present results are to be considered provisional. Adoption of the tetrad basis for records inevitably coarsens the

16

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detail of distribution, but, as dragonflies are highly mobile creatures and range in some cases over considerable distances, tetrad recording in itself is not as important as identifying ideal dragonfly habitat and confirming proof of breeding. A great deal more work is needed on this latter aspect, and out-of­season work could continue with searching for larvae at important sites.

The best sites for dragonflies within Cambridgeshire have proved to be Wicken Fen, the Ouse Washes and the Fen Drayton complex (River Ouse and adjacent gravel-pits). These sites each hold 18-19 species. It is fortunate that both Wicken Fen and the Ouse Washes are already protected as nature reserves, but some water bodies adjacent to the latter, such as parts of the Forty Foot Drain, also hold rich assemblages of species, including relative rarities such as Coenagrion pulchellum and Brachytron pratense, and these places enjoy no special protection at present; nor does the Fen Drayton area. Traditionally, the insects of Wicken Fen have always been well recorded (e.g. Lucas, 1925, 1928), and, since this site, now a National Nature Reserve, is one of our premier wetlands, it is not surprising that dragonflies do well there. Formerly there were also records for Common Hawker Aeshna juncea, Black Darter Sympetrum danae and Small Red Damselfly Ceriagrion tenellum at Wicken (Fryer, 1938). Such species prefer acid wetland sites, and this habitat is all but absent in Cambridgeshire today.

There are, however, three damselfly species that were once recorded in v.c. 29 and may yet be rediscovered. One of these is the White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes, not recorded in the present survey despite special searches for it in 1993. Nevertheless it is present just outside v.c. 29 along the River Ouse at Little Paxton (old Hunts) and in Bedfordshire. A further record dates from 1984 for the Ouse Washes (BRC). Its preferred habitat is muddy rivers with plenty of lush vegetation along the banks, and it is probably only a matter of time before it is discovered in v.c. 29, although it can already be considered part of the odonate fauna of the 'new' county.

Likewise, another 'over-the-border' damselfly species which was recorded here previously is the Scarce Emerald Lestes dryas. It is found in the pingos of Breckland at places such as Thompson Common, Norfolk. Being notoriously difficult to differentiate from its more common cousin, L. sponsa, it is possible that it may have been overlooked, since L. dryas colonies have recently been discovered at a number of new sites in south-east England. The third species which may be rediscovered is the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura pumilio. In recent years this species seems to have undergone an easterly expansion of its range (Cham, 1993) and it is known to colonise bare seepages in temporary habitats such as old chalk quarries. It will thus be worth observing suitable habitat in Cambridgeshire in the future in case this species turns up.

Recording will therefore be encouraged to continue, particularly by those who have already participated in the survey. The geographical area for recording will now be extended to cover the present county of Cambridgeshire, and all dragonfly records will be welcomed from anywhere within the county. 'They should be sent to Dr Val Perrin at 12 The Crescent, Impington, Cambridge, CB4 4NY (Tel. 01223 233690), from whom copies of the survey form can be obtained. An appeal for garden pond sightings was launched via the Wildlife Trust in 1994. We hope that this will tum up additional records

18

from those parts of the county otherwise considered unsuitable for dragonflies. In fact garden ponds are proof of the importance of habitat creation for Odonata in Cambridgeshire and indeed anywhere (British Dragonfly Society, 1993). One notable large pond in Swavesey, constructed in 1983, has already had 18 species recorded, 14 of them breeding (N.W. Moore, pers. carom.). It is intended to publish the full results of the continuing survey of 'new' Cambridgeshire to act as a stimulus for further recording.

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank all those recorders who have contributed to the

results of the survey, without whom the project would not have been possible. Thanks also go to the Biological Records Centre at Monks Wood for supplying a print-out of data which provided many historical records of Odonata in the county and to Dr Norman Moore for kindly reviewing the manuscript. The dragonfly records and major rivers and SSSI wetlands are plotted on a base map kindly provided by Mrs Gigi Crompton and Tim Bennett.

References British Dragonfly Society (1993). Dig a pond for dragonflies. British Dragonfly Society

booklet. Cham, S. (1993). Further observations on generation time and maturation of Ischnura

pumilio with notes on a mark- recapture programme. Journal of the British Dragonfly Society, 9: 40--46.

Hammond, C.O. (1983). The Dragonflies of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd ed.). Harley Books, Great Horkesley, Essex. ·

Imms, A.D. (1938). Odonata. In: The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, ed. by L.F. Salzman, Vol. 1, 92-93. Oxford University Press, OXford.

Jenyns, L. (1846). Observations in Natural History. VanVoorst, London. Lucas, W.J. (1925). Insects of the Natural Orders Orthoptera, Paraneuroptera and Neuroptera

In: The Natural History of Wicken Fen, ed. by J.S. Gardiner, Vol. 2, 65-86. Bowes & Bowes, Cambridge.

Lucas, W.J. (1928). Further notes on the Orthoptera, Paraneuroptera, Neuroptera, etc. of Wicken Fen. In: The Natural History ofWicken Fen, ed. by J.S. Gardiner, Vol. 4, 329-333. Bowes & Bowes, Cambridge.

McGeeney, A. (1986). A Complete Guide to British Dragonflies. Jonathan Cape, London. Moore, N.W. (1990). From arable farm to new town: changes in flora and fauna during the

development of Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire, from 1966 to 1988. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 32: 27-58.

Moore, N.W. (1991). The development of dragonfly communities and the consequences of territorial behaviour: a 27-year study on small ponds at Woodwalton Fen, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Odonatologica, 20:203-231.

Morton, K.J. (1904). The Neuroptera of Cambridgeshire. In: Handbook to the Natural History of Cambridgeshire, ed. by J .E. Marr & A.E. Shipley, 145- 149. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Shirt, D.B., ed. (1987). British Red Data Books: 2. Insects. Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough.

Walker, F.A. (1876). A History of the Parish of Dry Drayton. Newman, London.

19

Rotifers of Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire: a preliminary survey

Rosalind M. Pontin

Introduction Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve contains a wide range of water bodies

created over the past four centuries in a variety of ways and for various different purposes. These include the lodes, which bring water from chalk uplands to the River Cam and are in part still navigable for pleasure craft, brickpits dug in the 19th century to extract Gault clay, drainage ditches and dykes, and modern ponds and peat-diggings (Rowell, 1982, 1986; Lock & Bennett, 1993). Many of these water bodies are subjected to periodic clearance of detritus in order to maintain open water and early hydroseral communities (Friday, 1994).

Investigation Collections of microfauna were made on five occasions- April 1992 and

1994, June 1993, July 1992 and September 1993. The sample sites are shown in Figure 1 together with the names and numbers by which the water bodies are known in the Wicken Fen recording scheme. Qualitative samples were taken with fine-mesh nets (pore size 50 ~). and pH and conductivity were measured with Whatman microsensors, except in April 1994 when pH was measured with Merck strips. Thick beds of Common Reed Phragmites australis surround some water bodies, for example the brickpits. Where these are left standing, collection is difficult, but the practice of cutting some reeds, as at the windpump brickpits (2b and 2c on Figure 1), makes access much easier. Macrophytes such as Yellow and White Water -lilies Nuphar lute a and Nymphae a alba, Rigid Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum and Water-violet Hottonia palustris were sampled where possible, for example in Wicken Lode (1a) and Windpump Ditch by the garden (0). Some ditches contain a mass of filamentous algae (6) or Ivy-leaved Duckweed Lemna trisulca (5).

Table 1 shows the rotifers found, identified to species wherever possible. Other microfauna were identified to species, genus or group. Detailed tables of pH, conductivity and temperature and of rotifers and other microfauna for each sampling and for each water body are contained in a report for the National Trust to be found in the Fen archive.

Discussion Water levels in the Fen were fairly high during the sampling programme and

very high in April 1994. However, one shallow pool (4) was dry in July 1992 and September 1993 and the newer peat-digging was dry in September 1993. Since April 1992, when sampling began, two brickpits (2b, 2c) have been s1ubbed out and the newer peat-digging has been added to the water bodies on the Fen.

All the sites were alkaline (pH 7.5-8.7), and most had medium to high conductivity (480-1,000 JlS). In some cases, however, very high conductivity was recorded, for example 930-1,400 flS at one brickpit (2a), 1,830-3,000 JlS at the hide pond (3) and up to 1,600 JlS at the peat-diggings (6). In the case

20

of the hide pond, these high levels are presumably the consequence of bird droppings in and around the pond. Fresh peat-cutting perhaps releases stored nutrients.

The rotifer fauna of Wicken Fen is characteristic of alkaline waters. Indicator species suggested by Pontin & Langley (1993) for alkaline permanent lowland waters with high conductivity include Keratella cochlearis, K. quadrata and Synchaeta pectinata. K. quadrata and S. pectinata are present in most of the water bodies and K. cochlearis in the Lode. Up to four species of Notholca are in some of the water bodies, as well as Trichotria pocillum All require alkaline conditions.

These Notholca spp. are cold-stenothermal species, preferring the colder conditions of winter and spring; they were absent from the summer samples. Other species also exhibited seasonal preferences. While two species of Polyarthra were present in the spring, P. remata had largely replaced P. dolichoptera in the summer. Testudinella patina was present in summer and

Figure 1: Map of sampling sites

Key to sites 0 Ditch at garden (78d) 2c Bricl::pit 77d Ia Wicl::en Lode (dead end) 3 Hide pond (Engineers' lb Ditch at windpump (78d) Crater, 77e) 2a Bricl::pit 77b 4 Seasonal pool 2b Bricl::pit 77c 5 Gardiner's Ditch (9ld)

21

''" Seasonally Wet

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6a 6b 7, 8 9 10

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Old peat-digging New peat-digging Outer ditch of Mere (82a) Wicl::en Lode Adventurers' Fen ditch (82b)

Table 1: Rotifers recorded in Wicken Sedge Fen and Adventurers' Fen

Brachionus quadridentOJus (Hennann) KeraJella cochlearis (Gosse) KerOJella quadraJa (O.FM.) KeraJella testudo (Ebrb.) No tho lea acumina!a (Ebrb.) Notholcafolwcea (Ebrb.) Notholca labis Gosse Notholca squamula (O.FM.) Euchlanis dilataJa fonna lucksiclna (Hauer) Mytilina ventralis (Ebrb.) Lophocaris salpina Ehrb. Trichotria pocil/um (O.F.M.) Trichotria tetractis (Ebrb.) Colurel/a sp. Lepadella ovalis (O.F.M.) Lecane lunaris (Ebrb.) Lecane bulla (Gosse)

Proales sp. Cephalodella gibba (Ehrb.) Cepha/odella obvw Donner Cephalodel/a ventripes Dixon-Nuttall Triclwcerca sp. Gastropus sp. Ascomorpha ecaudis (Perty) Synchaeta oblonga Ehrb. Synchaeta pectinaL a Elub. Polyarthra dolichoptera ldelson Polyarthra remaJa (Skorikov) Asplanchna brightwelli Gosse Testudinella patina (Hermann) Filinia longiseta (Ebrb.) Collotheca ornaJa (Ehrb.) Rotariasp. Bdelloids

autumn but was not seen in spring. Filinia long is eta, Ascomorpha ecaudis and Asplanchna brightwelli were among those species present in spring and summer but not found in autumn samples. On the other hand, some species were present throughout the seasons sampled, occurring in most localities and often in large numbers. These included Keratella testudo, K. quadrata; Synchaeta pectinata and Euchlanis dilatata forma lucksiana.

For a rotifer-watcher, Wicken Lode is probably the single most interesting water body in the Fen. It contains a variety of macrophytes, such as Nuphar lutea, Nymphae a alba, Ceratophyllum demersum and Hottonia palustris. There was also a rich population of diatoms, desmids and other algae. In summer, blue-green algae were also present. Periphytic rotifer species, for example Euchlanis dilatata, Trichotria tetractis and T. pocillum, were present, together with planktonic species such as Polyarthra dolichoptera, Synchaeta pectinata and S. oblonga. In spring, all four freshwater species of Notholca, that is N. acuminata, N. labis, N. squamula and N. foliacea, were present (Figure 2). The microfauna! community of the Lode included copepods (calanoid, harpacticoid and cyclopoid types), ostracods and cladocerans, especially Daphnia longispina and Ceriodaphnia and Chydorus spp. There were also large numbers of the ciliate protozoan Stentor, together with annelid and nematode worms and insect larvae and nymphs.

The importance of the presence of different macrophytes to provide microhabitats for rotifers and other microfauna is also seen in the ditch (0) next to the demonstration garden at the William Thorpe Building. In April 1994, a bed of Hottonia palustris with Greater Bladderwort Utricularia vulgaris contained at least a dozen species of rotifers, with considerable numbers of Synchaeta. oblong a and Notholca acuminata, together with many micro­crustaceans and Chloeon dipterum (mayfly) nymphs. Immediately below water-lily leaves in the same ditch was a dense population of Daphnia longispina (Cladocera) and more C. dipterum nymphs and some rotifers.

22

The microflora of the ditches is also rich and includes fl.lamentous algae such as Spirogyra. There are a number of periphytic rotifers, such as Mytilina ventralis, Lecane lunaris and species of Cephalodella, together with cladocerans including Scapholebris mucronata and SiTrWcephalus vetulus. The protozoan Stentor was again present in large numbers, and there were many individuals of Vaginicola, a ciliate protozoan living in a transparent, vase-like case. The peat­diggings had particularly large populations of Chaoborus, the phantom larva of a dipteran fly, and of Daphnia longispina.

The ponds are rather different from each other: the three brickpits (2a, b, c) were last slubbed out in different years, the hide pond (3) is a bird roost, while another pool (4) is seasonal. The oldest brickpit (2a) had Filinia longiseta, which also occurred in the Lode. The more recently cleared pits (2b and 2c) contained large populations of Keratella testudo, K. quadrata, Polyarthra dolichoptera and (in the case of 2c) Daphnia longispina. Vaginicola was also abundant in the ponds.

The overall number of rotifer species is not particularly large, and the age of the Fen might have led one to expect rather more. It is possible that further work, especially on the fauna of the macrophytes, would yield more species. The thick undivided stems of reeds and rushes often do not seem to present the ideal conditions for periphytic communities. However, Ruth Newzella,

0.

'

N. squamula (dorsal view)

N. acuminata (dorsal view)

N. foliacea N. labis (ventral view) (ventral and lateral views)

Figure 2: Four species of Notholca from Wicken Lode (1 em= 70 J.lm)

23

working in Germany, has observed seasonally changing communities on the sterns of reeds (pers. comrn.). One may conclude that further work on the aquatic microfauna of the Fens is desirable.

Acknowledgements I wish to thank the National Trust for permission to collect at Wicken Fen

and for some financial assistance.

References Friday, L.E. (1994). Wicken Fen: the management of a nature reserve. In: A Manual of

HeriJage Management, ed. by R. Harrison, pp. 135-139. Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. Lock, J.M., & Bennett, T.J. (1993). New water bodies at Wicken Fen. Nature in

Cambridgeshire, No. 35: 25-28. Pontin, R.M., & Langley, J.J. (1993). The use of rotifer communities to provide a

preliminary national classification of small water bodies in England. Hydrobiologia , 255/256: 411-419.

Rowell, T.A. (1982). The origins of the Wicken Fen brickpits. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 25: 21-22.

Rowell. T.A. (1986). The history of drainage at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, England: a guide to ecological development Biological Conservatioll, 35: 111-142.

Introduction

Lower Wood, Weston Colville

Steve Boreham & Frances Applin

Lower Wood is situated approximately 0.5 krn north of Weston Green in the parish of Weston Colville in south-east Cambridgeshire, centred on TL 625528. The wood slopes gently towards the south-east, from a maximum elevation of about 111 rn O.D. It is underlain by chalky boulder clay, and consequently the soils are rather poorly drained. Precipitation is c. 600 rom each year, with a slight summer maximum. This area of ancient woodland has a piecemeal history stretching back some 400 years and is possibly a remnant of the primeval 'wildwood' dating from early post-glacial times. It comprises about nine hectares of mixed wet Ash- Field Maple woodland with an understorey of Hazel and a ground flora including Oxlips Primula elatior, Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis.

The characteristically diverse ground flora of ancient woodland results from complex relationships between factors such as soil type and topography and from established management practices. Ancient woods usually have a continuous history of coppicing from about 1,000 years ago until the Second World War, when many were cleared or became derelict. Coppicing has the effect of opening up tracts of the woodland floor to light and generally leads to a succession of woodland plants as the coppice matures. In Lower Wood, past management has created a mixture of standard and coppiced trees and several well-defined rides. This paper presents work on the soils and vegetation carried out in 1990 and 1991. Nomenclature of vascular plants follows Stace (1991).

24

History The Domesday Book (1086) records that there was enough woodland for

300 pigs in the parish of Weston Colville. The Victoria County History (Wright, 1978, p. 182) shows that in 1339 the Lord of the Manor offered for sale 15 acres of woodland for felling and that in the 1590s Weston Wood at the south-east end of the parish, covering 390 acres, was being felled. A manorial map of 1612 shows "Great Collvilles Wood" covering an area of some 67 acres. By 1778 the land was owned by John Hall and the wood had been bisected by a strip of pasture to create "Little Colvilles Wood" to the north and "Great Colvilles Wood" to the south. In 1828 these woods were still under the same ownership, but the names had been changed to "Little Covins Wood" (26 acres) and "Great Covins Wood" (46 acres). It is curious that by 1912 there had been further name changes. It appears that "Great Covins Wood" became "Lower Wood" (42 acres) and that, rather confusingly, neighbouring "Little Covins Wood" became "Great Covens Wood" (34 acres). In 1912 Lower Wood was sold by the Six Mile Bottom estate, and in 1936 it was cut for timber. Soon afterwards the eastern part was put under the plough. The wood was sold again in .1957. and in 1962 about half the wood was coppiced. A further strip at the southern end of the wood was converted to arable use in 1970, and more recently two small areas of the wood have been coppiced and replanted with Pedunculate Oak, Ash, Alder, Field Maple and willow (with little success) under a grant from the Forestry Comission. Over the past decade, various authors have made unpublished assessments of Lower Wood, leading to its purchase by the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust in 1990.

100m

17:'01 ,_ent eXIInt ol L;:] Lower Wood

~ Woodbank f;l Position of ~ L.:.J pollanl -~Woodbonk ~ ~and ditd1 ~ Oralnage ditch

' '·---

Woocland.,.. dea18d c. 1 51'70

- ------- ... __ _

Woo<t!Md area cleared c. 19-40

N

t

I I

I ------ , -- --_,

Figure 1: Map showing the physical features of Lower Wood

25

The woodbanks (Figure 1) presumably represent Saxon and medieval attempts to delimit and confine the wood and to protect it from browsing animals. The cessation of traditional management practices appears to have happened earlier than in some other ancient woods. Over the last two centuries Lower Wood has been planted with various conifers and broadleaved trees, used as a shooting covert, coppiced and cut for timber on the basis of changing economic circwnstances rather than any long-term plan. In addition, the eastern and southern boundaries have been truncated over the last 50 years and replaced by arable land. The previous and present extent of Lower Wood is shown in Figure 1.

N

t •

100m

D Sandy soil ''"''" Watershed

D Boulder-clay soli Contour

c Soli pit

' Auger transect

• Auger boring

Figure 2: Map showing the location of soil pits and auger borings and transects and the elevation, watershed and soil types of Lower Wood

26

Geology and soils Lower Wood lies on the northern margin of a boulder-clay plateau which

caps the chalk ridge in this area. It has a gentle south-east aspect, with slope­angles between 1° and 4°. The wood straddles a watershed on a spur in the upper valley of the River Stour (Figure 2). Although the majority of the wood occupies poorly drained soils developed on boulder clay, soils at the northern edge of the wood are known to be more sandy.

In this study, the soils were investigated by establishing four soil pits (Figure 2) in different parts of the wood. Each profl.le was described in detail, and samples were taken for various analyses (Figure 3). In addition, a series of auger borings was made, to form transects between the soil pits and also in other scattered localities, so that it was possible to map the sandy soil type (Figure 2). Samples from the soil pit profiles were analysed in the laboratory for pH and electrical conductivity by measuring a suspension of 50 g of soil in 100 cm3 of deionised water. Rackham (1975) notes that measurements of pH in situ usually give lower readings than those in the laboratory. In addition, the content of water, organic matter and carbonate were determined by loss-on­ignition analyses of 1 cm3 soil samples at 105°, 550° and 950°C respectively.

Soils of the type found in the Hanslope series (pits 1, 3 and 4) were based on partially weathered, gleyed boulder clay with abundant chalk pebbles, angular flints and occasional erratics. The gleyed B horizon passed into an oxidised and decalcified A horizon at the surface. However, pit 2 was based on o~dised sandy clay and passed into sandy loam at the surface. In addition, this soil profile was acidic throughout, in contrast to the boulder-clay soils, which, although acidic at the top, became alkaline with depth (Figure 3). Rootlet penetration was shallow at pits 1 and 3, but it was deeper at pits 2 and 4, probably owing to soil disturbance near the woodbanks. In general, the electrical conductivity (a measure of ionic solutes) and the content of water and organic matter decreased with depth, and the surface horizons were generally deficient in calcium carbonate. It is notable that soil pit 2 had a lower content of water and organic matter at the surface than the other pits. The sandy soil seen at pit 2 was found in auger borings along the northern edge of the wood and probably represents ancient wind-blown sands which overlie the boulder clay. Sandy soils are usually well drained, but, where they are underlain by boulder clay, they can become saturated, forming seepage lines at the surface which remain wet during the summer months. In contrast boulder-clay soils are usually poorly drained, often waterlogged in spring but dry in summer. It is well established that soil drainage is the major factor in determining not only physico-chemical characteristics but also ground vegetation types in ancient woodland (Rackham, 1975).

Trees and shrubs The distribution of woodland types and woodland structure in Lower Wood is somewhat complex and has been mapped in the field and from aerial photographs (Figure 4). Field observations and examination of tree girth data suggest that only Pedunculate Oak pollards on the woodbanks and standard Oaks in the western part of the wood survived the episode of timber-cutting in 1936. Most of the overgrown Ash coppice poles immediately postdate this event, although some areas were evidently coppiced in 1962 or more recently.

27

a b c d a 6 8 20010 ~ 5 20 0 10

10

Depth 20 (em) 30

40 50 Vegetation:

60 Maple-hazel-

70 hawthorn I

80 mercury

Depth 20 (em) 30

B Yolow-40 b"""",and)'

50 loom Vegetation: 60 :; Ash-maple/

70 ::···. B.CI!rovon mercury-bluebel

80 undy clay

a b c d e

0 ,., ~ !,_.,\ 0~1~~v~o 10 AA- ( ?

Depth . 20 • ~yloam

(em) • B Gloy.d 30 orange-

40 ! ". brown day .. -

50 : • B.C Gloy.d Vegetation: ·=: gray-brown 60 :; clay Ash-maple I

70 ~: mercury-bluebell

80 a b c d e

Soli It 4 4 6 8 20010 40 5 20 0 10

0 AD Groy..bro'Ml

10 .£lay loam

• A Brown clay

Depth 20 (em) 30

40

50 Vegetation:

60 : : Blc Gleyed Ash-oak-maple I

70 .. •• gray-brown mercury-bluebell

80 • • clay

Figure 3 : Soil pit profiles from Lower Wood, showing variations in pH (a), electrical conductivity in jJ.Scm·l (b), % water content (c), % loss­on-ignition (organic content) (d) and % carbonate content (e). The highest level in the profile containing visible chalk pebbles is marked by an arrow.

28

N

t

100m

D Ash-oak (closed canopy)

0 Ash-oak-maple (open canopy)

[] Ash-maple (open canopy)

~ Maple (closed canopy)

Q Blackthorn

~ Newly planted and coppiced

0 Grassland and rides

~ Maple-hazel-hawthorn (closed canopy)

Figure 4: Map of Lower Wood showing the distribution of woodland types and woodland structure

Woodland types range from a closed canopy of Oak- Ash, through more open Ash- Oak- Maple and Ash-Maple canopies with an understorey of coppiced Hazel, to dense Maple and Maple with a Hazel-Hawthorn understorey. The majority of these types are considered characteristic of wet clay soils (Peterken, 1981), particularly in eastern England (Rackham, 1980). In addition there are thickets of Blackthorn and rather open newly-planted and coppiced areas with some standard Ash and Maple trees. Within the wood there are two species of hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna and C. oxycanthoides, together with Rowan, Silver Birch, Beech and the occasional Norway Spruce remaining from 19th-century plantings. Along the rides and woodland edges there are Elder, Dog-rose, Crab Apple, willows, Ivy, Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, Traveller's-joy Clematis vitalba and Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana.

29

lllll r::n 8-'.1

El = 8

N

t

100m

Oxlips (Zone 2)

Bluebell (Zone 4)

Bluebell and Mercury (Zone 5)

G Nettles

m Rushes

D Grassland and rides

Mercury more abundant than Bluebell (Zone 6a)

Mercury (Zone 6)

Figure 5: Map of Lower Wood showing the distribution of the ground flora based on a system similar to that developed by Rackbam (1975)

Photographs of the canopy were taken in June 1991 at several locations within the wood with a camera fitted with a fish-eye lens. The resulting circular images were subjected to simple image analysis to give the percentage of sky obscured by the canopy. The densest canopy covered up to 60% of the total area, while in open woodland the figure was below 40%. More complex analyses involving seasonal variations of the sun's azimuthal track have not been attempted. Woodland shading is a complex issue, as explained, for example, by Rackham (1975) and Packham & Harding (1982). In Lower Wood, areas of heavy shade are often the result of a closed canopy from overgrowth of Ash and more rarely Field Maple or from a dense growth of underwood. Shading has a profound effect on both the ground flora and the understorey, forcing shrubs such as Hazel into a vegetative state.

30

Ground flora The ground flora of Lower Wood has been mapped (Figure 5) by using a

system similar to that developed for Hayley Wood (Rackham, 1975). Unlike Hayley Wood, Lower Wood has no broad plateau areas with extremely poor drainage. As a consequence, Rackham's Zone 1 ('Big Sedges') and Zone 3 {Oxlip-Bluebell) are absent Oxlips (Zone 2) are confined to ride edges, where local trampling impedes drainage and discourages the growth of Dog's Mercury. Elsewhere, Bluebells (Zone 4) mark out seasonally wet areas against woodbanks and around seepage lines, in contrast to the better drained slopes carpeted by Dog's Mercury (Zone 6). One small marshy area with abundant rushes remains wet all year, owing to a small spring. The glade and rides have a light-demanding flora, and the areas dominated by Common Nettle Urtica dioica must have been disturbed in the past

In the wooded Oxlip areas and wetter parts of the rides, the ground flora included Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, Common Figwort Scrophularia nodosa*, Nettle-leaved Bellflower Campanula trachelium, Wood Avens Geum urbanum, Barren Strawberry Potentilla sterilis*, Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans, Hairy Wood-rush Luzula pilosa, Bugle Ajuga reptans*, Common Dog­violet Viola riviniana, Marsh Thistle Cirsium palustre, Dewberry Rubus caesius* and Enchanter' s-nightshade Circaea lutetiana. In the drier Bluebell­Dog's Mercury woodland areas, Wood Speedwell Veronica montana, Greater and Lesser Burdock Arctium lappa and A. minus, Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium, Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum, Raspberry Rubus 'idaeus, Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris austriaca, Male-fern D. filix-mas, Rough Meadow-grass Poa trivialis, False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cleavers Galium aparine and Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea were recorded. The flora of the glade and rides included Wood-sedge Carex sylvatica, Remote Sedge C. remota*, Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus, Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa, Wood Dock Rumex sanguineus, Square-stalked St John's-wort Hypericum tetrapterum*, Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens, Lesser Celandine R. ficaria, Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris, Com Mint Mentha arvensis, Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca*, Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys, Water Avens Geum rivale* and its hybrid with Wood Avens, G. x intermedium. In addition, there are small patches of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula* and Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima. A number of these plants are claimed to be ancient woodland indicator species (Peterken, 1974), and these are indicated by an asterisk.

A survey of the ground vegetation was carried out in Lower Wood in June 1991. A number of 50 x 50 m areas were established throughout the wood and vegetation was recorded in 16 equally spaced 1 x 1 m quadrats in each area. Table 1 shows some results of this survey for areas near three of the soil pits. Area D was dominated by Dog's Mercury, which was accompanied by only two other species with a high proportion of bare ground. This area was under a dense canopy, with drier soils, providing a relatively unifonn habitat. In contrast, area B, in a Dog's Mercury-Bluebell area, had 14 taxa and little bare ground. The area had an open canopy and varied soil types, providing a mosaic of habitats. Areas A and C included Oxlip and had moderate species richness. These differences serve to illustrate the importance of variations in soil drainage and the effects of shading on the ground flora in an ancient woodland.

31

Table 1: The ground flora of four 50 x 50 m areas of Lower Wood from a vegetation survey undertaken in June 1991. In each area 16 quadrats of 1 x 1 m were surveyed; figures refer to the number of quadrats within an area in which each species occurred.

Area location

Trees and shrubs

Mean % bare ground

Arctium lappa Circaea lutetiana Deschampsia cespitosa Hyacinthoides non-scripta Filipendula ulmaria Galium aparine Geum urbanum Glechoma hederacea Hypericum tetrapterum Heracleum sphondylium Mercurialis perennis Poa trivialis Poten.tilla sterilis Primula elatior Ranunculus repens Rubus caesius Rumex sanguineus Cirsium palustre Urtica dioica Veronica chamaedrys

Number of species

A; near pit 1

Maple­Hazel­Hawthorn

15.9

3

13 1

1

2

9

Management of Lower Wood

B;near pit 2

C; south of D; between pit 3 pits 1 and 2

Ash-Maple Ash-Oak- Maple­Hazel­Hawthorn

5.6

2

3 4

2

10 1 1

13 3

2 3 3 1 8

14

Maple

35.9

2

1

1 2

8 2

2

1

9

26.1

16

2

3

After the purchase of Lower Wood by the Wildlife Trust, management attempting to maximise the structural variety present in the wood has begun. The management plan is based on the presumption that the wood is of a traditional Hazel- Ash coppice structure with standards, which is becoming derelict. The overgrowth of Ash has resulted in a thinning of the Hazel coppice, and the rides have also become overgrown and shaded. The aim is therefore to return 40% of the wood to coppice by 1998 and eventually to coppice about 70% of the wood and allow the remainder to become high forest by selective felling. The land immediately north-east of the main ride will be coppiced on an eight-year rotation and that to the south-west will have a 16-year rotation (Figure 6). It is planned to coppice a 0.25 ha block of woodland under

32

each regime every year. Within the coppice, large Ash standards will be cleared, leaving selected smaller standard trees. The cut logs may be sold as timber or stacked as 'habitat piles'. Areas with sparse coppice will be filled by natural regeneration, layering and planting. It is planned that unwanted growth will be thinned after 5-10 years. Hazel will be encouraged by extensive layering and, where this is not possible, it will be planted at a density of 12 per ha. New plantings will be kept free of competitive weeds by mulching or spot application of herbicide. Although it is known that damage from deer occurs, its extent is unclear. The management plan optimistically suggests that periodic pruning may help to maintain straight growth of deer-damaged trees.

N

t

100m

~ 8 year coppice with year first cut

~ 16 year coppice with year first cut

[] Uncoppiced high forest

~ Woodland-edge management

~ Ride-edge management

D Annual mowing of glade, pond and marsh

• Mowing of rides and herb-rich swards

Figure 6: Map of Lower Wood showing the intended management regime

33

The remaining woodland will be retained as high forest. This is an important structural type which requires less management and may represent considerable timber value. The pollard Pedunculate Oaks on the woodbanks will also require management in the future. It is planned that rides, woodland edges, the glade and the marshy area will be mown once a year in August and that the adjacent herb-rich swards will be cut on a 2-4-year rotation. In addition, woodland strips 5 m wide, flanking each ride, will be coppiced on a 6-8-year rotation. However, until full management of the surrounding woodland is in place, only well-vegetated ride sections will be mown annually. The eastern woodland edge will also be mown and coppiced at intervals.

The management plan has now been in operation for several years. Plots coppiced in 1990, 1991 and 1992 are showing regrowth of Hazel and Ash stools. It appears that Ash standards left in plots cut on the eight-year rotation are already partially shading the ground flora, which is dominated by an abundance of ferns, low-growing herbs and grasses. The 16-year rotation plots are more open, and a diverse tall-herb assemblage has developed. Some of the rides have been cleared and a network of new paths has been cut, allowing access to previously undisturbed parts of the wood.

Conclusions Traditional coppice management, to which the floral diversity of ancient

woodland is attributed, stopped perhaps a century ago in Lower Wood. The clear-felling, .occasional cutting and later coppicing and planting of the wood have provided enough niches for the ground flora to survive tenaciously despite the neglect and overgrowth. These activities have also left a structurally complex and varied woodland. The imposition of 'traditional' coppice rotations will undoubtedly encourage the ground flora and possibly re-create the appearance of Lower Wood as it was in centuries past. However, the character of Lower Wood as it is today will be lost, almost as if the events of the 20th century had not taken place. Whether this is entirely desirable is a matter for debate. This article is intended to put on record an outline of the history, current situation and future prospects of Lower Wood. If the Wildlife Trust's management plan for it is to succeed, it must be known and understood; to quote Rackham (1992), "an unpublished management plan will certainly fail"

References Packham, J.R., & Harding, DJ.L. (1982). Ecology of Woodland Processes. Edward Arnold,

London (Contemporary Biology series). Peterken, G. F. (1974). A method for assessing woodland flora for conservation using

indicator species. Biological Conservation, 6: 239-245. Peterken, G. F. (1981). Woodland conservation and management. Chapman & Hall, London. Rackham, 0. (1975). Hayley Wood. Its History and Ecology. Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely

Naturalists' Trust, Cambridge. Rackham, 0. (1980). Ancient woodland: its history, vegetation and uses in England. Edward

Arnold, London. Rackham, 0. (1992). Gamlingay Wood. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 34: 3-15. Stace, C.[A.] (1991). New Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press,

Cambridge. Wright, A.P.M., ed. (1978). The Victoria History of the Counties of England. A History of

the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely. Vol. 6. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

34

,.

Further localities for the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire

C.D. Preston & S.E. Yates

Introduction The distribution of the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire was

surveyed in 1991- 92 by a team of local botanists. A full list of all its known sites, past and present, was published in Nature in Cambridgeshire (Preston, 1993). The results of the Cambridgeshire survey were also incorporated into a report which summarised the distribution of all 254 nationally scarce plant species in Great Britain (Stewart et aL, 1994). The national project showed that P. elatior has been recorded as a native plant in 27 10-.km squares from 1970 onwards.

This paper includes a number of additional observations made in 1993. In writing up the results of the 1991-92 fieldwork we became aware of three sites where Oxlips had been recorded in the past but which had not been visited in the current survey. These were visited by Oxlip surveyors in 1993, and the results are reported in this note. We also visited a number of small woods which had not been surveyed earlier, as Oxlips had never been recorded from them. Small populations of Oxlips were found in some of these sites, and these results are also reported here. Finally a number of other miscellaneous observations are listed, including population size estimates for three sites where Oxlips had been recorded but not counted in 1991-92.

Since the 1993 paper was published, further information has come to light about the reliability of W.H. Coleman's Oxlip records. After leaving Cambridge in 1836, Coleman went to live in East Grinstead, where he recorded Primula elatior in a catalogue of the local flora as present in "woods and hedges, common" (Rich, 1994). East Grinstead lies well outside the range of the Oxlip, and Coleman's record provides support for the view that his records from Madingley Wood and nearby sites must be treated as dubious and even casts some doubt on his record from Westoe Park.

Results of the 1993 survey The format of the records follows that in the earlier paper. The sites are

listed in alphabetical order within the 10-.km squares of the national grid. The name of each site is followed by the parish in which it falls. Grid references of small sites or the 1-km squares in which the larger sites lie then follow (in brackets). All sites are in 100-km square 1L (52). The previous records of Oxlip at the site are briefly summarised; if no history is given, there are no earlier records. Localites which are listed by Robinson (1987) as ancient woods larger than two hectares are again marked with an obelus (t).

TL25 Eltisley Wood, Eltisley: The meadows N.E. of Eltisley Wood (2758, 2759) where

Oxlips formerly grew were checked by G. Crompton & R. Payne on 25.3.1993. They found that all the meadows had been ploughed except two, which had been 'improved' and held no Oxlips. For details of the Oxlip population within Eltisley Wood, see Preston (1993), p. 38.

35

11..35 Stinnage's Wood, Caldecote (3457, 3458): This site was visited on 25.3.1993 by

G. Crompton & R. Payne, who reported that the wood bad been newly replanted except at the edges. There were a few clumps of Primroses on the E. and S. sides, but no Oxlips. This agrees with the map published by Meyer & Meyer (1951), who classified it as a wood with Primroses but not Oxlips. This is the one wood in Cambridgeshire from which the hybrid P. elatior x P. vulgaris bas been recorded but P. elatior bas not. The hybrid was recorded once, by T.G. Tutin & E.F. Warburg in 1940. Dr 0 . Rackham (in /itt., 31.12.1991) wrote: "If the recorders were not so eminent I would wonder whether what they saw were not the odd-looking form which P. veris sometimes assumes in shade."

Toft Plantation, Toft (3557): J. Benfield, 29.3.1993, 26 clumps in one small area just S. of the centre of the wood; she also recorded a few Primroses in a comer of the wood. Tbe number of Oxlips may have increased since 1975, when 0. Rackham recorded four colonies, all growing within a few feet of each other.

11..54 Westoe Park, Castle Camps (5944): W.H. Coleman recorded Oxlips here in 1833- 35.

The area was not visited in 1991-92, but G. Crompton & C.D.P. searched for Oxlips here on 9.4.1993. We were unable to find them, and the woods at 598442 and 597444 bad no ancient-woodland indicator species.

11..64 Ash Plantation, West Wickham (6248): E. Norman & M.J. Stokes, 17.3.1993,

5 plants in and near ditch on N. side. Burton End, West Wickham (626496): C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1993, one· clump with

4 inflorescences in ditch bottom on W. side of footpath to Leys Wood. A single clump of Oxlips was seen here in 1991 but none could be found in 1992. The 1993 record shows that the species survives in this non-woodland site, but we cannot say whether the 1993 clump was the same as that seen two years earlier.

tLeys Wood, West Wickham (6249): E. Norman & M.J. Stokes, 6.4.1994, over 1,000 plants. This provides a population estimate for this wood, where Oxlips were recorded but not counted in 1991.

Northey Wood, Shudy Camps (6045, 6145): Both 1-km squares, E . Norman & M.J. Stokes, 6.4.1993, and C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 12.4.1993, CGE (Preston 93/5). This wood was surveyed independently by two pairs of observers in 1993, with almost identical results. Ox.lips were confmed to a linear strip along the northern edge of the wood, from 609456 to 610456, with 5- 10 plants in 6045 and c. 200 in 6145. They were growing with Arum maculatum, Geum urbanum, Mercurialis perennis, Viola odorata and V. reichenbachiana in an area which apparently lacked mature trees and where the scrub had recently been cut down. "Northey Wood" was first recorded in the 13th century (Wright, 1978); Wright implies that the current Northey Wood is a remnant of this ancient wood, but 19th-century maps suggest that there may not be a history of continuous tree cover in the current wood1. We have been unable to spend much time looking into the history of this wood and its relationship to the restricted distribution of Oxlips, which clearly merit further investigation.

t0ver Wood, West Wickham (6248, 6348): Both 1-km squares, E. Norman & M.J. Stokes, 17.3.1993 & 6.4.1993, over 500 plants present including c. 30 in 6248. Oxlips were recorded in 6348 in 1991 but not counted. E.N. & M.J.S. also reported one or two P. eliltior x P. veris hybrids between Over Wood and Ash Plantation.

36

Unnamed wood N.W. of Northey Wood, parcel no. 7477, Shudy Camps (607457): C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 12.4.1993, 10 plants in two groups of 5, one group in a ditch at the edge of the wood and the other in a ditch inside. 'Ibis area is shown as wooded in the 19th century!, and its history, like that of Northey Wood itself, requires further study.

tWhiten's Mere Grove, Castle Camps (6042): C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1993, c. 26 plants with Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Rubus sp. and Urtica dioica. There was also a single plant on the grassy bank which marks the county boundary c. 12m W. of the S.W. comer of the grove. Oxlips have not been recorded from Whiten's Mere Grove before, but the wood lies alongside the known population in Langley Wood.

Woolpack Grove, Castle Camps (6042, 6043): C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1994, 6 scattered plants in grass by track at 607429, one clump of c. 5 plants amongst dead Oak leaves on damp ground by stream at 608430 and 2 plants at edge of ride at 608431. Associated species at these sites included Anthriscus sylvestris, Arum maculatum, Galium aparine, Glechoma hederacea, Heracleum sphondylium, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis and Urtica dioica.

1L65 College Grove, Weston ColviUe (6351): 637517, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1993, a

single plant c. 20 metres E. of disused brick building near N. edge of wood, with G/echoma hederacea, Mercurialis perennis and Urtica dioica.

Horse Pastures, Weston ColviUe (6252, 6253): Both 1-km squares, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 10.4.1993, 80 plants seen (but wood not searched thoroughly) in isolated, dense groups of 5- 30 plants. This provides a record of Ox!ips in the interior of this secondary wood, which is surrounded on three sides by ancient and pelhaps primary woodland:

Kirtling-Woodditton boundary hedge 1 km S.E. of Parsonage Farm (6757, 6758): 677579- 679581, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 28.3.1993, CGE (Preston 93/3), c. 50 plants over a length of hedge nearly 300 metres long, growing on the bottom of the ditch where it is shallow and on the steep sides where it is deeper, with Arum maculatum, Hypericum hirsutum, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Mercurialis perennis, Rumex sanguineus and Urtica dioica but in places where there was much bare ground.

fLower Wood, Weston Colville (6252, 6253): Both 1-km squares, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 10.4.1993, 101-1,000 plants, but a careful survey might reveal over 1,000 plants. This provides a population estimate for this wood. There were also 5 Oxlips with a single Cowslip at 621529, on theN. side of the track leading from the wood to Weston Colville. There were over 50 Oxlips in grassland in an area of cleared woodland at the edge of the wood at the end of the main ride at 626527 and a plant on the top of the ditch-bank E. of the track running along the E. edge of the wood.

tLucy Wood, Kirtling (6856, 6857): Both 1-km squares, CD.P., 28.3.1993. Oxlips have previously been recorded in Lucy Wood, but only in 6856.

Spring Plantation, Weston Colville (6153): Oxlips were recorded here by W.H. Palmer in 1942 but could not be found by CD.P. in 1991. A further search of the N.E. part of the wood by C.D.P. & S.E.Y. on 10.4.1993 was also unsuccessful.

Toilyard Plantation, Kirtling (6857): 686570, C.D.P., 28.3.1993, a clump of c. 5 plants 9 m inside the S. edge of the wood, with Deschampsia cespitosa, Glechoma hederacea and Mercurialis perennis. This wood extends to the bridleway which runs between Lucy Wood and Toilyard Plantation, although the southern part is shown as scrub on the 1:25,000 map. The wood is clearly secondary: the area was unwooded in 18142. However, the Oxlips are only 14m from the nearest Oxlips in Lucy Wood to the south.

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Unnamed wood at Dukesley Hill, parcel no. 9436, Burrough Green (6454, 6554): 649543, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 10.4.1993, 4 small plants just E. of tbe widest part of tbe wood, growing witb Anemone nemorosa, Arum maculatum, Galium aparine, Gleclwma hederacea, Hedera helix, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis and Stachys sylvatica. A few Oxlips were found here by 0. Rackbam in 1969, but tbis wood was not visited in 1991-92.

Un.named wood S. of Common Road near Thoresby, parcel no. 0757, Weston Colville (6251, 6351): 631516, C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1993, a clump, probably of 2 plants, 15m south of tbe point where tbe stream running along tbis wood enters a culvert, growing witb Arum maculatum, Dactylis glomerata, Ga/ium aparine, Hedera helix, Mercurialis perennis and Ranunculus jicaria. This is a secondary wood: there was pasture on both sides of the stream here in 1828, although a single tree symbol on tbe map suggests tbe presence of one or more streamside trees3.

Unnamed wood S. of Parsonage Farm, parcel no. 0426, Woodditton (6658, 6758): 6758, P.H. Oswald & C.D.P .• 25.4.1993, c. 95 plants. One group of c. 15 Oxlips was discovered in tbis wood in 1992; two further groups of c. 50 and c. 30 plants were located in 1993. See also Preston (1993), pp. 46 and 49.

Whiting's Grove, Weston Colville (6351, 6352): C.D.P. & S.E.Y., 21.3.1993, a single plant witb Anemone nemorosa at tbe entrance to tbe wood at 632519 and 19 scattered in 6352 botb in Oak-Ash wood and under planted Beech. Associated species in 6352 included Anthriscus sylvestris, Arum maculatum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis and Orchis mascula.

Sites where Oxlips were searched for but not found Sites where Oxlips have been recorded before 1991 but not refound in 1991-

93 have already been listed. It may also be worth listing those woods where there are no previous records of Oxlips and where Oxlips were searched for but not found in 1991-93. 1L 25: The part of Waresley Wood in v.c. 29. 1L 35: Bucket Hill Plantation; Cobb's Wood; Lady Pastures Spinney. 1L 54: Bush Park; Hildersbam Wood. 1L 64: Crofts Wood; Meg's Wood on Harcamlow Way (603461). 1L 65: Carlton Grange; Carlton Grange New Wood; Kings Belt; Rupert's Wood; Sixpenny

Wood; The Grating Wood; The Severals and unnamed woods S. of Scarlett's Lane, West Wratting (6051); near Mill House, West Wratting (6051); N.W. ofFinchley Farm, Carlton (638518); opposite The Grating Wood (6858); on tbe bridleway in Kirtling (676574) and Woodditton (672577).

1L 75: Streamside woodS. of Upend (7057).

Some revised statistics The results of the 1993 survey do not provide any new 10-km square records

for Oxlips. They provide a record from one new parish in the county (Shudy Camps) and confmn its continued presence in a parish where it was recorded before 1991 (Toft). Oxlips have been seen as native plants in 29 parishes in 'old' Cambridgeshire during the current survey. There are earlier records from three more - Caxton and Madingley, where they are almost certainly extinct, and Linton, where they may yet be rediscovered in Borley Wood.

In 1993 Oxlips were discovered in a further 10 sites in Cambridgeshire and refound in two more places where they had been seen before 1991 but not

38

looked for in 1991-92. This brings the total number of Cambridgeshire sites in which Oxlips are thought to be native to 76. The plant has been seen in 68 (89%) of these from 1991 onwards, including 20 (26%) which were first placed on record in this period.

The estimated size of the Oxlip populations is shown in Table 1. In many cases these population estimates were based on rather brief visits and must be regarded as approximate. In some cases it is possible that a more detailed survey might reveal further plants and push the site into the next category. Nevertheless, it is clear that in West Cambridgeshire there are relatively few recorded Oxlip sites but that the sites tend to have large populations, whereas in East Cambridgeshire there are more sites with a much more even spread of population size.

Table 1: The estimated numbers of Oxlips Primula elatior in Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29) sites where it occurs as a native plant

WestCambs EastCambs Totals

Oxlips extinct 3 5 8

Population not estimated 0 2 2

1-10 plants 1 10 11

11- 100 plants 2 12 14

101-1,000 plants 1 18 19

Over 1,000 plants 12 10 22

Totals 19 57 76

Although the results of the 1993 survey were not included in the text of the previous paper, they were added to the map (Preston, 1993, Figure 2). This map is still an up-to-date summary of our knowledge of the distribution of Oxlips in the vice-county.

Discussion The discovery of Oxlips in the Kirtling- Woodditton boundary hedge is of

particular interest. This hedgerow runs north-east from a point which was formerly the south-east comer of Wood Ditton Hall Wood, most of which was grubbed up before 1860. We were unable to find Oxlips in the hedgerow and associated belt of scrub which marks the former southern boundary of the wood, although there is a colony of Allium ursinum 25 m long here. The Oxlips may represent a relict of a former population in Wood Ditton Hall Wood. There are no written records of Oxlips from this wood, but the unnamed wood with Oxlips south of Parsonage Farm may be a remnant of Hall Wood and there is even a possibility that the plants sent to Sowerby in 1798 for illustration in English Botany came from here (Preston, 1993, Note 1).

39

The other nine new Oxlip sites recorded in 1993 were all in woodland. They included four populations with fewer than 10 plants and a further four with 10-30 plants. These small populations raise the problem which was touched on two years ago (Preston, 1993, p. 53). What is their history? Are they relicts of larger populations, have they persisted as small populations for many years or are they recent colonists? We can only speculate, but in some cases it seems likely that the Oxlips are recent colonists. Although this is not a mobile species, there is some evidence that Oxlips are able to spread over short distances, as they have along the south edge of the Devil's Ditch (Preston, 1993, pp. 43 and 48). Some of the recently discovered populations may have spread from existing populations. This seems likely in the case of the small population in Toil yard Plantation, which is very close to the much larger population in Lucy Wood. Some of the other small populations are further from established populations, and one or two are in woods which are very unlikely places for Oxlips. The unnamed secondary wood south of Common Road, Weston Colville, for example, is a thin strip of Sycamore woodland along a stream, with Elm suckers, Blackthorn and Brambles. Although the Oxlip clump is 400 m from the nearest known Oxlip (in Whiting's Grove), it too seems likely to be a recent arrival.

In general, the results of the survey suggest that there may be a limited amount of dispersal of Oxlips in East Cambridgeshire, with individual plants very occasionally being transported (presumably as seed) to small woods or roadside verges. The seeds of Oxlip have no specialised adaptations for dispersal. It would be interesting to know if they could be carried on the feet of deer, which now pass regularly between these small woods. There ·were clear deer trails 350 m long linking Whiting's Grove and College Grove, for example, along the edge of an arable field above the ditch between these two woods.

The grazing of Oxlip inflorescences by deer was very apparent in the 1991- 92 survey; although it was evident in 1993, it appeared to be less severe. At Lower Wood, Weston Colville, for instance, many plants were flowering well on 10.4.1993, a great contrast to 14.4.1991 when all the inflorescences of plants seen by C.D.P. when walking through the wood had been eaten off. In the grassland area at 626527 Primula plants were found in 1991 but were not positively identified as all the inflorescences were eaten off; in 1993 they could be identified as Oxlips, as many were in full flower.

Acknowledgements We are very grateful to those recorders, named in the text above, who helped

to tie up the loose ends of the Oxlip survey and to the ever-helpful staff in the County Record Office and in the Cambridgeshire Collection of the County Library.

Notes In the following notes, the County Record Office, Cambridge, is abbreviated to CRO. 1. A map dated 1842 (CRO 124/P38) appears to show the southern half of the current

Northey Wood as unwooded whereas the northern half (and the area of the unnamed wood to the north-west where Oxlips were recorded in 1993) is marked by squiggles which presumably denote rough ground, scrub or woodland. An undated but pre-1858 map (CRO

40

124/P37) shows both halves of the current Northey Wood as unwooded, although a hedge runs along the northern edge (the area where Oxlips currently grow). This map also shows woods in the area to the north-west and a wood between this area and Northey Wood.

2. Kirtling Inclosure Award (CRO P101/26/1). 3. Map of John Hall's estate at Weston Colville, 1828 (CRO 124/P83 A & B).

References Meyer, H., & Meyer, D. (1951). The distribution of Primula elatior (L.) Hill. In: The study

of the distribution of British plants, ed. by J.E. Lousley, 80-81. Botanical Society of the British Isles, Oxford.

Preston, C.D. (1993). The distribution of the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 35: 29-60.

Rich, T.C.G., ed. (1994). W.H. Coleman's Flora of East Grinstead (1836). Sussex Botanical Recording Society, East Grinstead.

Robinson, D.F. (1987). Cambridgeshire inventory of ancient woodlands. Unpublished report prepared for the Nature Conservancy Council, Peterborough.

Stewart. A., Pearman, D.A., & Preston. C.D. (1994). Scarce Plants in Britain. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough.

Wright. A.P M., ed. (1978). The Victoria history of the counties of England. A history of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely. Vol. 6. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

The incidence of Lolium x boucheanum Kunth in Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29)

P.J.O. Trist

Introduction This grass is the interspecific hybrid between Perennial Rye-grass Lolium

perenne L. and Italian Rye-grass Lolium multijlorum Lam. There is complete interfertility between these two grasses, which may be found together and are widespread in diverse habitats. The hybrid plants can be seen with dehiscent anthers up to late in the autumn. There is good spherical pollen, which is plentiful and a large percentage of which is viable. In the detennination of hybrid grasses, an important character is generally the indehiscent anthers, which have little misshapen opaque pollen. In the case of L. x boucheanum we therefore lack a good character to detennine our specimen, which may therefore get discarded. This hybrid is probably becoming scarce in v.c. 29. My record shows that I have only seen it on nine occasions in the past 20 years.

Description of the hybrid This hybrid may be annual or a short-lived perennial and is more or less

intermediate between its parents in morphology. The culm may be erect or nodding, with branches at or near the base and further up the culm. Its height range of 30-50 em is similar to that of its parents. The blades are rolled in the young shoots, as in L. multijlorum. In some plants the leaves are thin and weak in structure.

41

The range of spikelet lengths is similar to that of the parents, 7-20 mm. In the hybrid there is much variation of length in the spikelets which occur on one plant, to the extent of 12-20 mm on a single spike. Some spikelets are widely spaced in the lower half of the culm and some are crowded towards the apex, as in the taxon Lolium perenne forma cristatum (Doell) Pers. Some plants with small spikelets and short awns can be dismissed as depauperate Lolium multiflorum. Spikelets may have awnless lemmas, some may have 2-3 lemmas awned, or all of the lemmas may have awns 1.5- 6.0(- 7.5) mm long. The awns are antrorsely scabrid, as in L. multijlorum. Both of the parents have only an upper glume on the lateral spikelets, with both upper and lower glumes present on the terminal spikelet This is the case in the hybrid also, in which the upper glume varies widely in length in the range (3.5-)5.0-8.5(-10) mm.

Discussion At one time Lolium multijlorum was common on farms with an arable unit,

where hay mixtures of this Italian Rye-grass and Red Clover Trifolium pratense formed part of the crop rotations. From the field the Lolium migrated to the road verges. However, this was almost 40 years ago, when the tractor was displacing the horse, for which this arable hay crop was largely grown. Some replacement for this loss of L. multiflorum now occurs on new road verges and embankments, but it is likely that some plants go unrecognised by recorders unless the lemma awns are conspicuously long. Where specimens are found with short awns of varying lengths and some of the lemmas without awns, they need further consideration and may prove to be L. x boucheanum.

These Lolium taxa do not thrive in the drought of loose sands, preferring the moisture-retentive chalky boulder clay. Thus they do not do well in Breckland except under irrigation. Lolium perenne is found there in the wide grass verges in the open areas but is generally a depauperate plant with 3- 6 florets which at one time was described as L. perenne forma tenue. I have not seen L. multiflorum for the past 10 years in Breckland, but it does occasionally occur towards the south-east boundary. L. x boucheanum was recorded only once in our survey in Breckland in 1963- 1972.

Records of Lolium x boucheanum Kunth in v.c. 29 Manure heap, Cherry Hinton, A. Hosking, 31.10.1903, CGE. By footpath on grassy bank, near Bottisham Lock, Waterbeach, P. Hart, 9.10.1927, CGE. Clarke's meadows opposite Oxcroft Farm, Balsham, 52/591512, P.J.O. Trist, 11.9.1974,

Herb. P.J.O.T. Track in disused railway sidings, Dower Woods Yards, Newmarket, 52/646628, P.J.O. Trist,

15.9.1987 and 7.9.1994, Herb. P,J.O.T. Road verge and bank in farmyard, Vicarage Farm, Kirtling, 521701567, P.J .O. Trist,

27.7.1988, Herb. P.J.O.T. Roman road junction with Linton Road, Balsham, 52/574491, P.J.O. Trist, 15.6.1990,

Herb. P.J.O.T. Roadside, Frog End, Shepreth, 521394471, PD. Sell, 15.6.1991, CGE. Track to arable, Weston Green, 52/630517, P.J.O. Trist, 11.9.1991, Herb. P.J.O.T. Dunghill, Low Farm, Balsham, 52/572506, P.J.O. Trist, 9.10.1992, Herb. P.J.O.T. Abandoned fallow, Cappitts Field, Balsham, 52/588509, P.J.O. Trist, 15.8.1994, Herb.

P.J.O.T. Playing fields , Balsham, 52/586508, P.J.O. Trist, 28.11.1994, Herb. P.J.O.T . .

42

Black squirrels in Girton

Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale

This year (1994) and on various earlier occasions a population of black squirrels (melanistic Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis) living at Letchworth in Hertfordshire has been featured on television. Speaking to a friend after the last programme, we realised that she had gained the impression that black squirrels were only to be found in the grounds of Letchworth Hospital. In a pamphlet published by North Hertfordshire District Council the claim was made that "within an approximately four mile radius Letchworth remains the 'Black Squirrel' stronghold of Britain" (Sawford, 1990).

In the past year the village of Girton has acquired its own black squirrels. They are often noticed over an area of at least 500 m square north of the Al4 bypass, and two have been seen together, so there are probably several. Most sightings are of completely black, glossy squirrels, but a dark brown one has been seen, presumably the result of mating between a black and a normal grey one, as reported for captive squirrels by Shorten (1954).

How these melanistic squirrels might have reached Girton from their main centre, where Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire come close together, is a mystery, though, according to Shorten, the males may travel long distances. Alternatively, perhaps an (illegal) pet has escaped and bred, or perhaps the Girton black squirrels stem from a fresh mutation. We should welcome further information.

References Sawford, B. (1990). "Black" squirrels of North Hertfordshire. North Hertfordsbire District

Council. Shorten, M. (1954). Squirrels. Collins, London.

A Cambridge crocodile

Erica Swale & Hilary Belcher

"I do remember an apothecary, .... "And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, "An alligator stuffed, and other skins "Of ill-shaped fishes; .... "

Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Scene I, lines 37-44

L.G. Matthews, in his History of Pharmacy in Britain (1962) wrote that "according to the artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially the Dutch, every apothecary's shop had its stuffed alligator or crocodile", and on a London apothecary's trade card of about 1770, depicted in the same work, both an alligator or crocodile and a turtle or tortoise are shown. Moreover, the apothecary's shop of Richard Beresford possessed in 1607 an "allegator"

43

valued at two shillings (Trease, 1964). Having been aware of the above quotation, we were intrigued to notice that both a chelonian and a crocodilian were to be seen hanging high on a wall inside Lloyd's chemist's shop (lately Savory and Moore) of 30 Trumpington Street (opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum) and decided that their provenance was worthy of investigation.

The crocodilian was estimated to be rather less than 1 m in length and appeared to be a species of Crocodylus, while the other beast, about 400-450 rom long, may be a Green Turtle Chelonia mydas, though it is now of a dark brown colour. Identification by a specialist would be welcomed.

By the leech and drug jars which adorn the shop it appeared that someone with antiquarian interests must at one time have run it, and Mr A.C. Winter, the present manager, told us that Mr G. Peck, whose name is still over the shop doorway, established the business in 1851, and he and his son, Mr Saville Peck, collected a number of items of antiquarian interest. Some of these were donated to the Folk Museum at the latter's death in 1948. Others went to the Pharmaceutical Society, while the items mentioned above were handed on with the shop, except the turtle, which was donated by a Cambridge resident a few years ago. Mr Winter is apparently now looking out for some skins of ill-shaped fishes!

We wish to thank Mr A. C. Winter for the above information.

References Matthews, L.G. (1962). History of Phannacy in Britain. E. & S. Livingstone, Edinburgh. Trease, G.E. (1964). Phannacy in History. Bailliae, Tindall & Cox, London.

Adventitious woody plants of the A14 cutting in Girton

Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale

When the Cambridge Northern Bypass (formerly A45, now A14) was built in 1979, a cutting was made through the slight rise (20m) of Girton. It was excavated through 0.3- 1 m of clayey topsoil and the underlying yellow current-bedded sand to a depth of 7 m. The sloping banks of the cutting were covered by a thin layer of agricultural topsoil, said by one of the construction workers to have been brought from Madingley. This soon developed a rich flora of cornfield weeds, some of them uncommon, and an account of these was prepared for an earlier issue of Nature in Cambridgeshire (Belcher & Swale, 1980).

Soon after this a few young trees, 1.5-2 m high, mainly Norway Maples Acer platanoides, were planted on the north bank, and after this the southern bank was densely planted with much smaller saplings which grew much faster than the aforementioned ones. Otherwise the area was left to nature, and Black-grass Alopecurus myosuroides and Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense became dominant (Belcher & Swale, 1989). A few more young trees have since been planted, distinguished by the anti-rabbit bands around their bases, but in addition a number of other woody plants have sprung up, some at least

44

originating from seed produced in local gardens and disseminated by natural means. It would be difficult to count or map the plants of this northern bank without considerable expenditure of time and energy, owing to the steeply sloping, weedy and rabbit-holed nature of the site, like a piece of shaggy hillside, which makes progress quite difficult However, the following is an annotated list of the woody plants we have seen there.

1. Acer campestre (Field Maple) Planted. 2. Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore) Planted, but self-sown seedlings also

occur, possibly originating from the winged seeds of the planted trees. 3. Acer platanoides (Norway Maple) Planted. 4. Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse-chestnut) Planted, but there are also

self-sown seedlings, probably from seeds dropped by Rooks. These birds have on various occasions dropped horse-chestnuts into our garden, 100 m from the road, and we have also discovered seedlings arising from such nuts.

5. Ailanthus altissima (Tree-of-Heaven) This Chinese tree has winged seeds somewhat like those of an Ash Fraxinus excelsior, and these could easily have been carried on to the roadside by a high wind from a fine tree in a garden about 100m distant

6. Corylus avellana (Hazel) A large self-sown bush grows against the wood and concrete fence which forms the northern boundary of the bank. The nut from which it sprang may have been carried there by a Grey Squirrel from a fruiting Hazel in one of the local gardens.

7. Cotoneaster sp. A young plant grows by the fence and ·has not yet flowered. It may be C. franchetii, which grows locally, or a hybrid.

8. Crataegus ITUJnogyna (Hawthorn) Several of these, which grow from seeds in bird droppings. Hawthorns quickly spring up on neglected ground and gardens in the vicinity.

9. Cytisus scoparius (Broom) A plant grows close to the carriageway. How the seed arrived there is a mystery. Perhaps it blew there still attached to half of a seed pod.

10. Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) Self-sown from wind-blown seeds. Ash is common in this area.

11 . Laburnum anagyroides (Laburnum) Self-sown. There are at least two groups of these trees. As with Cytisus, it is difficult to see how the seeds were carried from the local gardens where Laburnums grow.

12. Ligustrum vulgare (Privet) Spread by birds. Bushes carrying berries are found locally.

13. Mahonia sp. (Mahonia) A plant grows by the fence, again spread by birds. Mahonia seedlings often appear in gardens here.

14. Malus sp., an ornamental crab apple resembling M. baccata (Siberian Crab) Three small trees of this grow by the fence and bear numbers of red apples about 13 mm diameter. Again, probably spread by birds from a local garden.

15. Malus domestica (Apple) At least three young trees grow and flower near the carriageway, within range of cores thrown from cars.

16. Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn) Sown by birds. The parent shrubs are common in Girton.

45

17. Rhamnus cathartica (Buckthorn) Again spread by birds from berrying shrubs in Girton. At least two of these grow by the fence. This is a food­plant of the Brimstone butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni L.

18. Rhus hirta (Stag's-hom Sumach) Three of these grow close together, probably spreading by root suckers. It is not known how they originated, but they are too far from the road bridge to be garden rejects.

19. Rosa canina (Dog-rose) Very common on the roadside, probably the dominant shrub. Spread by birds.

20. Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) Grows by the fence, probably bird-sown. 21. Rubus ulmifolius and probably other spp. (Bramble) Masses of bird-sown

Brambles grow on the roadside, mostly in dense thickets spreading down from the fence.

22. Sambucus nigra (Elder) Again sown by birds. 23. Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan) Sown by birds from trees in local gardens. 24. Tilia sp., probably T. x vulgaris (Lime) Planted, and also self-sown

young plants, spread by the winged seeds.

It is surprising that Buddleja davidii (Butterfly-bush) was not seen, though it is difficult to comb the area thoroughly, for the reasons stated. Buddleias grow readily from wind-blown seeds, as can be seen, for instance, by the many plants on railway waste ground as one approaches King's Cross Station. At least five plants have already established themselves in the western extension to the Beechwood Reserve at Wort's Causeway, planted in the autumn of 1990.

It can be seen from the list that the adventitious woody flora is especially rich close to the boundary fence. This is probably because the fence-top provides a convenient place for birds to perch and deposit the seeds of berries consumed locally, and the fence itself would give shelter to seedlings.

References Belcher, H., & Swale, E. (1980). Notes on the flora associated with roadworks near

Cambridge in 1979. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 23: 47-48. Belcher, H., & Swale, E. (1989). Notes on the botany of the Girton road interchange,

Cambridge. Nature in Cambridgeshire, No. 31: 50-53.

Persicaria species at Mare Fen, Swavesey

Max Walters & Philip Oswald

Visits in September 1994 to the Wildlife Trust's Mare Fen nature reserve, the entrance to which is at TL 366698 on the road between Swavesey and Over, to see the flora of the cattle-trampled ditches, were amply rewarding, especially for the abundance of the rare Persicaria species related to the common Water-pepper, P. hydropiper (L.) Spach (Polygonum hydropiper L.). Immediately inside the reserve, about 50 metres from the gate, was a remarkable population, in full flower, of P. hydropiper itself (with a tall, slender, pendent greenish inflorescence, a strong peppery taste in the leaves,

46

and perianth-glands present), P. laxijlora (Weihe) Opiz (Polygonum mite Schrank: of similar habit, but with the inflorescence suberect and pink; with no taste and no perianth-glands) and P. minor (Hudson) Opiz (Polygonum minus Hudson: more or less procumbent on mud or submerged in water, with emergent pinkish-white inflorescences; with no taste and no perianth-glands). Material collected by S.M.W. on 17 September as voucher specimens of Persicaria hydropiper was confirmed by P.D. Sell as the plant formerly known as Polygonum hydropiper var. densijlorum A. Braun (see Watsonia, 17 (1988): 178-179), for which there seems to be no published name in the genus Persicaria. The photograph showing Persicaria minor flowering in the ditch (inside back cover, below) was taken by Andrew Gagg, who accompanied S.M.W. on 17 September. The photographs of the entrance to the reserve with the ditch on the right (inside front cover) and of P. laxijlora (inside back cover, top left) and the dense-flowered variety of P. hydropiper (inside back cover, top right) were taken by P.H.O. on 29 September.

All three taxa were recorded here by Owen Mountford on 2 September 1990 and shown by him to members of the Cambridgeshire Flora Group six days later (see N. in C., No. 33: 66 and 64). However, it seems that their appearance is spasmodic, being probably related to the pattern of cattle­grazing from year to year. When the Flora Group revisited the reserve on 11 July 1992, only P. hydropiper was seen, and on 20 July 1995, when P.H.O. went to look in the ditch where the three Persicaria species were so abundant in 1994, the growth of Glyceria maxima and Apium nodijlorum was not noticeably denser than the year before but he could not find a single plant of any of the Persicaria species! ·

Review

Flora Facts and Fables, Issue Number One edited by Grace Corne, Church Farm, Sisland, Norwich, NR14 6EF (Tel. 01508 520235), Winter 1994/5. £1.25.

The great strides in recent years in the technology of printing have brought with them the possibility of locally produced publications aimed at minority interests. This new, 16-page A4 magazine is the product of the enthusiasm of Grace Come, the Editor, and a small group of Norfolk naturalists and, to quote her Editorial, "has been produced as a direct result of [Richard Mabey's] Flora Britannica project". The magazine "will seek to combine botanical knowledge with the stories behind wild plants and to demonstrate the role they have played in our lives" . This first number is handsomely presented and clearly printed, with a special 'Plant Profile' devoted to the Ivy Hedera helix accompanied by an excellent full-page colour photograph depicting "variation in leaf structure" on a flowering Ivy plant. Other articles deal with memorial trees and the re-introduction of Narrow-leaved Cudweed Filago gallica to a site in Essex this year by Plantlife.

At £1.25 the magazine is very good value, and one can only wish it well. Max Walters

47

Unusual observations of the Swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon L. in Girton

T.H. Sparks & C.C. Smith

One of us (C.C.S.) recorded a brief visit of an adult Swallowtail to his garden in Girton Road, Girton (TL 425610), on 30 July 1994. It did not settle and he was unable to detennine whether it was subsp. britannicus or gorganus.

On 17 September 1994 a single Swallowtail caterpillar was shown to T.H.S. by his neighbour in Girton Road, Girton (TL 425611), within 100 m of C.C.S.'s observation. This was instantly recognisable, and identification was confirmed by colleagues at Monks Wood. Apparently, four or five of these caterpillars had been feeding on dill and parsley in the neighbour's garden for some weeks, but a search of the plants failed to locate any other caterpillars. The neighbour was unaware of the significance of her find. This observation date is compatible with the possibility that the caterpillars originated from eggs laid by the adult seen earlier. The 42-mm caterpillar was then fed on carrot leaves until pupation commenced on 23 September.

Girton is 30 km from the reintroduced britannicus colony at Wicken Fen, but Dr Jack Dempster (pers. comm.) felt that the adult was unlikely to have originated there because of the timing of the sighting. The last adult observed at Wicken in 1994 was on 15 July (Tim Bennett, pers. comm.). Whilst Emmet & Heath (1989) map a record of the continental subspecies gorganus in v.c. 31 (Huntingdonshire), there is no record for v.c. 29 (Cambridgeshire). The v.c. 31 record is not mentioned in the te.xt and the relevant record cannot be located on the computerised database at the Biological Records Centre, Monks Wood. There were no reports in 1994 of immigrant Swallowtails in Britain (Bernard Skinner, pers. comm.). To our knowledge, there are no local butterfly farms.

From the evidence available in 1994 it was not possible to say definitively whether the Swallowtail observations at Girton were of native britannicus, of immigrant gorganus or of releases from a private breeding programme. Probability favoured the last option, although this would have required the release of at least a pair of butterflies or of a mated female. The chrysalis was kept in order to take it through hibernation, and a note was published in the parish magazine seeking other Girton records of Swallowtail adults or caterpillars during 1994.

Reference Emmet, A.M., & Heath, J. (1989). The moths and bunerflies of Great Britain and Ireland.

Volume 7, Part 1, Hesperidae-Nymphalidae. The Bunerflies. Harley Books, Colchestu.

Postscript (August 1995) The female butterfly that emerged from the chrysalis on 5 July 1995 was

probably gorganus, but identification of a single specimen without reference material is hazardous. It was released where the caterpillar was discovered.

The note in the parish magazine brought forth two further 1994 sightings of Swallowtail butterflies in the same area- from St Margaret's Road (TL 428608)

48

on 10 August and an undated record from Girton Road (1L 427609). We have recently discovered that in 1994 a resident of Girton (c. 1L 4360)

accidentally released some adults of stock brought back from the continent. This, disappointingly, is almost certainly the source of the observed adult insects.

However, further sightings of Swallowtails have been made in 1995 - on two occasions in May in Cambridge Road, Girton (1L 423624), and an undated and unconfmned record from Linton (c. 1L 5646). These sightings suggest that this species has managed to breed and overwinter successfully and can, perhaps, be considered as a potential coloniser of our landscape. Subspecies gorganus was frequently observed in southern England in the 18th and early 19th centuries and is much less fussy about larval food-plants than its British cousin. Warming of the British climate may make this a more frequent visitor to our shores, but we may have to wait some time before it gets as far north as Cambridgeshire!

Vascular plant records

C.D. Preston

Bidens frondosa L. Two plants with more frequent B. tripartita in ditch E. of R. Great Ouse, Brownsbill Staunch, Over, TL 370729, C.D. Preston & Cambridgeshire-Flora Group, 13.8.1994. The first vice-county record of this American alien, which is well established in waterside habitats in the English Midlands. It may have arrived at this site with debris washed into the ditch by flood-water.

Cenchrus longispinus (Hackel) Fern. Alongside Zea mays in arable stubble, New Farm, Whittlesford, TL 447488, A.R. Arbon, 29.9.1994, CGE, det. T.A. Cope. The fust record of this casual grass from the vice-county.

Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen In pheasant cover near Kidman's Plantation, Whittlesford, TL 447488, A.R. Arbon, 9.1994, conf. Ron Payne. Another new vice-county record of a casual grass, believed to have been introduced with bird seed.

Leonurus cardiaca L. By grave of Ralph Kinder (surgeon, ob. 1893), Burial Ground Nature Reserve, Church Street, Haddenham, TL 462756, A.R. Arbon, 4.6.1994, CGE. The fJCSt record of this introduced species since 1860.

Lythrum hyssopifolia L. In a winter-flooded hollow in an arable field which had not been cultivated in 1994, N.E. of R.S.P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, TL 411459, J.C.A. Rathmell, 13.7.1994. Subsequently found in a further two hollows in this field and in four hollows in two adjacent fields, as follows: TL 410459, 410460, G. Crompton, 17.7.1994; TL 409458, G. Crompton, 25.7 .1994; TL 411461, 413462, C.D. Preston & H.L.K. Whitehouse, 4.8.1994; TL 413461, Z. Hradilek, C.D. Preston & H.L.K. Whitehouse, 10.8.1994. These are new sites for this nationally rare species which is a characteristic species of winter-flooded arable fields on the chalk S . of Cambridge.

49

Mycelis muralis (L.) Dumort. By path along S.E. edge of Forty Acre Wood, Chippenham Fen, 11.654697, J. Bulleid, G. Crompton & D.A. Wells, 12.7.1994. The fust record of this species at Chippenham since the Revd John Hemsted found it on Chippenham Park wall in 1797 (seeN. in C., No. 33: 28, 55, 57).

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Yell. Cone.) Verde. Pond in nature reserve, Bar Hill, 11. 377630, H. Belcher & E. Swale, 3.11.1994. Small pond at field edge 500 m from houses, M.A. Manning & Son's orchard, Longstanton-Over boundary, 11. 394688, C.D. Preston & S.E. Yates, 26.12.94. Second and third records in v.c. 29 of this alien water-plant, which is becoming increasingly frequent in Britain. Enquiries revealed that the small pond was constructed three years ago and stocked with 'weed' from the ditch at Willingham where M.. aquaticum was fust recorded in 1992 (seeN. in C., No. 35: 84).

Oenanthe lachenalii C.C. Gmelin Marshy fields N.E. of R.S.P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, 11. 410458, J.C.A. Rathmell, 13.7.1994, det. G. Crompton. This is only the third extant site in the vice-county for this species. The population is numerous, with c. 200 plants at the edge of one Lythrum hyssopifolia hollow and a few others nearby.

Quercus rubra L. About 25 trees in Compartment A2, Garnlingay Wood, c. 11. 240535, P.G. Walker, 1993. FJISt vice-county record of this planted tree.

Rhinanthus minor L. Ouse Washes, 11. 50-88-, 50-89-, 51-90-, 52-91-, 53-92-, T. Strudwick, 1994. Welcome reports of a species with few recent records.

Salix aurita L. Edge of ride, Gamlingay Wood, 11. 242534, C. Turner, 1993; G. Crompton, V. Morgan & D.A. Wells, 26.5.1994, CGE, det. RD. Meikle. There are confi1IIled records of this species from only two localities in the vice-county, Hayley Wood and Garnlingay Wood. It was last seen in our area at Gamlingay Wood in 1957.

Sonchus palustris L. A single plant among Rubus caesius in scrubby margin near entrance to winter-wet meadow at N. end of Middlemoor, Whittlesford, 11. 463483, A.R. Arbon, 7.1994; G. Crompton, 3.8.1994, CGE. The first record from the south of the vice-county of a nationally scarce species which is spreading in East Anglia. See also N. in C., No. 33: 66.

Typha angusti[olia L. x T. latifolia L. (T. x glauca Godron) Small pond opposite Mount Pleasant Farm, Garnlingay, 11. 22-51-, J.E. Bevan, 14.8.1994. The third vice-county record of an easily overlooked hybrid.

Veronica spicata L. subsp. spicata Grass between Devil's Ditch and parallel ridge on its N.E. side, c. 125 m from N.W. end of latter, Burwell parish, TI.. 609622, C. & P.H. Oswald, 27.8.94. New site for this Red Data Book taxon between its two other extant sites in v.c. 29.

Viola persici[olia Schreber Compartment 02, Verrall's Fen, Wicken Fen, 11. 546700, J.C.A. Rathmell, 6.1994; confi1IIled in the field on 6.6.1994 by J.O. Mountford, SM. Walters & T.C.E. Wells. A later survey of this area by Mrs J.M. Croft and others, working for the English Nature Species Recovery Programme, revealed over 350 plants in this compartment, many of them in places where scrub had been cleared in 1993. These are welcome records of a nationally rare species which could not be found at either of its British sites, Wicken and Woodwalton Fens, in 1993.

50

Bryophyte records

C.D. Preston & H.L.K. Whitehouse

Mosses

Bryum radiculosum Brid. Locally frequent in open chalk grassland, Devil' s Ditch, 1L 57-64-, 57-65-, M.O. Hill, 26.2.1994. Con!Iml.ation that this species still occurs in its original Cambridgeshire locality, one of the few sites in the vice-county in which it is known in a semi-natural habitat. It is common on mortared walls.

Climacium dendroides (Hedw.) Web. & Mohr About 15 stems in young birch carr between Malcarse Drain and New Dyke, Wicken Fen, 1L 54-69-, C.R. Stevenson, 3.12.1994. This species bas an erratic history at Wicken, having been recorded in 1930, 1979 and 1980; it has not been seen elsewhere in the vice-county in recent years.

Cryphaea heteromalla (Hedw.) Mohr One fruiting patch on Elder, St Edmund's Fen, Wicken, TL 56-70-, C.D.P., 3.12.1994. One fruiting plant on Elder, Haslingfield chalk-pit, 1L 408517, C.D.P., 10.12.1994. Fruiting patches on two Elders, Little Wilbraham Fen, 1L 518588, C.D.P., 17.12.1994. There have been several records of this species in Cambridgeshire since 1983, when it was recorded for the first time for 22 years. The discovery of three additional sites in successive weeks is a striking illustration of its· increase in frequency in the last decade.

Ephemerum recurvifolium (Dicks.) Boul. With Riccia glauca in fallow field N.E. of R.S.P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, 1L 413461, Z. Hradilek, C.D.P. & H.L.K.W., 10.8.1994. This minute ephemeral has not previously been found in arable fields over chalk in the vice-cmmty; most records are from arable fields over clay, although it was recently discovered on disturbed chalk soil on the Devil' s Ditch.

Eucladium verticillatum (Brid.) B., S. & G. In small quantity on crumbling chalk soil on parish boundary ditch, N. side of Little Wilbraham Fen, 1L 512592, C.R. Stevenson, 17.12.1994. Only the third site in which this species bas been recorded since 1950; the previous two were from walls rather than semi-natural habitats.

Gyroweisia tenuis Schimp. Crumbling chalk soil on parish boundary ditch, N. side of Little Wilbraham Fen, 1L 512592, C.R. Stevenson, conf. H.L.K.W., 17.12.1994. Concrete 'sandbags' by the side of Little Wilbraham River, TL 522585, R.A. Finch, 17.12.1994. This is a scarce species of moist calcareous habitats in the county, usually found on damp walls.

Orthotrichum lyellii Hook. & Tayl. Two patches on bark of a single willow in carr between Malcarse Drain and New Dyke, Wicken Fen, 1L 54-69-, C.D.P., 3.12.1994. The fifth record, and the third since 1990, of this apparently increasing epiphyte.

Orthotrichum pulchellum Brunton One fruiting tuft on Elder, St Edmund's Fen, Wicken, 1L 56-70-, M.O. Hill, 3.12.1994. This is a new site for this species at Wicken Fen, one of only two known localities in the vice-county.

51

Orthotrichum stramineum Homsch. ex Brid. On sloping Elder trunk in sheltered ditch, Devil's Ditch, 1L 577650, C.D. Preston, 26.2.1994, BBSUK, cont. T.L. Blockeel. This is the first record from the vice-county of an epiphyte which has not previously been recorded from East Anglia, although there are 19th-century records from Essex. It appears to be expanding into areas from which it has previously been excluded by pollution: since 1990 it has been recorded for the first time in several vice-counties in central and eastern England.

Ulota crispa (Hedw.) Brid. sensu lato On bark of horizontal branch of willow, near bridge over R. Cam near paddling pool, Coe Fen, 1L 44-57-, Z. Hradilek, 3.8.1994, Herb. Z.H. Although this epiphyte is now recorded too frequently in the vice-county for all records to be published, this site is of particular interest as it is so near the centre of Cambridge.

Weissia sterilis Nicholson A few plants in chalk grassland, Devil's Ditch S. of A14, TL 602628, N. Jardine, 26.2.1994. A nationally scarce species which in Cambridgeshire now appears to be conf"med to the Devil's Ditch.

Zygodon conoideus Hook. & Tayl. Abundant plants with a few sporophytes on one Elder trunk, and in small quantity on two Elders and a willow, Bird Sanctuary, Adams Road, Cambridge, 1L 437586, 436587, C.D.P. & H.L.K.W., 31.12.1994, CGE. Third vice­county record of a species which has been recorded with increasing frequency in eastern England in recent years. There is some doubt whether the plant is expanding or whether it has previously been overlooked as the commoner Z. viridissimus. No Zygodon species has previously been recorded from the Bird Sanctuary, indicating that Z. conoideus may be a recent arrival here. The fact that fruiting 'Z viridissimus' was not recorded in the 1964 Flora suggests that the two species were not confused in Cambridgeshire, as Z conoideus fruits frequently.

Liverworts

Metzgeriafruticulosa (Dicks.) Evans Small plants on two or three Elders, St Edmund's Fen, Wicken, TL 56-70-, C.D.P., 3.12.1994. In Cambridgeshire this is an epiphyte which usually grows in moist woodland. It has been recorded in a number of new localities in recent years.

Riccia cavernosa Hoffm. Winter-flooded hollows in fallow fields N.E. of R.S.P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, 1L 410459, 410460, 413461, C.D.P. & H.L.K.W., 4.8.1994. This characteristic associate of Lythrum hyssopifolia was found in 1994 at three of the seven new sites for L. hyssopifolia discovered in that year.

Riccia subbifurca Warnst. With R. cavernosa and R. glauca in winter-flooded hollows in a fallow field N.E. of R.S.P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, TL 410459, 410460, C.D.P. & H.L.K.W., 4.8.1994. With Lythrum hyssopifolia at top of deep rut, above R. cavernosa and R. glauca in the rut below, fallow field N.E. of R.S .P.B. Reserve at Fowlmere, 1L 413461, Z. Hradilek, C.D.P. & H.L.K.W., 10.8.1994. This is the rarest of the three Riccia species recorded from damp hollows in chalky arable fields in the vice-county and the only one which is restricted to these sites; its discovery in three new localities is therefore particularly welcome. ·

52

Weather notes for Cambridgeshire 1994

J.W. Clarke

January: Changeable and mainly mild throughout. Very wet in the first 10 days, when most of the rain fell. Scarcely any frost or snow. Only one day (7th) with a thin covering of snow at 9 a.m. at Swaffham Prior, although on the same day in W. Cambs 6 ins of snow were reported. During the evening of 25th, after the warmest day of the month and at the passage of a cold front, a violent storm crossed the region with gale-force winds, vivid lightning and thunder. Maximum temperature about average, but minimum much above. Rainfall almost 1 inch above normal. More sunshine than usual. February: Changeable and mild to 12th. An anticyclone over Scandinavia then introduced east winds, with frost at night and snow showers on 15th, 20th and 22nd, giving slight snow cover on two mornings. On 14th and 22nd the temperature did not rise above 32°F. After 25th changeable and mild. Daily maximum temperature 4°F below normal. Rainfall about average. March: Changeable throughout. Sunnier and warmer than average, with no air frost. Rainfall below average but falling on an above-average number of days (15). April: Very unsettled, cold and wet in the first half of the month, with rainfall almost every day. A gale in the early morning of 1st. A snowstorm with thunder at midday on 4th. More thunder with heavy rain on 9th, turning to snow overnight, giving 1 inch of lying snow at dawn on lOth. Drier after 15th, although remaining changeable. On 26th an anticyclone over Europe brought warm, sunny weather to the end of the month, with the temperature reaching 71 °F on 29th. Daily maximum temperature 2°F below average. Rainfall much above average. May: Changeable, apart from a few fine settled days at the beginning of the month. Temperature much below average. Rainfall above average but falling on only 8 days. The period 16th to 28th was particularly cloudy and sunless, with a cool E. to N.E. wind on many days. An anticyclone from 29th to 31st brought fine sunny weather, but with ground frost on 29th damaging vegetation. On 31st the maximum temperature reached 70°F for the first time in the entire month. June: Changeable to the 11th; then mainly anticyclonic. Drier, warmer and sunnier than average. Rainfall half the average, on 9 days. Almost half the total rainfall fell during a thunderstorm on 24th. July: Hot and dry. Changeable in the first week; anticyclonic thereafter. Daily maximum temperature 5°F above normal. Temperature maxima exceeded 700F every day throughout the month and 10 days exceeded 80°F. Rainfall a quarter of the average, on only 5 days. August: Hot and close in the first week. Mainly changeable thereafter and thundery at times, but rainfall much below average, on only 9 days. Temperatures above average. September: A very unsettled month. Changeable and cool throughout; 70°F attained on only one day in the first week. Very wet on 14th and 15th with 48 hours of almost continuous rain, giving a fall of 1.82 ins and exceeding the average rainfall for the entire month.

53

October: Unsettled and wet in the first week. From 6th to 20th an anticyclone gave fine settled days, but many mornings with mist and fog which were slow to clear. Changeable with frequent heavy rain to the end of the month. Very cool; maximum temperature 4°F below average and ground frost on 4th. The warmest day was 24th, which was also a very wet day with a thunderstorm. Total rainfall about average, on 14 days. November: Changeable almost throughout and extremely mild, but with very little rainfall, owing to an anticyclone centred to the S.E. over the continent for much of the month. A few misty mornings. Slight ground frost on two mornings. No air frost. Maximum temperature 5°F above average. Rainfall less than half the average, on 12 days. December: Changeable and mild, apart from a few frosty days from 20th to 24th. On 23rd frost and fog persisted all day. Temperatures above normal. Rainfall below average. Much sunnier than usual.

Weather records at Swaffbam Prior 1994

Temperature °F Mean. Mean

Month max. min. January 45 38 February 42 33 March 52 41 April 53 41 May 60 44 June 68 51 July 77 58 August 72 55 September 67 51 OctobeJ' 55 45 November 55 46 December 47 38

Annual means 57.8° 45.0°

Number of days over 800F Number of days over 700F

Highest 55 on 25th 51 on 28th 60 on 14th 71 on 29th 70 on 31st 80 on 28th 85 on 24th 84on 3rd 70on2nd 62on22nd 61 on 3rd 59 on 12th

Number of days with a maximum under 32°F Number of days with a minimum under 32°F Last air frost of the spring Ftrst air frost of the autumn Days with snow lying Days with thunder Days with fog persisting all day Highest temperature Lowest temperature

54

Rainfall Lowest (ins) (rain days) 29 on 7th 2.23 17 23 on 21st 1.26 10 34 on 20th & 26th 1.31 15 30 on 5th & 12th 36 on 29th 43 on 5th 48 on 1st 43 on 14th 44 on 17th 35 on 4th 33 on 29th 22on 24th

Totals

2.09 2.16 0.99 0.52 1.81 2.99 2.60 0.70 1.36

20.02

14 70 3 25

14 8 9 5 9

10 14 12 12

135

5th April 15th December

3 16 1

85°F on 24th July 22op on 24th December

Index to Nature in Cambridgeshire, Nos 1-37

In this index, full titles are given for articles and papers (with authors' names in brackets); listing of these is alphabetical for the first word, excluding any definite or indefinite article. Authors are also indexed under their surnames. Particular species that form the main topics of papers are listed under their scientific names in the case of plants and invertebrate animals and under their common English names in the case of birds and other vertebrates. Unqualified entries for places relate chiefly to accounts of excursions and, for earlier issues, to CAMBIENT management committees' and wardens' reports and references to the Trust's purchases, leases and nature reserve agreements.

Abandoned Oxbridge line, The (F.H. Perring & C. Huxley) 12, 21

Acorus calamus L. 18, 16 Adam, P. 21, 26 Additions to the bryophyte flora of

Cambridgeshire (H.L.K. Whitehouse) 1, 25

Additions to the vascular flora of Cambridgeshire (F.H. Perring) 1, 27

Adventitious woody plants of the A14 cutting in Girton (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 37, 44

Adventurers' Fen: see Wicken Fen Agricultural landscapes (New Agricultural

Landscapes Project) 24, 17 Aitchison, R.R. 16, 31 Akeroyd, John R. 21 , 26; 34, 35 Albrecht, J. Simon M. 34, 52 Algae in Trumpington Street 34, 28 Alisma gramineum Lej. A new county record

(R.P. Libbey & E.L. Swann) 16, 39 Allen, D.S. 23, 29 Allen, Michael J. 13, 21 Allium spp. 35, 67 Anderson, M.C. 1, 30 Andricus quercusramuli (L.) 24, 48 Anglesey Abbey 10, 2; 13, 16 Ants 3, 27 Apera interrupta (L.) P. Beauv. 34, 43 Applin, Frances 37, 24 Aquatic plants at the Ouse Washes in 1978

(G.J. Thomas, D.S. Allen & M.P.B. Grose) 23, 29

Arable weeds in Bassingbourn fields and gardens (P.D. Sell) 28, 19

Armed ponds of Cambridgeshire, The (Oliver Rackham) 11, 25

Astor, Michael 26, 14 AutUDID and winter at Hayley Wood

(P.D. Sell) 23, 27

55

Avifalllla of Bottisham Park, The (P.M.M. Bircham) 21, 31

Azolla fi/iculoides Lam. 34, 30

Badger in Cambridgeshire, The (A.E. Vine) 8 , 50

Balfour-Gourlay, W.: obituary 10, 3 Bangia atropurpurea (Roth) Ag. 33, 42 Bar Hill 32, 27 · Barnack Hills and Holes (v.c. 32) 22, 11 Barn Owls 34, 17 Barrett, A.M.: obituary 5, 19 · Barrington Pits 1, 20; 4, 4; 17, 10;

19, 5, 9 Bartlow Hills 6, 16 Barton Mills (Suffolk) 3, I 7 Bassenhally Pits 11, 6, 19; 12, 16;

14, 16; 19, 10 Bassingbourn 28, 19; 31, 12 Bats in Cambridgeshire (Tony Smith)

29, 58 Bearded Tit in Cambridgeshire

(G.M.S. Easy) 10, 27 Bearded Tits at Wicken (A.E. Vine) 3, 37 Bedford Purlieus (v.c. 32) 20, 8 Bedlam Pit, Manea 14, 8; 21, 17 Beechwood Reserve, Wort's Causeway

15, 5; 16, 10; 21, 15 Bee Orchid 25, 50 Bees in Cambridge 1, 32 Bee-wall at Horningsea, A (Erica Swale &

Hilary Belcher) 34, 58 Belcher, Hilary 23, 47; 25, 29; 26, 17;

30, 29; 31, 50; 32, 63; 33, 42; 34, 28, 58; 35, 75; 36, 83; 37, 43, 44

Bennett, Tim J. 30, 31; 35, 25; 36, 3 Biology and conservation of Milk-parsley

Peucedanum palustre at Wicken Fen, The (H. John Harvey & T.C. Meredith) 24, 38

Bircham, P.M.M. 21, 31; 33, 4; 36, 68 Bird Club Annual Reports 16, 28; 17, 14;

18, 15 Bird Club swvey 22, 34 Bird populations and communities in

Madingley parish (P.MM. Bircham, A.A. Weedon, G.P. Weedon & T.J. Murfitt) 36, 68

Birds Bottisham Park 21 , 31 Chippenhan Fen 26, 25 Diary of 1899 22, 21 Gravel pits 19, 35 Hayley Wood 8, 30; 24, 45; 30, 23; 31, 56 (and see below) Water birds 31, 32

Birds of Hayley Wood. Cambridge Bird Club's survey ofCAMBIENTReserves (D.F. Madin) 22, 34

Birds ofKnapwell Wood, 1970, The (P. Moule) 14, 25

Birds of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden (David Harper) 26, 49

Birds of the Swavesey Fens (CJ. Cadbury) 28, 2

Bishop, M.J. 14, 18, 21; 17, 16 Bishop, S.J. 14, 18, 21 Blackberries 16, 31 Black Poplars in Cambridgeshire

(Graham Easy) 25, 45 Black Poplars Populus nigra in

Cambridgeshire (Graham Easy) 33, 45 Black squirrels in Girton (Hilary Belcher &

Erica Swale) 37, 43 Black-tailed Godwits 26, 46 Blundell, M 30, 25 Boreham, Steve 32, 67; 33, 14; 34, 52;

35, 3; 37, 24 Botanic Garden, Cambridge

Birds 26,49 Bryophytes on imported limestone 34, 45 Guided tour 22, 10 Ivy Broomrape 26, 66 Native and naturalised garlics 35, 67 Orobanche hederae 26, 66 Use of water in pond 20, 21

Botanical recording at Wimpole Park (Charles Turner) 21, 24

Bottisham Park Avifauna 21 , 31 Fishes 19, 37 Flora 19, 39

Bottisharn Park Survey, The · (P.C. Chapman) 18, 22

Bourn Brook 21, 9; 24, 16 Bourne, P.J. 3, 25; 7, 27; obituary 8, 58 Bradfield Woods (Suffolk) 22, 14; 26, 13

56

Brampton Wood purchased by the Wildlife Trust (Katherine Campbell) 35, 66

Brandon Country Park (Suffolk) 6, 20; 14, 17; 17, 13; 20, 10

Bratton, J.H. 31, 2 Breck, Fen and Forest, by M.G. Rutterford

(review by John Trist) 35, 79 Brecldand 2, 14 'Brecldand Bent' in Cambridgeshire

(Graham Easy) 34, 43 Breeding birds of Chippenham Fen National

Nature Reserve in 1981 and 1982: some effects of the 1981182 winter, The (Derek R. Langslow) 26, 25

Breeding of Sudan Crowned Cranes in Cambridgeshire, The (CJ. Cadbury & A.E. Vine) 2, 36

Breeding water birds in Cambridgeshire in 1988 (Graham Easy) 31, 32

Brickpits 25, 21, 30; 32, 3 Brief history of the Trust, A (Ian Hepburn)

13, 18 Brightman, F.H. 8, 45 British Plant Communities, Volume 1:

Woodlands and scrub, edited by J.S. Rodwell (review by Charles Turner) 34, 15

British Warblers, by Eric Simms (review by Peter Sell) 28, 33

Brodie, lain D .S. 23, 18; 29, :S Bromus interruptus (Hack.) Druce.

A botanical dodo? (F.H. Perring) 5, 28 Bromus interruptus (Hack.) Druce- Dodo or

phoenix? (Duncan Donald) 23, 48, 51 Brown, Chris 24, 17 Brownhill Staunch, Over 5, 18 Bryological excursions: fifty years 30, 41 Bryophyte records 1, 25; 7, 34 (Wicken);

9,51; 17,20 Bryophyte records (C.D. Preston &

H.L.K. Whitehouse) 28, 60; 29, 77; 30, 61; 31, 65; 32, 80; 33, 67; 34, 73; 35, 85; 36, 94; 37, 51

Bryophyte records (H.L.K. Whitehouse) 27, 7

Bryophyte sites in Cambridgeshire (Angela E . Newton) 28, 23

Bryophytes added to the county list during 1959; 1960; 1961 (HL.K. Whitehouse) 3, 27; 4, 43; 5, 38

Bryophytes, A layman looks at 3, 25 Bryophytes: Hardwick Wood 34, 69 Bryophytes: Hayley Wood 35, 82 Bryophytes on imported limestone

in Cambridge University Botanic Garden 1955-1991 (C.D. Preston & H.L.K. Whitehouse) 34, 45

B.S.B.I. Monitoring Scheme in TL45

(Graham Easy) 30, 54 Buff Wood 4, 14; 12, 15; 25, 15;

33, 61 Bumble bees 4, 45 Burge, Peronei 34, 32 Burgan, J.P. 16, 43 Burt, Gary 32, 59 Burton, Alfred: obituary 3, 9 Burwell 2, 15 Butterflies and butterfly-watching in

Cambridgeshire (T.J. Bennett) 30, 31 Butterflies and moths in suburbia

(Colin Smith) 31, 19 Butterflies in 1959 3 , 24 Butterflies of Cambridgeshire, The

(B.O.C. Gardiner) 6, 31 Butterflies of Cambridgeshire: highlights

of a county survey (1985- 1992), The (Tim Bennett & Val Perrin) 36, 3

Buzz pollination of Comfrey at Wicken Fen (Naomi Saville & Hilary Chapman) 30, 16

Cadbury, C . James 2, 36; 15, 33; 16, 37; 24, 23; 28, 2 ; 36, 17

Calamints in Cambridgeshire (Graham Easy) 35, 63

CAMBIENT: see Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists' Trust

CAMBIENT Ecological Survey (Sarah Douglas & Peter Seccombe) 23, 40; a second report (with M.E. Smith) 26, 19

CAMBIENT Watch Club (Keith McNaught) 24, 9; 25, 9; 26, 10

Cambridge Bird Club 1, 17; 16, 28; 17, 14; 18, 15; 22 , 34

Cambridge Bryological Excursions: fifty years 30, 41

Cambridge City's first Local Nature Reserve (S.M. Walters) 35, 2

Cambridge Conservation Corps 16, 43 Cambridge crocodile, A (Erica Swale &

Hilary Belcher) 37, 43 Cambridge Gardens, by Ronald Gray (review

by Margaret Meade) 28, 31 Cambridge Habitat Survey: a voluntary

approach to Phase 1 surveying, The (Kevin Hand) 34, 50

Cambridge myxomycetes (Bruce Ing) 5, 41 Cambridge Natural History Society 1, 8,

13; 2, 10; 3, 12; 4, 11; 5, 11; 6, 9; 7 , 9 ; 8, 12; 9, 13; 10, 15; 11, 15; 12, 14; 13, 12; 14, 13; 15, 14; 16, 8; 17, 8; 18, 10; 19, 7; 20, 7; 21, 7; 22, 8; 23, 9; 24, 17; 25, 65; 26, 14; 30, 3

Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists' Trust Annual Reports 1, 4; 2, 4; 3, 3;

57

4, 3; 5, 3; 6, 2; 7, 2; 8, 2; 9, 2; 10, 3; 11, 4; 12, 5; 13, 4; 14, 4; 15, 4; 16, 4; 17, 4; 18, 6; 19, 4; 20, 4; 21 , 5; 22, 4; 23, 4; 24, 5; 25, 4; 26, 3 (and see CAMBIENT)

Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists' Trust: brief history 13, 18

Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Naturalists' Trust 21st birthday celebration 21, 6

Cambridgeshire ants (Bruce log) 3, 27 Cambridgeshire bryophyte records since

publication of A Flora of Cambridgeshire (H.L.K. Whitehouse) 9, 51

Cambridgeshire butterflies in 1959 (B.O.C. Gardiner) 3, 24

Cambridgeshire charophytes (Bruce Jog) 12, 31

Cambridgeshire Dragonfly Survey 1991-1993, The (Val Perrin & Ian Johnson) 37, 8

Cambridgeshire elms (R.H. Richens) 3, 18 Cambrid.geshire ferns - ecclesiastic and

ferroviatic (SM. Walters) 12, 22 Cambridgeshire fleas, The: a species list and

notes on collection (R.S. George) 9, 42 Cambridgeshire Flora Group 33, 60;

34, 64; 35, 80 Cambridgeshire plant tetrad recording scheme

in 1982 (Charles Turner & M.E. Smith) 26, 15

Cambridgeshire sallmarsh, The (P. Adam & J.R. Akeroyd) 21, 26

Cambridgeshire' s changing Lepidoptera (Brian O.C. Gardiner) 1, 21

Cambridgeshire Strepsiptera (Bruce Ing) 19, 19

Cambridgeshire Wildlife Appeal 23, 4, 7; 24, 5 Donors 24, 61 Report 24, 59 Thanksgiving service 25, 16

Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust 30, 3 Campbell, Katherine 35, 66 Carrion flies 28, 9 Castor Hanglands 22, 11 Cavenham Heath 2, 14; 21, 13 Census of the small mammals in Fulbourn

Educational Nature Reserve, A (Martin Popplewell) 30, 35

Centipedes and millipedes (Bruce Ing) 4, 28 Chalk grassland 18, 18 Chalk heaths, vanishing 29, 26 Change in status of raptors in old

Cambridgeshire since 1945, The (P.M.M. Bircham & W.J. Jordan) 33, 4

Changes in the new Hayley Lane Hedge (Julia Hutchison) 29, 72

Changes in the woodlands of West

Cambridgeshire with special reference to the period 1946-1973 (Paul T. Harding) 18, 23

Changing face of nature in Bassingboum (1930s- 1980s), The (Peter Sell) 31, 12

Changing land-use in South Cambridgeshire: its effect on Serotine Bats (Mark F. Robinson & Robert E. Stebbings) 36, 62

Chapman, Hilary, 30, 16 Chapman, P.C. 18, 22; obituary

(in Editorial) 21, 4 Charophytes 12, 31 Charophyte records 33, 70; 34, 72;

35, 86 Checklist of the Flora of Cambridgeshire, A,

by G. Crompton & H.L.K. Whitehouse (review by S.M. Walters) 26, 24

Cherries and plums of Cambridgeshire, The (Peter Sell) 33, 29

Cherry Hinton Chalk Pits 1, 5, 18; 4, 5; 6, 4; 7, 3, 18; 17, 9; 21, 15; 24, 21; 35,2

Cherry Hinton Hall: aquatic fauna 3, 31 Chesterford Gravel Pits (Essex) 3, 16 Chesterford Park Woods 8, 19 Chettisham Meadow 16, 4; 18, 12;

24, 12 Chippenbam Fen 2, 13; 4, 17; 7, 20;

11, 18; 16, 10; 20, 10, 11; 24, 14; 26, 25

Chippenbam Park 9, 19 Chirocephalus diaphanus Pr~vost 15, 35;

21, 18; 31, 2 Chishill 2, 14 Cbrishall Grange Plantation 4, 15 Christian, Garth 7, 41 Chromatium in a brick pit at Wicken

(Sbaun McGarry) 25, 30 Clarke, J.W. 2, 34; 3, 41; 4, 49; 5, 53;

6, 49; 7, 42; 8, 59; 9, 55; 10, 35; 11, 37; 12, 37; 13, 32; 14, 29; 15, 41; 16, 43; 17, 38; 18, 41; 19, 73; 20, 49; 21, 43; 22, 54; 23, 55; 24, 57; 25, 63; 26, 71; 27, 8, 9; 28, 63; 29, 78; 30, 63; 31, 67; 32, 83; 33, 70; 34, 75; 35, 87; 36, 95; 37, 53

Clarke, Roger 37, 3 Clearance of scrub and re-establishment of

chalk grassland on the Devil's Dyke (P.J. Grubb & Barbara A. Key) 18, 18

Climate of Cambridgeshire (J.W. Clarke) 2, 34

Clinopodium (Calamintha) spp. 35, 63 Coe Fen 9, 49; 17, 33 Coenotephria sagittata (Fabr.) 4, 38 Coldham's Common 25, 13

58

Coleoptera 36, 88 Coleoptera of Tbriplow wet meadows 1963,

The (A.C. Warne) 7, 15 Collared Dove 5, 36 Collins Guide to the Wild Flowers of

East Africa, by M. Blundell (review by S.M. Walters) 30, 25

Common lands of Cambridgeshire, The (Derek Wells) 23, 42

Conder, Peter 24, 45; 31, 56 Conference of County Natwcilists' Trusts,

Norwich 18 to 20 May 1962 (W.E.H. Fiddian) 6, 37

Conservation Corps 16, 43 Conspicuous growth of algae in

Trumpington Street, Cambridge, A (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 34, 28

Coombe, D.E. 29, 26; 30, 13; 31, 2; 32, 3; 36, 37

Coploe Hill Parish Pit, lckleton 6, 4 Corbet, Sarah A. 21, 36; 28, 33 Come, Grace 37, 47 Cornfield weeds 33, 50 Com Parsley 28, 28 Corylus avellana L. and C. maxima Miller

23, 50 Countryside Advisory Working Party 13, 6 Cow Fen, Swavesey 28, 2 Coypu come to Cambridgeshire

(C.W. Rowell) 5, 35 Crane, Sudan Crowned 2, 36 Crassula helmsii, the Swamp Stonecrop,

near Cambridge (Erica S wale & Hilary Belcher) 25, 59

Crocodile, A Cambridge 37, 43 Crompton, Gigi 2, 15, 24; 5, 20; 6, 21;

7, 13; 8, 17; 9, 21; 10, 21; 15, 21, 25; 19, 61; 20, 45; 21, 39; 22, 50; 23, 53; 24, 54; 25, 62; 26, 24, 70; 27, 5; 28, 59; 29, 74; 30, 27, 59; 31, 62; 32, 77; 33, 49, 60, 65; 34, 70; 35, 83; 36, 91

Croxton Park 10, 26 Croydon Hill 6, 14 Cuckoo as musician, The (Nicholas Warner)

24,44 Cynipidae (Hymenoptera) galls at Conington

Hall, Cambridgeshire, with particular reference to their occurrence on introduced oaks (R. Colin Welch) 36, 78

Dactylorchids ofWicken Fen, The (Peter Sell) 29, 69

Daphnia magna at Wicken Fen (LJ. Walley) 3, 35

Dark-leaved Willow Salix nigricans in Cambridgeshire (Duncan Donald) 24, 50

Deer 19, 32; 22, 15; 26, 52

Dempster, J.P. 19, 11 Desk survey of the Great Crested Newt

Triturus cristatus in the old county of Cambridgeshire, A (Gary Burt) 32, 59

Development of the pappus in ligulate Compositae (H. Meyer) 7, 31

Devil's Ditch/Dyke 2, 4, 15; 3, 5; 4 , 14, 16; 11, 17; 14, 6; 15, 15; 17, 11; 18, 18; 19, 9; 21, 14; 22, 11, 47; 24, 13; 26, 38; 31, 48; 34, 66; 35, 13, 82

Diatoms 6, 39; 35, 75 Diatoms of Wicken Fen and Hayley Wood,

The (E.A. George) 6, 39 Dicranella staphylina Whitehouse 13, 30 Diptera 21, 25; 25, 41; 28, 9, 56;

30, 21 Disney, R.Henry L. 28, 33; 30, 21 Distribution of parish pits in the County of

Cambridge (excluding the Isle of Ely), The (M.C. Anderson) 1, 30

Distribution of the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire, The (C.D. Preston) 35, 29

Distribution of the Serotine Bat in Cambridgeshire, past and present (Mark F. Robinson) 34, 24

Ditch flora of the Ouse Washes (Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk), The: a comparison between 1978 and 1992 (James Cadbury, Lesley Halshaw & Richard Tidswell) 36, 17

Ditton Park Wood, 1, 7; 2, 15 Dog House Grove, Wilburton. A school's

contribution to the management of a nature reserve (Pamela M. Harden) 22, 39

Donald, Duncan 22, 47; 24, 50, 53; 26, 50

Douglas, Sarah 23, 40; 26, 19 Dragonfly survey 37, 8 Duffey, Eric 16, 13 Dullingham sand-pits 4, 14 Dyke vegetation 25, 34

Earith 6, 19 Easy, Graham M.S. 10, 27; 19, 23;

24, 31; 25, 19, 45; 26, 46; 30, 54; 31, 32; 32, 58; 33, 45, 50; 34, 43; 35, 63

Ecological surveys 23, 40; 26, 19 Ecological teaching: Coe Fen 17, 33 Ecology teaching in Gamlingay Cinques

(Cicely Kerr) 18, 35 Effect of management on insect

species richness at Wicken Fen, The (D.M. Unwin) 29, 37

Elms 3, 18; 5, 39

59

Elsworth Wood 22, 9 Ephemeral pools of south Cambridgeshire,

The (C.D. Preston) 31, 2 Eriophyid mites on Cambridgeshire elms

(R.H. Richens) 5, 39 Errata (23-26) 27, inside front cover Erzinclioglu Y :Z. 28, 9 Eucosma metzneriana Treitsche: a moth new

to Britain (R.J. Revell & J.D. Scobie) 24,47

European Conservation Year 1970 13, 6; 14, 4

Experiment with carrion flies in Hayley Wood, An (Y.Z. Erzinclioglu) 28, 9

Fagence, Wendy, 31, 54 Fairhaven, Lord: obituary 10, 2 Fairy rings 30, 13 Fairy Shrimp at Fowlmere, The (Martin G.

Walters) 15, 35; 21, 18 Fallow Deer of Hayley Wood, The

(R.J. Symonds) 22, 15 Farmers·and naturalists, meetings 26, 13 Fauna of the aquatic habitats at Cherry

Hinton Hall, Cambridge (G. Youngs) 3, 31

Fen Drayton 9, 19 Fen Violet at Wicken Fen, The

(T.A. Rowell) 26, 62 Ferns at Wicken Fen (S.M. Willters) 31, 61 Ferns- ecclesiastic and ferroviatic 12, 22 Ferns in Girton drains (Hilary Belcher &

Erica Swale) 36, 83 Ferns, stone, at Wimpole 34, 32 Ferns: Wicken Fen 33, 64 Fertility of Hobson's Brook, The (Ernest A.

Gray) 20,24 Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina

(P.J.O. Trist) 28, 54 Fiddian, W.E.H. 4, 45; 6, 37; 7, 8 Field, Michael H. 34, 30 Fifty years of the Cambridge Bryological

Excursions (P.W. Richards & H.L.K. Whitehouse) 30, 41

First county nesting of Collared Dove (A.E. Vine) 5, 36

Fishes at Bottisham Park, Cambridgeshire, The (Alwyne Wheeler) 19, 37

Hearn Dyke 1, 7; 2, 4; 3, 4; 4, 40; 8, 19; 16, 9; 19, 8; 21, 14

F1eas 9, 42 F1etcher, Anthony 28, 40 Flies 21, 25; 25, 41; 28, 9; 30, 21 Flies of Quy Fen, The (Ivan Perry) 28, 56 F1ora and fauna of rubbish tips and

waste places in Cambridgeshire, The (G.M.S. Easy) 19, 23

Flora Facts and Fables, Issue Number One,

edited by Grace Come (review by Max Walters) 37, 47

Flora of Bottisham Park, The (A. C. Leslie) 19, 39

Flora of Cambridgeshire railways, The (Graham Easy) 24, 31

Flora of the hedgerows in the area around Overhall Grove, The (Ian D.S. Brodie & Karen E. Major) 23, 18

Flora, roadside 23, 47; 31, 50; 36, 37; 37,44

Forbes, C.L. 20, 21 Ford, Guy A. 4, 38 Fordham, W.H. 2, 20; 5, 31; 6, 38, 42,

46; 8, 38 Fordham Wood 10, 5; 11, 6; 12, 7;

13, 5; 15, 5; 21, 10 Forget-me-nets 4, 18 Fossil fauna of the mid-Cretaceous of

Cambridgeshire with particular attention to the reptiles, The (N.C. Fraser) 32, 17

Fossil wood in Cambridgeshire (W.H. Fordham) 6, 38

Foul Anchor 1, 19; 17, 13; 21, 26; 22, 13

Fowlmere Watercress Beds/RSPB Reserve 3, 15; 34, 66

Frankl, Ernest 28, 31 Fraser, N.C. 32, 17 Freshwater Mollusca of Reach Lode, The

(S.J. Bishop & M.J. Bishop) 14, 21 Fresh-water snails on Coe Fen, Cambridge

(L.M. Walters) 9, 49 Friday, Laurie E. 30, 50; 36, 84 Frog bit Hydrocharis morsus-ranae at the

Nene Washes in 1988 (Robert Payne) 31, 31

From arable farm to new town: changes in flora and fauna during the development of Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire from 1966 to 1988 (Norman W. Moore) 32, 27

Fulboum Educational Nature Reserve (Fulboum Fen) 11, 6, 17; 14, 8, 15; 15, 8, 18; 20, 5, 9; 22, 10; 30, 35

Fungus forays 1, 20; 2, 15; 3, 17; 4, 17; 5, 19; 6, 20; 7, 22; 8, 29; 9,19; 10, 20; 11, 20; 12, 19; 13, 16; 14, 17; 15, 18; 16, 12; 17, 13; 18, 15; 19, 10; 20, 10; 21 , 13; 22, 14; 24, 16; 25, 15; 26, 13

Further localities for the Oxlip Primula elatior (L.) Hill in Cambridgeshire (C.D. Preston & S.E. Yates) 37, 35

Further records of Cambridge Myxomycetes (Bruce lng) 7, 39

Furze Hills, Hildersham 3, 3; 6, 16; 30, 4

60

Gadwall - a success story, The (Graham Easy) 25, 19

Gagg, Andrew N. 32, 73 Galanthus spp. 35, 65 Galls of Andricus quercusramuli L.

(Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) at Rampton, Cambridgeshire (R. Colin Welch) 24, 48

Galls on plants 13, 24; 36, 78 Gamlingay Cinques 18, 35; 20, 5;

21, 15 Gamlingay Great Heath Wood Meadow

11, 18; 22, 10 Gamlingay revisited. A botanical account of

a neglected area (A. C. Leslie) 22, 42 Gamlingay White Wood 7, 16 Gamlingay Wood (Oliver Rackham} 34, 3 Gamlingay Wood 1, 7, 20; 34, 65 Gardiner, Brian O.C. 1, 21; 2, 35; 3, 24;

6, 31; 11, 28 Garfit, Will 36, 61 Garlics 35, 67 George,E.A. 6, 39 George, R.S. 9, 14, 42 Getting the best out of bumble bees

(W .E. H. Fiddian) 4, 45 Gilbert, Francis S. 25, 41; 29, 41 Gilbert-Carter, Humphrey: obituary 12, 4 Girton 31, 19, 50; 36, 83; 37, 43, 44,

48 Grafham Water 19, 11 Grantchester Church and its Churchyards,

by S.M. Walters (review by Francesca Greenoak) 31, 27

Gravel pits 3, 16; 9, 19; 11, 18; 19, 35 Gray, Ernest A. 17, 24; 20, 24 Graysmoor Pits 9, 18; 19, 10; 21, 17 Great Chesterford Gravel Pits (Essex) 3, 16 Great Cbishill (v.c. 19) 35, 81 Great Crested Newt 32, 59 Great Widgham Wood 6, 14 Great Wilbraham Common 35, 81 Greatorex-Davies, J.N. 31, 46 Green Hills, Soham 33, 63 Greenoak, Francesca 31, 27 'Greys', near Royston 14, 16 Grose, M.P.B. 23, 29 Groton Wood, Suffolk 25, 11 Grubb, P.J. 18, 18 Guide to the Botanical Gardens of Britain,

by M. Young (review by S.M. Walters) 31, 29

Gullet, The, to Jolly Banker's Bridge, Sutton 35, 82

Habitat of Selinum carvifolia in Cambridgeshire, The (Marlin O'Leary) 31, 36

Haddenham Pond 22, 9 Halshaw, Lesley 36, 17 Hand, Kevin 34, 50 Harden, Pamela M. 22, 39 Harding, Paul T. 18, 23, 32 Hardwick Wood 18, 13; 34, 69 Harlton Chalk Pit 6, 17 Harper, David 26, 49 Harvey, H. John 16, 28; 17, 14; 18, 15;

24, 38; 28, 35 Haslam, S.M. 25, 34 Haslingfield Chalk Pit 6, 17 Hawkmoths of Cambridgeshire, The

(B.O.C. Gardiner) 11, 28 Hayley Lane: new hedge 23, 26; 29, 72 Hayley Wood (C.D. Pigott & M.H. Martin)

7, 23 Hayley Wood 5, 3; 6, 3; 7, 2, 16, 18;

8, 2; 9, 6; 10, 9, 17; 11, 9, 19; 12, 10; 13, 10, 14; 14, 9, 15; 15, 9; 18, 11; 19, 8, 34; 20, 8; 24, 11; 25, 12 Autumn and winter 23, 27 Birds 8, 30; 22, 34; 24, 45; 29, 47; 30, 23; 31, 56 Bryophytes 35, 82 Diatoms 6, 39 Flies 25, 41; 28, 9; 30, 21 Fungi 8, 29; 19, 10 Mammals 8, 36; 19, 32; 26, 60 Nowellia curvifolia 6, 42

Hayley Wood deer count, The (Oliver Rackbam) 19, 32

Hayward, J. 30, 25 Hazels in Cambridgeshire (Peter Sell)

23, 50 HeaJhlo.nds, by Nigel Webb (review by

R.H. Marrs) 29, 44 Hedge-laying: conserving a traditional craft

(Stephen Lees) 25, 32 Hedgerows 9, 23; 15, 19; 23, 18, 26;

25, 11, 32; 29, 72 Helix pomatia L. 16, 25 Hemsted, The Revd John 33, 26 Hepburn, Ian 13, 16, 18, 30; 15, 21;

obituary 18, 4 Heydon Chalk Pit 13, 5 Highlights of a botanical year

(G. Crompton) 30, 27 Hildersham Furze Hills 3, 3; 6, 16 Hildersham Furze Hills (P J .0. Trist) 30, 4 Hildersham Hall 12, 19 Hildersham Wood 1, 19; 6, 26 Himantoglossum hircinum (L.) Sprengel

22, 47 Hinxton Hall 8, 29 History and experimentation in the

management of Wicken Fen

61

(T.A. Rowell) 29, 14 History and flora of Tbriplow Meadows

(G. Crompton) 15, 25 History of the Countryside, The, by Oliver

Rackbam (review by Peter Sell) 29, 42 History of the Madingley brickpits, The:

contrasts in succession (D.E. Coombe, T.J.N. Mills & P. Upchurch) 32, 3

History of the vertebrates of Bassingbourn andKneeswortb, A (P.D. Sell) 9, 31; 10, 28; 11, 30

Hobbies - elegant masked bandits that have moved into Cambridgeshire and beyond (Peter Prince & Roger Clarke) 37, 3

Hobson's Brook: fertility 20, 24 Hobson's Brook then and now (Ernest A.

Gray) 17,24 Holme Fen (v.c. 31) 15, 18; 18, 15 Holme-next-the-Sea (Norfolk) 24, 15 Hooper, Max D. 9, 23 Horningsea: bee-wall 34, 58 Horningsea: nineteenth-century Lepidoptera

31, 46 Homsey, Ian S. 28, 40 Hoverflies (Diptera: SYipbidae) of Hayley

Wood, The (Francis Gilbert & Ivan Perry) U,~ .

Hoverjlies, by Francis S. Gilbert (review by Dennis Unwin) 29, 41

Hundred-Foot Washes 2, 13 · Huntly, Marchioness of 21, 38 Hutchison [misprinted Hutchinson], Julia

29, 72 Huxley, Camilla 12, 21 Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L. 31, 31 Hymenoptera 1, 32; 3 , 27; 4, 45;

24, 48; 36, 78

Ickleton Pit 6, 4 Ickwortb Park 21, 13 Identification of blackberries and their allies

in Cambridgeshire (R.R. Aitchison & R.J. Pankhurst) 16, 31

Importance of gravel pits to the present .Cambridgeshire avifauna, The (C.A.E. Kirtland) 19, 35

Inaugural meeting of CAMBIENT 1, 4 Incidence of Lolium x boucheanum Kunth

in Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29), The (P J.O. Trist) 37, 41

Index (1-13) 14, 35; (14-27) 27, 11; (1-37) 37, 55

Indices for dyke vegetation (S.M. Haslam) 25, 34

Ing, Bruce 2, 16; 3, 27; 4, 28; 5, 41; 7, 39; 12, 31; 19, 19

Insect species richness: Wicken Fen 29, 37 Insects ofThriplow Meadows, The

(A.C. Warne) 6, 24 Introductions of the Roman Snail in

Cambridgeshire (E. Pollard) 16, 25 Inula helenium L . 18, 16 Isleham 5, 14 Ivy Broomrape in the University Botanic

Garden, Cambridge (Philip Oswald) 26, 66

Jenyns, Leonard 16, 19 Johnson, Ian 37, 8 Jones, W.E. 26, 60 Jones, V.S. Vernon 22, 21 Jordan, W.J. 33, 4 Juniperus communis L. 4, 40

Kerr, Cicely 18, 35 Key, Barbara A. 18, 18 King, Clive 33, 41 Kirtland, C.A.E. 19, 35 Knapwell Wood 9, 15; 10, 17; 12, 25;

13, 14, 29; 14, 14, 25, 27; 15, 11; 22, 12

Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss 32, 63 Landscapes project 24, 17 Langley Wood 9, 16 Langslow, Derek R. 26, 25 Laundon, J.R. 20, 11 Layman looks at bryophytes, A

(P.J. Bourne) 3 , 25 Leaf miner, a new stigmellid 4, 37 Lees, Stephen 25, 32 Lemna minuscula in Cambridge

(C.D. Preston) 33, 52 Lemna minuta Kunlh (L minuscula Herter)

33, 52 Leonard Jenyns's notes on Cambridgeshire

fishes (Alwyne Wheeler) 16, 19 Lepidoptera 1, 21; 2, 35; 3, 24; 6, 31;

11, 28; 14; 18; 19, 11; 24, 47; 30, 31; 31, 19, 46; 36, 3; 37. 48

Lepidoptera in Cambridgeshire (R.J. Revell) 19, 45; 20, 29

Leslie, Alan C. 19, 39; 22, 42; 26, 38 Libbey, R.P. 16, 39 Lichen flora of Chippenham Fen,

Cambridgeshire, The: a study of secondary woodland O.R Laundon) 20, 11

Lichen flora of the Parish of Mepal, The (Ian S. Homsey & Anthony Fletcher) 28, 40

Lichens of Cambridge walls, The (F.H. Brightman) 8, 45

Ligulate Compositae 7, 31 Lime Kiln Close: see Cherry Hinton

Chalk Pits

62

Little Trees Hill: see Stapleford Pit Little Widgbam Wood 7, 21 Live-trapping of small mammals in

Hayley Wood (W.E. Jones) 26, 60 Lizard Orchid 22, 47 Lizard's tale, A: Himantogwssum hircinum

on the Devil' s Dyke (Duncan Donald) 22, 47

Lock, J.M. 7, 34; 33, 20; 35, 25 Lodge, The, Sandy (Beds) 11, 20; 16, 12;

24, 16 Lolium x boucheanum Kuntb 37, 41 Longstowe Hall 10, 20; 11, 16 Lord's Bridge Radio Astronomy Observatory

25, 51, 58 Lower Wood, Weston Colville (Steve

Borebam & Frances Applin) 37, 24

MacCallum, Fiona 28, 50 Mccr.nty, Shaun 25, 30 Macmillan Field Guide to British

Wildflowers, The, by Franklyn Perring & Max Walters (review by Philip Oswald) 32, 73

McNaught, Keith 23, 26; 24, 9, 20; 25, 9 ; 26, 10

Macro-invertebrates as water quality indicators in Bin Brook, a polluted Cambridge clay stream (Steve Borebam) 33, 14

Macro-invertebrates as water quality indicators in the Qpy Water Stream System (Steve Boreham) 35, 3

Macro-invertebrates as water quality indicators in two Cambridge chalk streams (Steve Boreham) 32, 67

Madin, D.F. 22, 34 Madingley Brickpits 32, 3 Madingley Hall 3, 14; 5, 14; 33, 62 Madingley parish: bird populations and

communities 36, 68 Madingley Wood 33, 61 Magog Trust, The (Christopher South)

33, 39 Maidcross Hill, Lakenheath, Suffolk 34, 64 MaJor, Karen E. 23, 18 Mallard 29, 5 Mammals of Hayley Wood, The (A.E. Vine)

8, 36 Mammals of South-West Cambridgeshire,

The (W.H. Fordham) 2, 20 Management experiment on Tbriplow

Meadows, Cambridgeshire (G. Crompton & I. Hepburn) 15, 21

Manea Pit 9, 18; 13, 9; 21, 17 Manning S.A. 13, 24 Mare and Middle Fens, Swavesey 21, 9;

28, 2; 33, 63; 37, 46

Mare Way 2, 4; 3, 4; 5, 7 'Maritime' plants of roads in Cambridgeshire

(v.c. 29) (D.E. Coombe) 36, 37 Marrs, R.H. 29, 44 Marsh Carpet. Coenotephria sagittata

(Fabr.), The (Guy A. Ford) 4, 38 Marshall, P.T. 17, 33 Martin, M.H. 6, 42; 7, 23 Mass occurrence in Cambridge of Nostoc

commune Vaucher, a conspicuous terrestrial blue-green alga, A (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 30, 29

Mayne, Rev. Canon Michael 25, 16 Meade, Margaret 28, 32; 31, 43 Medieval woodland areas (Oliver Rackham)

11 , 22 Medicinal herbs 18, 16 Meetings of farmers and naturalists

(S.M. Walters & Michael Astor) 26, 13 Mepal 2, 14; 28, 40 Meredith, T.C. 24, 38 Meyer, H. 7, 31 Millipedes 4, 28 Mill Pits, Over 35, 81 Mills, T.J.N. 32, 3 Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench subsp.

arundinacea (Schrank) K. Richter in Cambridgeshire (P J .O. Trist) 34, 61

Mollusca 14, 21; 16, 25; 17, 16; 36, 88

Mollusca of Wicken Fen with some additional records, The (M.J. Bishop) 17, 16

Monitoring the Fen Dandelion at Wicken Fen (H.J. Harvey) 28, 35

Monk' s Hole Wood 2, 14 Monks Wood 8, 21 Moor Barns Bath, including 18th- and

19th·century plant records 35, 17 Moore, Norman W. 32, 27 Morden Grange Plantation (W.H. Fordham)

8, 38 Morden Heath/Grange Plantation 8, 25;

10, 19; 34, 65 More about soil stripes, polygons and

fairy rings (D.E. Coombe) 30, 13 More plums (Peter Sell) 34, 59 Morris, M.G. 6, 43 Mosquitoes of Wicken Fen, The

(Jeremy A. Rudd) 28, 13 Mottled Rooks in Cambridgeshire

(W.H. Fordham) 5, 31 Moule, Peter 12, 20; 14, 25 Mousetail, Myosurus minimus L ., at the

Ouse Washes (CJ. Cadbury) 16, 37 Mungac Deer in Cambridgeshire

(W.H. Fordham) 6, 42 Murfitt. T.J. 36, 68

63

Murrell, Gina 32, 14; 35, 65 Mycelis muralis (L.) Dumort. 33, 54 Myosotis spp. 4, 18 Myosurus minimus L. 16, 37; 21, 16 Mystery field at Swavesey in 1990, A

(Gigi Crompton) 33, 49 Myxomatosis 2, 21 Myxomycetes 5, 41; 7, 39

National Nature Week (W.E.H. Fiddian) 7, 8

National Trust Wicken Fen Local Committee 1, 14; 2, 11; 3, 13; 4, 12; 5, 12; 6, 10; 7, 10; 8, 13; 9, 10; 10, 14; 11, 14; 12, 13; 13, 11; 14, 10; 15, 12; 16, 6; 17, 6; 18, 8; 19, 6; 20, 6; 21, 7; 22, 6; 3 3, 20 ; 36, 84

Native and naturalised garlics in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden (Philip Oswald) 35, 67

Natural history and conservation status of Nine Wells, The (Fiona MacCallum) 28, 50

Natural History of Brampton Wood, The, edited by T.C.E. Wells (review by Oliver Rackham) 35, 78 ·

Naturalists' Handbooks (review by Dennis Unwin) 28, 33

Naturalists' Trusts Conference 'in York (F.H. Perring) 8, II

Nature Conservation in Britain, by Sir Dudley Stamp (review by Ian Hepburn) 13, 16

Nature conservation in the City of Cambridge (C.J. Cadbury & M.E. Smith) 24 , 23

Nature conservation on the Devil' s Ditch (Margaret Stanier) 31, 48

Nature in Cambridgeshire: au revoir, not farewell? (S.M. Walters) 27, 1

Nature photography (W.H. Palmer) 19, 14 Nematodes 14, 23 Nene Washes 31, 31; 34, 67 New Agricultural Landscapes Project in

Cambridgeshire, The (Chris Brown) 24, 17

New Hayley Lane Hedge, The (Keith McNaught) 23, 26

New Key to Wild Flowers, A, by J. Hayward (review by SM. Walters) 30, 25

Newmarket Heath 9, 17; 18, 14; 21, 11 New plant records from the Devil' s Ditch

(A.C. Leslie) 26, 38 New stigmellid leaf miner, A.

(R.H. Richens) 4, 37 Newton, Angela E. 28, 23 New water bodies at Wicken Fen (J .M. Lock

& T J. Bennett) 35, 25 Nine Wells 22, 12; 28, 50 Northcote, Mru.jorie 29, 20 Norwood Road, March 7, 4; 8, 4; 9, 18;

10, 5; 12, 17; 13, 5; 14, 8; 17, 13; 24, 20

Nostoc commune Vaucher 30, 29 Note on a new moss species [Dicranella

staphylina Whitehouse] (lan Hepburn) 13, 30

Note on Azolla filiculoides Lam. (an aquatic fern) sexually reproducing in Cambridge, A (Michael H. Field) 34, 30

Note on Cambridgeshire bulrushes, A (Graham Easy) 32, 58

Note on comparative invertebrate survey, A: the spider fallll3S of Wicken and Woodwalton Fens (Eric Duffey) 16, 13

Note on Hazelcmft in Gamlingay Wood, A (Charles Turner) 35, 77

Note on the history of Knapwell Wood (GF. Peterken) 14, 27

Notes on birds in Hayley Wood (Peter Sell) 30, 23; (Peter Conder) 31, 56

Notes on some hedgerows in Cambridgeshire (MD. Hooper) 9, 23

Notes on the botany of the Girton road interchange (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 31, 50

Notes on the flora associated with roadworks near Cambridge in 1979 (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 23, 47

Nothoscordum borbonicum Kunth or N. gracile (Aiton) Stearn 35, 67

Nowellia curvijolill (Dicks.) Mitt in Hayley Wood (M.H. Martin) 6, 42

"Now you see it- now you don' t." An address given ... at a service of thanksgiving for ... the Cambridgeshire Wildlife Appeal (Rev. Canon Michael Mayne) 25, 16

Observations on the wildlife potential of cities with particular reference to Cambridge (Steve Boreham & J. Simon M. Albrecht) 34, 52

Oenanthe silaifolill Bieb. at the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire(C.J. Cadbury) 15, 33

O'Leary, Martin 31, 36 One-year record of acid rain in east

Cambridgeshire, A (Wendy Fagence) 31, 54

Ophrys apifera Hudson 25, 50 Orchis mario in old Cambridgeshire

(Robert Payne) 33, 23 Origins of the Wicken Fen brickpits, The

(T.A. Rowell) 25, 21

64

Ornithological diary of eighty years ago, An (V.S. Vernon Jones (1875- 1955) (with an introduction and notes by P.H. Oswald)) 22, 21

Orobanche hederae Duby 26, 66 Orwell Pit 4, 4 Oswald, Philip H. 22, 21; 26, 66;

32, 73; 33, 26; 35, 67; 37, 46 Ouse River Board Pits 4, 4 Ouse Washes, The (Michael J. Allen &

D.A. Wells) 13, 21 Ouse Washes 9, 18; 10, 6; 11, 5;

14, 14; 15, 5, 10, 14, 15, 33; 16, 8, 9, 37; 17, 9; 18, 11, 14; 19, 8; 21, 8, 16; 22, 8, 12; 23, 29; 24, 6, 9; 25, 10; 26, 11; 33, 63; 36, 17

Out Wood 7, 21; 35, 80 Over 5, 18; 21, 9; 35, 81 Overhall Grove 12, 20; 17, 10; 21, 8;

23, 10, 18; 24, 10 Oxlip 13, 29; 17, 28; 35, 29; 37, 35 Oxlip, The (D.H. Valentine) 17, 28; Oxlips in Knapwell Wood Reserve

(G.F. Peterken) 13, 29

Painter, Duncan 36, 88 Palmer, William H. 19, 14;

Memorial Appeal/Fund 28, 1; 29, 3 Pampisford Hall 7, 22 Pankhurst, R.J. 16, 31, 41; 17, 36;

18, 41 Papilio machaon L. 19, 11; 37, 48 Papworth Wood 24, 10 Paradise 4, 5; 5, 5; 7, 3; 33, 25 Parish pits 1, 30; 4, 4 Parnassia palustris L. 31, 43 'Pat Whitehouse Show, The' (review

by S.M. Walters) 32, 76 Payne, Robert 28, 28; 31, 31; 33, 23 Peakirk Waterfowl Gardens (v.c. 32)

5, 14; 6, 15 Peat Holes of Triplow, The (Gigi Crompton)

2, 24 Perrin, Val 36, 3; 37, 8 Perring, Franklyn H. 1, 27; 2, 36; 3, 36;

5, 28, 37; 6, 45; 7, 38; 8, 11, 60; 9, 54; 10, 34; 11, 36; 12, 21, 36; 13, 30; 14, 22; 15, 40; 32, 73; 36, 61

Perry, A.Y. 3, 23 Perry, Ivan 26, 41; 28, 56 Persicarill species at Mare Fen, Swavesey

(Max Walters & Philip Oswald) 37, 46 Petasites hybridus (L.) P. Gaertner, Meyer &

Scherb. 33, 25 Peterken, George F. 13, 29; 14, 27;

15, 19 Petroselinum segetum (Com Parsley) on the

Cambridgeshire Fenland in the 1980s (Robert Payne) 28, 28

Peucednnum palustre (L.) Moench 24, 38 Pigeons in S.W. Cambridgeshire

(W.H. Fordham) 6, 46 Pigou, c. Donald 7, 23 Pits, Ouse River Board 4, 4 Pits, parish 1, 30; 4, 4 Plant and soil nematodes of Wicken Fen

(G.W. Yeates) 14, 23 Plant records from Cambridgeshire (v.c. 29)

in the Marchioness of Huntly's herbarium (T.C.E. Wells & J. Sheail) 21, 38

Plums 33, 29; 34, 59 Poa humilis Ehrh. ex Hoffm. (P. subcaerolea

Smith) 31, 57 Pollard, E . 16, 25 Polygons 29, 26; 30, 13 Polygonum species: see Persicaria species at

Mare Fen, Swavesey Pontin, Rosalind M. 37, 20 Popplewell, Martin 30, 3 Population of Mallards on the River Cam at

Cambridge, The (lain D.S. Brodie) 29, 5 Populus x canadensis Moench 25, 45 Populus nigra L. 25, 45; 33, 45 Potash Lane Hedge 25, 11 Preliminary list of the birds of Hayley Wood

(A.E. Vine) 8, 30 Preliminary survey of the moths of Reach

(MJ. Bishop & S.J. Bishop) 14, 18 Preston, Chris D. 28, 60; 29, 77;

30, 58, 61; 31, 2, 65; 32, 80; 33, 52, 67, 70; 34, 45, 72, 73; 35, 29, 85, 86; 36, 91, 94; 37, 35, 49, 51

Primula elatior (L.) Hill 13, 29; 17, 28; 35, 29; 37, 35

Prince, Peter 37, 3 Publicity in schools 1, 9

Quy Fen 1, 6, 19; 3, 3; 4, 4; 7, 20; 28, 56

Rackham, Oliver 11, 22, 25; 12, 25; 19, 32; 29, 42; 34, 3; 35, 78

Railway flora 12, 21, 22; 24, 31 Rampton 24, 48 Ranunculus calcareus and R. pseudofluitans

in Cambridgeshire (Gina Murrell & Peter Sell) 32, 14

Raptors: change in status since 1945 33, 4 Ray's Butterbur still in Paradise!

(S.M. Walters) 33, 25 Reach 4, 16; 5, 16; 10, 18; 14, 18, 21;

24, 15 Reborn Nature in Cambridgeshire, The

(S.M. Walters) 29, 2

65

Recent bryophyte records for Cambridgeshire (H.L.K. Whitehouse) 17, 20

Recording in Tetrad W of Grid Square TIA5 in 1987 (C.D. Preston) 30, 58

Rediscovery of the Fen Rag wort in Cambridgeshire, The (P.D. Sell) 16, 37

Remarkable alien flora on the Gog Magog Hills, A (John Akeroyd) 34, 35

Reptiles, mid-Cretaceous 32, 17 Restoration of grassland on the

Devil's Ditch, Cambridgeshire, The (Margaret Stanier) 35, 13

Revd John Hemsted, The (1747?-1824) (Philip Oswald) 33, 26

Revell, R.J. 19, 45; 20, 29; 24, 47 Riccia in Cambridgeshire

(H.L.K. Whitehouse) 2, 37 Richards, Paul W. 30, 41 Richardson, John D. 21, 36 Richcns, R.H. 3, 18; 4, 37; 5, 39 Roadside verges 4, 6; 5, 4 Robinson, Mark F. 34, 24; 36, 62 Roman Road 2, 4; 3, 5, 6; 16, 10;

21, 15 Roman Snail 16, 25 Rodwell, J.S. 34, 15 Rookeries in Cambridge 1945-1960 ·

(Peter Shipton) 4, 42 Roswell Pits, Ely 1, 19; 13, 10; 15, 17;

16, 11; 17, 12; 19, 8; 21, 12; 24, 21; 34, 68

Rotifers of Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire: a preliminary survey (Rosalind M. Pontin) 37, 20

Rowell, C.W. 5, 35 Rowell, T.A. 25, 21; 26, 62; 29, 14 Rubus spp. 16, 31 Rudd, Jeremy A. 28, 13 Ruffs and Black-tailed Godwits in

Cambridgeshire (Graham Easy) 26, 46 Rutterford, M.G. 35, 79

Salix myrsinifolia Salisb. (S. nigricans Smith) 24, 50

Saltmarsh 21, 26 Sandy (Beds), The Lodge 11, 20; 16, 12;

24, 16 Saville, Naomi 30, 16 Sawston Hall and Moor 4, 17; 31, 43 Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla and

S. tabernaemontani (C. Gmelin) Palla (Scirpus lacustris L.) 32, 58

ScMnfelder, I. & P. 33, 41 Scobie, J.D. 24, 47 Scrub clearance 3, 4; 18, 18 Scuttle flies in Hayley Wood

(R.HL. Disney) 30, 21 Seasonal variation in the prey of some

fenland Barn Owls (Ann Sruart) 34, 17 Seccombe, Peter 23, 40; 26, 19 Selinum carvifolia in Cambridgeshire

(Nicholas Warner) 24,42 Selinum carvifolia L. 31, 36, 43 Sell, Peter D. 6 , 45; 9, 31; 10, 28;

14, 27; 16, 37; 23, 27, 50; 28, 19, 33; 29, 42, 69; 30, 23; 31, 12; 32, 14; 33, 29; 34, 59; 35, 65

Senecio paludosus L. 16, 37 Serotine Bat 34, 24; 36, 62 Sheail, J. 21, 28 Shepreth L-Moor 10, 5; 12, 18; 19, 9;

21, 25 Shipton, Peter 4, 42 Simms, Eric 28, 33 Slugs (A.Y. Perry) 3, 23 Small mammals 26, 60; 30, 35 Small nineteenth-century collection of

Lepidoptera from Horningsea, Cambridgeshire, A (R. Colin Welch & J.N. Greatorex-Davies) 31, 46

Smith, Colin C. 31, 19; 37, 48 Smith, M.E. 24, 23; 26, 15, 19 Smith, Tony 29, 58 Snails 9, 49 Snowdrops in Cambridgeshire (Gina Murrell

& Peter Sell) 35, 65 Society for the Promotion of Nature

Reserves (SPNR) 1, 9 Soham Meadows 17, 11; 20, 9; 24, 14;

25, 12; 33, 63 Soil stripes 29, 26; 30, 13 Some Cambridgeshire birds of about 5,000

years ago (Mrujorie Northcote) 29, 20 Some Cambridgeshire plant galls

(S.A. Manning) 13, 24 Some diatoms of a small saline habitat near

Cambridge (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 35, 75

Some observations of birds feeding in Hayley Wood (Peter Conder) 24, 45

Some recent bryophyte records from Wicken Fen (J.M. Lock) 7, 34

Some records of aquatic Coleoptera and Mollusca from Wicken Fen (Duncan Painter) 36, 88

Some spring bees found in Cambridge gardens (P.F. Yeo) 1, 32

Sophorajaponica L. 1, 13 South African water plant Lagarosiphon

major (Ridley) Moss and its occurrence in Cambridgeshire, The (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 32, 63

South Cambridgeshire Natural History Society (R.S . George) 9, 14

South, Christopher 33, 39 Southern European cornfield weeds growing

66

at Newmarket (Graham Easy) 33, 50 Sparks, T.H. 37, 48 Sparrowhawk, The- a story in pictures

(Martin Walters) 36, 33 Sparrows Grove 7, 21; 35, 80 Spiders 16, 13 Spiked Speedwell, soil stripes and polygons,

and the vanishing chalk heaths of Cambridgeshire (D.E. Coombe) 29, 26

Spreading Meadow-grass Poa subcaerulea Sm. (PJ.O. Trist) 31, 57

Squirrels, black in Girton 37, 43 Stallode Wash (Suffolk) 3, 15 Stamp, Sir Dudley 13, 16 Stanier, Margaret 31, 48; 35, 13 Stapleford Pit 4, 4; 17, 1 0; 21, 14 Stebbings, Robert E. 36, 62 Stellaria neglecta Weihe in Cambridgeshire

(S.M. Walters) 35, 61 Stone ferns at Wimpole (Peronei Burge)

34, 32 Strepsiptera 19, 19 Stretham Pumping Engine 21, 10 Stuart, Ann 34, 17 Study of the flies of Shepreth L-Moor, A

(Dennis Unwin) 21, 25 Sudan Crowned Cranes 2, 36 Sulphur Clover (Trifolium ochroleucon

Huds.) in Cambridgeshire (P.J. Bourne) 7, 27

Survey of Cambridgeshire hedges, A. (G.F. Peterken) 15, 19

Survey of the breeding birds in Hayley Wood, A (Tony D. & Joanna H. Williams) 29, 47

Survey of the distribution of deer in Cambridgeshire, A (R.I. Symonds) 26, 52

Sutton: The Gullet to Jolly Banker's Bridge 35, 82

Swale, Erica 23, 47; 25, 59; 26, 17; 30, 29; 31, 50; 32, 63; 33, 42; 34, 28, 58; 35, 75; 36, 83; 37, 43, 44

Swallowlail Butterfly at Wicken Fen, The (J.P. Dempster) 19, 11

Swallowtail Papilio machaon L. in Girton 37, 48

Swann, E.L. 16, 39 Swavesey 21, 9; 28, 2; 33, 63 Symonds, Ray J. 22, 15; 26, 52 Symphytum officinale L. 30, 16 Syrphidae 25, 41

Tale of Bee Orchids, A (Nicholas Warner) 25, 50

Taraxacum palustre (Lyons) Symons 28, 35 Tardigrades: a phylum new to

Cambridgeshire (I .A. Richardson &

S.A. Corbet) 21, 36 Teaching of plant ecology on Coe Fen, The

(P.J. Marshall) 17, 33 Tetrad Plant Recor<ling Scheme

(Duncan Donald) 24, 53 Therfield Heath (Herts) 1, 6; 9, 15 Tho rea, Bangia and other freshwater red algae

in Cambridgeshire (Hilary Belcher & Erica Swale) 33, 42

Thorea ramosissimo Bory 33, 42 Thetford Forest (Norfolk) 18, 12 Thomas, G.J. 23, 29 Thriplow Meadows 3, 4; 4, 3; 5, 16;

6, 3, 15, 24; 7, 15, 19; 8, 24; 9, 16; 10, 18; 11, 18; 12, 17; 13, 15; 14, 17; 15, 16, 21, 25; 22, 11

Thriplow Meadows grazing experiment (G. Crompton) 5, 20; 6, 21; 7, 13; 8, 17; 9, 21; (with SM. Walters) 10, 21

Thriplow Peat Holes 2, 24; 3, 16; 8, 23; 10, 23

Tidswell, Richard 36, 17 Town margin nature reserves

(Keith McNaught) 24, 20 Trifolium ochroleucon Hudson 7, 27 Trist, P. John 0. 28, 54; 30, 4; 31, 57;

34, 61; 35, 79; 37, 41 Triturus cristatus (T. palustris (L.)) 32, 59 Trumpington Street, Cambridge: Algae

34, 28 Turner, Charles 21, 24; 26, 15; 34, 16 Two famous medicinal herbs in 'new'

Cambridgeshire localities (SM. Walters) 18, 16

Two weevils new to Cambridgeshire (M.G. Morris) 6, 43

Ulmus spp. 3, 18; 5, 39 Unusual observations of the Swallowtail

butterfly Papilio mochaon L. in Girton (T.H. Sparks & C.C. Smith) 37, 48

Unwin, Dennis M. 21, 25; 28, 5, 34; 29,37,41

Upchurch, P. 32, 3 Upware Field Centre 13, 8; 18, 13;

24, 13; 25, 11; 26, 11 Upware Pits 10, 19; 14, 6; 26, 12 Use of water in the Botanic Garden pond,

Cambridge, The (C.L. Forbes) 20, 21 Vtricularia vulgaris, an aquatic carnivore at

Wicken Fen (Laurie E. Friday) 30, 50

Valentine, David H. 17, 28 Vascular plant records (various authors)

1, 27; 2, 36; 3, 36; 5, 37; 6, 45; 7, 38; 8, 60; 9, 54; 10, 34; 11, 36; 12, 36; 13, 30; 14, 27; 15, 40;

67

16, 41; 17, 36; 18, 41; 19, 61; 20, 45; 21 , 39; 22, 50; 23, 53; 24, 54; 25, 62; 26, 70; 27, 5; 28, 59; 29, 74; 30, 59; 31, 62; 32, 77; 33, 65; 34, 70; 35, 83; 36, 91; 37, 49

Veronica spicata L. 29, 26 Village Ponds Survey 4, 5 Viola persicifolia Schreber 26, 62 Vine, A.E. 2, 36; 3, 37; 5, 36; 8, 30,

36, 50

Walley, L.J. 3, 35 Wall Lettuce, Mycelis muralis, in the

Cambridge area (SM. Walters) 33, 54 Walters, Lorna M. 9, 49 Walters, Martin G. 15, 35; 21, 18;

36, 33 Walters, S. Max 4, 22; 7, 41; 10, 21;

12, 22; 18, 4, 16; 26, 13, 24; 27, 1; 29, 2; 30, 25; 31, 29, 61; 32, 73, 76; 33, 25, 41, 54; 35, 2, 61; 37, 46, 47

Wandlebury 1, 7; 5, 17; 7, 17; 9, 7; 16, 10; 21, 15

Warden scheme at Overball Grove, Knapwell, A (Peter Moule) 12, 20

Waresley Wood 21, 8 Warne, A.C. 6, 24; 7, 15 Warner, Nicholas 24, 42, 44;. 25, 50;

obituary (in Editorial) 30, 3 Watch Club 24, 9; 25, 9; 26, 10 Water-blooms in Cambridgeshire (Hilary

Belcher & Erica Swale) 26, 17 Water forget-me-nots in Cambridgeshire

(David Welch) 4, 18 Weather notes for Cambridgeshire

(J.W. Clarke) 3, 41; 4, 49; 5, 53; 6, 49; 7, 42; 8, 59; 9, 55; 10, 35; 11, 37; 12, 37; 13, 32; 14, 29; 15, 41; 16, 43; 17, 38; 18, 41; 19, 73; 20, 49; 21, 43; 22, 54; 23, 55; 24, 57; 25, 63; 26, 71; 27, 8, 9; 28, 63; 29, 78; 30, 63; 31, 67; 32, 83; 33, 70; 34, 75; 35, 87; 36, 95; 37, 53

Webb, Nigel 29, 44 Weedon, A.A. 36, 68 Weedon, G.P. 36, 68 Weevils, two new 6, 43 Welch, David 4, 18 Welch, R. Colin 24, 48; 31, 46; 36, 78 Welches Dam: see Ouse Washes Wells, Derek A. 13, 23; 23, 42; 32, 77;

33, 65; 34, 70; 35, 80, 83; 36, 91 Wells, T.C.E. 21, 38; 35, 78 Welney Washes 3, 17 Weston Colville: Lower Wood 37, 24

West Wratting Park 7, 19 Wet Horse Fen 17, 11; 20, 9 Wheeler, Alwyne 16, 19; 19, 37 While some trees stand, by Garth Christian

(review by S.M. Walters) 7, 41 White Wood, Gamlingay 7, 16 Whitehouse, H.L.K. 1, 25; 2, 37; 3, 27;

4, 43; 5, 38; 9, 51; 13, 30; 17, 20; 26, 24; 27, 7; 28, 60; 29, 77; 30, 41, 61; 31, 65; 32, 80; 33, 67; 34, 45, 73; 35, 85; 36, 94; 37, 51

Whitehouse, Pat 32, 76 Whittlesford Woods 6, 13 Wicken Fen 1, 14; 2, 11; 3, 13; 4, 12,

15; 5, 12, 15; 6, 10, 18; 7, 10, 17; 8, 13, 27; 9, 10; 10, 14; 11, 14; 12, 13; 13, 11; 14, 10; 15, 12; 16, 6; 17, 6; 18, 8, 13; 19, 6; 20, 6; 21, 7, 10; 22, 6, 13; 25,14; 33, 20, 62; 36, 84 Aquatic Coleoptera and Mollusca 36, 88 Bearded Tits 3, 37 Brickpits 25, 21 Bryophytes 7, 34 Chromatium sp. 25, 30 Comfrey 30, 16 Dactylorchids 29, 69 Daphnia magna 3, 35 Diatoms 6, 39 Ferns 31, 61; 33, 64 Fen Violet 26, 62 Management, history and experiJnentation 29, 14 Insect species richness 29, 37 Milk-parsley 24, 38 Molluscs 17, 16; 36, 88 Mosquitoes 28, 13 Museum Project 1, 10 Nematodes 14, 23 New water bodies 35, 25 Peucedanum palustre 24, 38 Rotifers 37, 20 Spiders 16, 13 Swallowtail Butterfly 1, 17; 19, 11 Symphytum officinale 30, 16 Utricularia vulgaris 30, 50 Viola persicifolia 26, 62

Wilbraham Fen 8, 22; 15, 16 Wilburton Manor 7, 22 Wilburton Wood 20, 8; 22, 39 Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean, by I. &

P. ScMnfelder (review by S.M. Walters) 33, 41

Wild Juniper on the Fleam Dyke (S.M. Walters) 4, 40

Wildlife Appeal 23, 4, 7; 24, 5, 59, 61; 25, 16

Williams, Joanna H. 29, 47

Williams, Tony D. 29, 47 Will's Shoot, by Will Garfit (review

by Franklyn Perring) 36, 61 Wimblington Gravel Pits 2, 14 Wimpole Park 21, 24

68

Wisbech 1, 19 Wisbech Sewage Farm 22, 13 Wiseman, EJ. 21, 4 Woodbury Park 7, 16 Woodlands of West Cambridgeshire: changes

18, 23 Woodlice in Cambridgeshire (Bruce Ing)

2, 16 Woodlice of a Cambridgeshire garden, The

(Paul T. Harding) 18, 32 Woodwalton Fen 16, 13 Woody plants: A14, Girton 37, 44 Wort's Causeway 15, 5; 16, 10; 21, 15

Yates, Susan E. 37, 35 Year-by-year observations of Selinum

carvifolia, ParTUJssia palustris and other species on Sawston Hall Moor (Margaret Meade) 31, 43

Yeates G.W. 14, 23 Yeo, P.F. 1, 32 Young, M. 31, 29 Youngs, G. 3, 31

Zoological recording (D.M. Unwin) 28, 5

Photographs opposite (see pp. 46-47)

Top left: Inflorescence of Persicario. laxijlora Philip Oswald

Top right: Inflorescence of dense-flowered variety of Persicaria hydro piper

Philip Oswald

Bottom: Persicario. minor AndrewGagg

I 4

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