1888.] 115 



In the "Annals and Magazine of Natural History," Ser. 4, vol. xiv (1874), he 

 published a paper " On a collection of Hemiptera- Heteropter a from Japan : descrip- 

 tions of various new genera and species." 



In the early volumes of this Magazine, Scott appears as the joint-author of 

 descriptions of Hemiptera added to the British fauna ; and in vol. v, of a " Memoir 

 on the Hemiptera of Palestine." In vols, viii and xiii, he gave descriptions of new 

 genera and species of Hemiptera from Corsica. In vol. vii he commenced, and in 

 the succeeding volumes up to xix continued, a " Eevision of the British Homoptera," 

 which, with few exceptions, included all the known species. In the same volumes 

 are also various notes, inclusive of descriptions of foreign species of Hemiptera. 



Scott was an indefatigable collector, not only of Lepidoptera and Hemiptera, 

 but also of Coleoptera, of which he formed a good collection. His insects were all 

 disposed of before his death, the most typical specimens of his Hemiptera having 

 been acquired by the British Museum. 



Of the early life of Scott we are not informed, but there is good reason to 

 believe that he was very young when he was thrown, or went, on his own resources, 

 and that his career was then erratic. In some way he came to be employed as a civil 

 engineer, as such he lived in Glasgow in 1849 ; he afterwards removed to Stockton- 

 on-Tees, and after some years' residence there, came to London in 1859, as a mem- 

 ber of a firm of metal brokers. This business was broken up by the outbreak of 

 the American Civil "War. He was then for a few years the Secretary to a Marine 

 Insurance Society, which became absorbed into another Society, and he had to seek 

 other employment. He was then intermittently engaged in various ways : among 

 others, he spent a year or two in Spain, making surveys for a railway in connection 

 with the lead mines at Linares, but the railway was not made. In 1882, and after- 

 wards, he was engaged in engineering work at Plymouth, and then at Lee-on-the- 

 Solent ; at the latter place, about 18 months ago, he was attacked by severe epilepsy, 

 which recurred several times, attended by partial paralysis ; aberration of mind 

 ensuing, he was taken to an asylum, became imbecile and unconscious, and death 

 finally released him. 



" Pallida Mors eequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, 

 / Regumque turres." 



Being to a great extent a self-taught man, Scott was remarkable for his acquire- 

 ments. He had qualified himself educationally to be a civil engineer. He was an 

 accurate drawer of insects, even microscopical details he drew with the greatest 

 nicety, without the aid of a camera lucida. He had a good knowledge of music , 

 and the violin quartettes of classical writers, led by him at his house at Lee, were real 

 treats. He had a wide knowledge of English literature. Yet all these availed him 

 little in the conduct of life, for, although when in the humour, he was a genial 

 companion, and in his time had done many good and generous acts to those requiring 

 aid, he had a most impetuous disposition, and a vehement, unconciliating temper, of 

 which no one was better aware or regretted more than himself. Moreover, like 

 Yorick, he was " a fellow of infinite jest," but being oblivious at the moment that 



" A jest's prosperity lies in the ear 

 Of him that hears it, never in the tongue 

 Of him that utters it," 



the acerbity of his wit and repartee too often wounded those to whom they were 



