144 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Megalomus hirtus, L., in Kincardineshire. In the April 

 number of the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine (p. 87), 

 James J. F. X. King records that in July last he took " a short 

 series " of this rare Hemerobiid by sweeping the herbage along the 

 cliffs at Muchalls, where a specimen was taken some years ago by 

 Professor Trail of Aberdeen. 



The Agricultural Importance of " Daddy-long-legs." 



That the "leather-jacket" larva? of the "Daddy-long-legs," or 

 Crane-fly, have still to be reckoned with in agricultural operations 

 is very clearly shown in an interesting inquiry into their habits and 

 economic significance which has just been published. 1 General 

 observations (3n the growth of oat crops have shown that in the 

 fortnight or so between sowing and brairding, the period specially 

 susceptible to leather-jacket attacks, from one-tenth to one-third of 

 the crop has been destroyed even where the lame were not 

 overwhelmingly numerous. Laboratory experiments give even 

 a worse result, for out of 92 seeds planted in an observation cage 

 along with about 25 lame, Dr Rennie found that 58 or 63 per cent, 

 were damaged as seeds or in their early stages of growth by being 

 devoured or having rootlets or plumule bitten through. The 

 weather conditions which favour the larvae are discussea, as well as 

 many points regarding the appearance, development, and migrations 

 of the Crane-fly grubs ; and the general observation is made that 

 early sowing of oats lays the crop open to more risks than late 

 sowing, especially in the later districts. An instructive figure of the 

 larva? at work underground and other drawings illustrate the paper. 



1 J. Rennie, " On the Biology and Economic Significance of Tipula paludosa" 

 Ann. Applied Biol, vol. iii., January 1 91 7. 



