The Scottish Naturalist. 147 



gracefully in the water. What they live on I had no opportunity 

 of ascertaining during the short time I spent at the loch, but I 

 noticed one of them making a suspicious nibble at a newt's tail, 

 — the newt, however, being a big fellow, easily shook off his 

 assailant. I noticed that in those parts of the loch where newts 

 were most frequent, there the Dytiscus also most did congregate ; 

 and Mr Somerville has recorded his experience of the frequent 

 association of newts and Dytiscus lapponicus — not probably for 

 an interchange of harmonious ideas. 



All the larvae noticed were nearly full grown, so that the time 

 (beginning of September) when I visited the Mull loch is pro- 

 bably either too early or too late for getting the perfect insect 

 in abundance. It was perhaps for this reason that I saw very 

 few females ; but as Mr Somerville also, on the various occasions 

 that he has taken Dytiscus lappo/iicus, as I did too, in Strath- 

 glass, found the female much rarer than the male, perhaps such 

 is reallv the case. 



Helix rufescens in the South-west of Scotland. — I found in August 

 several specimens of Helix rufescens in a rockery in the garden of the Manse 

 at Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. I believe this is only the second locality in 

 Scotland from which it has been recorded, Bowling having been the first. — 

 J. LANDALE, Burntisland. September 1881. 



OBITUAEY NOTICE OF THE LATE EOBEET WALKER, 



F.G.S.E. 



MR ROBERT WALKER, Librarian and Registrar of the 

 University of St Andrews, died rather suddenly, on 5th 

 February last, at the age of fifty-six. He was a frequent con- 

 tributor to the 'Scottish Naturalist,' and his labours merit record 

 in our pages. 



He began his career as a cabinetmaker ; but early in life his 

 taste for Natural History led to his employment in the Museum 

 in the United College, of which he was Curator at the time of 

 his death ; and we understand that he has been succeeded in 

 that office by his brother. In i860 he was appointed Assistant, 

 and in 1869 Chief, Librarian, of the University Library. 



Mr Walker was an excellent geologist, and took great inter- 

 est in pursuits connected with natural history : his persevering 

 labours were the means of bringing to light many new or little 

 known specimens of marine zoology. He was much consulted 



