FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND AT ABERDEEN 221 



this name in its recent restricted application) has been 

 noticed, while Herpetocypris and Candona are represented 

 by only one species each. As is well known, the distri- 

 bution of the Ostracoda is even more erratic than that of 

 the Copepoda or Cladocera ; and therefore, though apparently 

 scarce at one time, at another they may be more or less 

 common. This uncertainty in the distribution of these 

 organisms, though at times somewhat disappointing, has 

 one advantage : it tends to keep alive the interest in their 

 study, as there is always the possibility that the results 

 of the next gathering may be better than the last one. 



FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND 



AT ABERDEEN. 



By JAMES W. H. TRAIL, A.M., M.D., F.R.S. 



REPORT FOR 1898. 



IN continuation of former reports l on the species detected 

 and the changes observed in the vegetation on a portion of 

 the filled-up bed of the river Dee, inclosed near the chief 

 railway station in Aberdeen, I submit a statement on the 

 observations made during the summer of 1898. The chief 

 census was made on i 5th July ; but it was supplemented by 

 notes made during visits both earlier and subsequently. 



There are now five sidings laid out on the ground, con- 

 nected at the west end with the lines for ordinary traffic. 

 At the east end the sidings spread out to allow room for 

 the approach of carts for loading the trucks ; and the 

 surrounding ground has been a good deal encroached upon 

 with heaps of pipes, tiles, and other materials ready for 

 transport. 



The area covered with cinders has been somewhat in- 

 creased during the past year. There is still a considerable 

 part of the original surface free from this encumbrance, 

 chiefly along the northern side near the station. To the 



1 "Annals of Scottish Natural History," v., 1896, pp. 231-245 ; vi., 1897, 

 pp. 24-31, 237-245. 



