Published three articles on insects in Trans.SLENHS between 1934 and 1936. By 1945 he seems to have been attached to the Zoology Department of the University of Glasgow for he is recorded to have collected 73 Coleoptera 'some of which may be co-types' on Christmas island which the Department gave to the NHM (1946.93). This is presumably the same Downes who collected the 36 Coleoptera 'including 11 types from the Bishop Coll' which the Department gave to the Museum in the preceding year (1945.98). (MD 9/02)