212 TJie Scottish Naturalist. 



Another small maggot of an AntJwmyia makes similar depre- 

 dations upon the seeds and receptacle of Hicracium sylvaticum, 

 and H. borcale. It occurs in autumn. 



Capture of Trechus longicornis Sturm.— I took, in the neighbourhood of 

 Kelso, the other day, a single specimen of this beetle, not found before, I believe, 

 in Scotland, and very rare in England. Along with it I found a specimen of 

 Lathrobrium ati^usticolle, several of a Ptenidium not yet examined, and Phi- 

 lonthus rubripennis not uncommonly. — Robert Hislop, Blair Bank, Falkirk, 

 June, 1872. 



Scottish locality for Dysehirius eeneus.— Some years ago, when at Tain, 

 Ross-shire, in September, I found, in 7-ejectamenta on the banks of the river, 

 two examples of a Dysehirius, which I referred somewhat doubtingly to ceneus 

 Dej. These I afterwards submitted for opinion to Mr. G. R. Crotch, who in- 

 formed me that they were correctly determined. — Thomas Jno. Bold, Long 

 Benton, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 8th April, 1872. 



Bare cause of Deafness.— In April of this year 1 removed from the left ear 

 of a young gentleman aged 14, a common house-fly (Musca sp. J The deaf- 

 ness, of two years' duration, was very complete, but is now entirely removed. 

 Toynbee and other authors of works on the ear, ascribe the use of the wax or 

 c^ramen in the external auditory meatus to be to prevent insects from entering. 

 Insects do occasionally get into the external meatus, but, from the irritation 

 they cause, means are speedily adopted for their removal. I can find no record 

 of a case of deafness of so long duration caused solely by a fly blocking up the 

 external auditory meatus to the vibrations of sound. I am inclined to think 

 from its position, &c, that it must have entered the cavity alive. Could it have 

 entered in a semi -dormant state- in autumn?- -J. J. Kirk Duncanson. 

 2 Coates Place, Edinburgh, May, 1872. 



On Light as an attraction for Moths.— In the following note I purpose to 

 give my experience of light as a means of capturing Lepidoptera, as compared 

 especially with sugar, at Old Aberdeen. 



Sugaring has here been eminently unsuccessful, even on apparently very favour- 

 able nights, nothing turning up except X. polyodoji, and other equally common 

 species, and even they were but scantily represented usually. 



Light, on the contrary, on several nights, especially during August, has been 

 very productive both in species and in individuals, and among them various 

 good insects. 



My whole apparatus is simply an ordinary gas light near the window, while 

 the window itself commands but a narrow prospect, owing to trees and buildings 

 which obstruct the view, yet on one or two evenings moths have come to the 

 window in swarms, showing how great an attraction the light must be ; and that 

 were the window more favourably situated, and a more elaborate apparatus em- 

 ployed, the number of species attracted would probably be much increased. I 

 may also state that though I have tried light from nine p.m. till three a.m. I have 

 rarely found that anything makes its appearance before ten p.m., or after half- 

 past one a.m., while the most crowded time is from half-past ten till twelve. 



