242 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



might very usefully be given to our British mammals regard- 

 ing these points, for characters derived from bristles, foot- 

 pads, and nostrils might prove of value, and would be more 

 easily appreciated than the intricate cranial measurements 

 so much in vogue at present. 



Entomologists who are interested in the paper now 

 appearing in our pages on Lepidoptera and other Insects 

 at Scottish Lighthouses, by William Evans, should read an 

 article by Commander J. J. Walker on the " Geographical 

 Distribution of Danaida plexippus" 1 a butterfly whose remark- 

 able migrations have led to its being now established in 

 nearly all parts of the world. This important paper is 

 divided into several sections, dealing in the first place with 

 the westward migration of the species as evidenced by its 

 occurrence in New Zealand, afterwards in the Central and 

 North Pacific Oceans, and still later in the Western Pacific, 

 Australia, and the Malay Archipelago. In an eastward 

 direction the butterfly evidently spread from the American 

 Continent to Bermuda, the Azores, and the Canary Islands, 

 the British Islands (where several examples have been 

 captured), and finally the Continent of Europe. Perhaps 

 the most interesting section of the paper is that devoted to 

 the "means of dispersal" of this ubiquitous butterfly. 



The habits and characteristics of certain Mites inhabiting 

 the shore at Millport have been studied and reported upon 

 by L. A. L. King. 2 Four species are dealt with in this 

 paper, which contains many interesting details respecting 

 the food, method of feeding, number of eggs laid, hatching 

 of the eggs, and so on. Gamasus immanis lived in situations 

 where Collembola, gnats, dipterous larvae, Turbellaria, and 

 small Oligochaete worms abounded, but upon experiment 

 it was found that only the last-mentioned were acceptable. 

 Shreds of raw mutton were taken without evil effects, but 

 raw beef apparently proved fatal, for the Mite which ventured 

 upon this strong diet was found dead the next day ! The 

 mandibles are stated to be the most useful appendages for 

 feeding purposes. In attacking a worm, "the mandibles are 



1 Ent. Mo. Mag., July to October 1914, pp. 181-193, an d 224-237. 



2 Proc. Roy. P/iys. Sor., vol. xix.. No. 6, pp. 129-141 (Sept. 1914). 



