SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 17 



Aquatic Insects, is misleading, for the reason that he assumes that the 

 end of the body, with its four (or, as he has it, five) leaf-like 

 expansions, is the breathing organ. As a matter of fact, this end of 

 the body does not reach the surface, and it is the tip of the respiratory 

 siphon only which is extended to the air. This respiratory tube 

 takes its origin from the tip of the eighth abdominal segment, and the 

 very large tracheie can be seen extending to its extremity where they 

 have a double orifice. The ninth segment of the abdomen is armed at 

 the tip with four flaps and six hairs. These flaps are gill-like in 

 appearance, though they are probably simply locomotory in function. 

 With so remarkably developed an apparatus for direct air breathing, 

 there is no necessity for gill structures. Raschke and Hurst consider 

 that the larva breathes both by the anus and by these gill flaps, as 

 well as by the large tracheae which open at the tip of the respiratory 

 tube. Raschke considers that these tracheae are so unnecessarily large 

 that they possess a hydrostatic function. The writer is inclined to 

 believe that the gill flaps may be functional as branchial structures in 

 the young larva, but that they largely lose this ofiice in later life. — 

 L. 0. Howard, N.S. Dept. Agr., Washington. 



I Easchke, Die Larve von Culex nonorosus, Berlin, 1887. 

 ** Hurst, The Pupal Stage of Culex, Manchester, 1890. 



:iI^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Notes from the West of Scotland. — The spring (1896) was very 

 cold, and the prevailing east winds prevented insects from being on the 

 wing. Sugar was of no use, and the few insects I obtained at the 

 sallows were only of the very common order, such as Anticlea badiata, 

 Cidaria siijf'ninata and Taeniocampa gotJdca. About the middle of 

 May the weather took a sudden change, and then commenced the 

 disappointments. Everything must have come out with a rush, and 

 when I went for many of the things I intended taking, I found that 

 I was too late. On May 21st I made a run up the West Highland 

 Railway to Ardlui, at the head of Loch Lomond, expressly for Scapula 

 decrepitalis, which for the last three years has been in fine condition 

 at that date. All I got were two very poor specimens, after many 

 hours of diligent searching. Hydrelia unca, which I have taken there, 

 was also over, three being the total, with two or three specimens each 

 of Euclidia mi, Pliytometra aenea, FJnpithecia sati/rata, Coremia pro2M(j- 

 nata and Melanippe tristata, and also two tine Emmelesia adaequata 

 ( blandiata J , which is just about a month before its usual time. June 

 was undoubtedly the best month here, but, as sugar would not attract 

 insects, I confined myself to the smaller species. Dicltrorhampha 

 herbosaua occnvved in greater numbers than I have previously observed. 

 0. antiquana and Plati/ptilia paUldactijla f bertraiiiij, a few Mimaesg- 

 optilus ptterodactijliis, and Plati/ptilia (/onodactt/la, common. Phycis 

 fusca (carbonariella) in some numbers at Bishopton, but Sciaphila 

 octomacidana was very scarce ; the 23rd was the only evening that 

 sugar attracted insects out of a number of nights I tried it, but it was 

 only the common herd which put in an appearance — Mianafasciuncula, 

 Ayrotis e.rclamationis, Xylophasia rurea, and one Apamea yemina. The 

 Plusias have also been scarce this year, but I got one Plusia bractea, 

 from which I have at present a batch of young larvae. I have tried 



