HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



249 



Our next (fig. 174) is the suspensor from the ovary 

 of the Shepherd's-purse (Capsella). We ought at the 

 outset to explain that this requires a little patience in 

 •working out, though the difficulty in finding it is 

 •really very trilling if care be exercised. Pluck several 

 plants for examination, taking only the pods just 

 fertilised, or where the petals appear to have just 

 ■■fallen, at the summit of the flower-stalk, and placing 

 the entire pod on the glass slide with a drop of water, 

 •over which put the thin cover-slip. Now rub gently 



ON BRITISH FRESHWATER MITES. 

 By C. F. George. 



[Coniiniicd/rom page 194.] 



No. II. — " Hygroeatides." 

 First Family. — Arremiriis i^Du^cs). 



THE mites of this family are readily distinguished 

 from all other water mites by their peculiar 

 palpi ; these organs have the individual joints rather 



Fig. 175. — Mandible of 

 Arrenunis viridis. 



Fig. 17S. — Female ol Arrcnurus (^ objective and A eye-piece). 



Fig. 176. — Mandible of 

 Arremtrus, sp. ? 





Fig. 177. — Portion of skin of 

 Arreniirus buccinator. 



Fig. 179.— Larva of Arrenurus (from a rough mounted specimen). 



• on the cover-shp with the tip of the finger by a cir- 

 ■cular motion ; this will liberate the ovules as well as 

 burst the testa. Thus set free in the water, examine 

 carefully for the suspensor {fig. 174). If you are not 

 :successful on the first occasion, try again, it will repay 

 your troubles in the end. After fertiUsation the ger- 

 minal vesicle develops into the suspensor. No. I is 

 the embryo (this splits up into cells, &c.) ; 2, cells of 

 ithe suspensor ; and 3 is the large lower cell of the 

 ■suspensor. J. F. R. 



short and wide, compared with those of other Hy- 

 drachnse, and consequently the palpi are themselves 

 comparatively short. Fig. 175 represents the man- 

 dible of a male Arrcmiriis viridis, and fig. 176 that 

 of another Arrenurus, the name of which I do not 

 know. It will be seen'that the first joint is very small ; 

 the second much larger than the first, and rather 

 wider than long ; the third rather smaller than the 

 first, but less than the second, and rather broader 

 than long ; the fourth much the largest of all the 



