Validity of Pissodes validirostris as a Species. 69 



On 6th October, when about to examine the cones, which 

 since 30th August had been by themselves, I found a 

 notatus crawling actively about on the inside of the bell-jar. 

 I looked for and soon got the cone from which the beetle 

 had issued, the round flight-hole marking it out from the 

 others. On 7th October another notatus issued from a second 

 cone, and on 13th October from another cone a third notatus. 

 In tlie case of two of the cones, the exit-hole was near 

 the middle of the cone. In the third, the exit-hole was 

 near the base of the cone, close to the stack. This proved 

 then that notatus does breed in pine cones. 



Having pointed out how fluctuating and indecisive are the 

 external characters which are made use of to distinguish 

 notatus and tlie so-called valiclirostris, and having shown 

 that they can be no longer separated in the biology, I 

 would respectfully submit that the time has come when it 

 should be considered whether it were not wiser and better to 

 drop validirostris as a specific name, and to describe notatus 

 as " Pissodes notatus which breeds in pines and pine cones." 



In closing this communication, I wish to thank Professor 

 Eckstein, of Eberswalde, for his courtesy in comparing for me 

 specimens of notatus and validirostris. 



VI. Dr Heddle, M.D., F.R.S.E., Emeritus Professor of Chemistry 

 at St Andrews. Born 1828 ; died 19th November 1897. 

 By J. a. GooDCHiLD, H.M. Geol. Survey, F.G.S., F.Z.S., 

 M.B.O.U. 



(Read 15th December 1897.) 



Matthew Forster Heddle was the younger son of Eobert 

 Heddle of Melsettor, Hoy, Orkney, where he was born in 

 1828. His ancestors on both sides were of Scandinavian 

 descent : it was therefore to be expected that some of the 

 most prominent characteristics of the Norsemen should 

 manifest themselves in his person sooner or later in life. 

 It is to the antecedents of his forefathers, quite as much 

 as to the nature of the surroundings amongst which he 

 passed his earlier days, that we may attribute many of the 



