QUEKETT MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 543 



Mr. D. J. Scourfield, F.Z.S., F.R.M.S., read a paper upon a 

 new Copepod found in water from hollows on tree-trunks, He 

 stated that in recent years, owing to the endeavour to discover 

 the life-histories of mosquitoes and other insects supposed to be 

 connected with the dissemination of tropical diseases, much 

 attention had been given to the subject, and, according to a 

 recent paper published by Picado, no less than 250 species of 

 animals have been found living in this peculiar environment, 

 forty-nine being new to science. They belonged to almost all 

 groups of invertebrates ; but naturally insects and their larvae 

 predominate. Mr. Scourfield pointed out that in tropical forests, 

 ponds and water on the ground are rarely met with,*this making 

 it difficult to locate the breeding-places of mosquitoes, etc., until 

 it was found that incubation took place in water contained in 

 little cups in tree-trunks and roots. He first commenced to look 

 for Entomostraca in these situations after reading the celebrated 

 Fritz Miiller's description of a new Ostracod representing a new 

 genus, Elpidium bromeliarum, which occurred almost constantly 

 in association with the Bromeliaceous plants in the forests of 

 Brazil, and, strangely enough, was to be found in no other 

 situation. His curiosity was rewarded by finding the remarkable 

 blind Copepod, Belisarius viguieri, which had not previously been 

 found in this country. He was able to report that on several 

 occasions he had found a new Copepod in such little reservoirs of 

 water on trees in Epping Forest, and up to the present they have 

 been found nowhere else. The new species evidently belongs to 

 the Harpacticid genus Moraria, described by T. and A. Scott, 

 found in Loch Morar, Scotland. Eight species are known, 

 three of which have been found in the British Isles. He stated 

 that he proposed to call it Moraria arhoricola, because of its tree- 

 d welling habit. It is a very small form, the female measuring 

 only about 1/40 in. in length, of the type of Cyclops, Cantho- 

 campus and Diaptomus. The genus is peculiarly adapted to 

 exist in but little water, and, when placed in this element, wriggles 

 rather than swims. In Mr. Scour-field's experience, it is mostly 

 found in the early part of the year. He commented upon their 

 wonderful vitality. In one case, specimens left in a bottle were 

 kept alive for four years simply by adding a little water from 

 time to time to make up for evaporation. Mr. D. Bryce asked 

 if it was known how they are conveyed from place to place, and 



