A NEARLY FORGOTTEN SCOTTISH BOTANIST 167 



I was at first disposed to regard this as a mere form of 

 one or other of the closely-allied species which form the 

 typical group of the genus ; but it was pointed out by 

 Mr. Bryce that the form and the relative proportions of the 

 trunk, corona, and foot were quite different from R. vulgaris. 

 As all the characters given above were constant in scores of 

 examples, I have judged it to be a good species, and named 

 it from its most obvious characteristic. 



ROTIFER SPICATUS, n. sp. 



Specific characters. Of moderate size, -^ inch when 

 feeding, plicate. Antenna short, ventricose, terminal joint 

 globose, with very short setae. Ventral surface bearing a 

 pair of large spines pointing backward, and on second seg- 

 ment behind those a pair of smaller prominences pointing 

 forward. Foot short, .spurs rather long, straight, tapering. 



Habitat. Among Sphagnum, Blantyre Moor. 



For more than an hour during which it was observed 

 the animal always presented a full profile, and continued 

 steadfastly feeding. No tapping or pressing on the cover- 

 slip could disturb its equanimity or induce it to change its 

 position. I have no doubt that this attitude was due to the 

 sigmoid curvature of the body, acted upon by the cover-slip. 

 Owing to its persistent maintenance of this position only 

 one of the styles and papillae could be seen, but as they are 

 so obviously lateral it cannot be doubted that they are 

 paired. 



A NEARLY FORGOTTEN SCOTTISH BOTANIST. 

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



WHILE consulting the very useful " Biographical Index of 

 British and Irish Botanists " recently, I happened to note 

 that the record relating to JAMES BEATTIE is an exception 

 to the usual accuracy of the notices in the volume. It runs 

 as follows :- 



" JAMES BEATTIE (1735-1803), b. Laurencekirk, Kin- 

 cardine, 25 Oct. 1735; d. Aberdeen, 18 Aug. 1803. M.A. 

 Aberdeen, 1753 ; A.L.S. 1807. Prof., Aberdeen. Added 



