64 The Scottish Naturalist. 



much more easy, by the use of goggles. By means of these thou- 

 sands of mussels are rendered visible, standing on end as if with 

 eyes, and ears, and mouths, all attent. It is not certain that they 

 hear ; but they are very sensitive to the effects of sight and touch ; 

 but by the latter expression I do not mean direct contact, but the 

 result say of impact, caused by a stone falling in the bottom, or 

 by a stick suddenly striking the bed of the stream. According to 

 Mr. Farquharson they are exceedingly acute in sight ; and when 

 his little wherry has passed over at a scarcely perceptible pace, 

 these molluscs have by thousands at once shut their shells, 

 so as in an instant to give evidence that they not only saw, but 

 eared an enemy. 



{To be continued.) 



Boreus hyemalis L. in Berwickshire. — In reference to this insect, I may 

 remark that, although not very common in this part of Berwickshire, I have 

 found it in former years during the winter and early spring crawling on wall- 

 tops or among rocks, or shaken from moss or grass. The only record I have 

 made of it is in the report of the Edinburgh meeting (1850) of the British 

 Association in the Report of Periodical Phenomena for 1849, kept at Penman- 

 s/iiel, Cockburnspath, Berwickshire, pp. 348-49, where will be found, "March 

 12, Boreus hyemalis appeared ; and again, Dec. 31st, reappeared." Among 

 the Cheviots I have seen it among mosses on the porphyry rocks behind 

 Wooler, but I do not notice that it has been put on record from this locality. 

 I have also seen it in spring among moss or rocks in Old Cambusdean. 



James Hardy, Old Cambus. 



Boreus hyemalis, L. near Killin.— On the 23rd October last, while 

 searching a moss-covered wall in Glen JLochay, I took five specimens of an 

 insect which at the time I could not identify. They were laid aside in a test 

 tube until the Cher day, when it occurred to me that I should again examine 

 them, but through having been neglected for such a length of time, they were 

 in a very mouldy condition ; The specimens turned out to be 3 $ and 2 ? of the 

 above species, agreeing perfectly with M'Lachlan's description in his Mono- 

 graph of the British Neuroptera-Planipennia. 



I noticed that some of the specimen jumped upwards of an inch. My 

 friend Mr. W. R. Baxter, who was searching for spiders along the same wall, also 

 called my attention to the saltatorial habits of the species. 



James J. King. 

 207 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. 



