1897] NOTES AND COMMENTS 70 



The Apparent Disappearance of the British Phyllopods 



In the course of the paper alluded to above Prof. Hickson makes 

 the very positive statement that the phyllopod Apus does not occur 

 at all in the British Isles. This may he true, in fact we are almost 

 forced to believe that it is true ; but it is also certain that this 

 animal used to live in this country, for Dr Baird records it as 

 having been taken by three different observers, although he does 

 not appear to have found it himself. Since the publication of the 

 " Xatural History of the British Entomostraca " in 1850, Apus 

 cancrtformis has never again been recorded, so far as we are aware, 

 and it does seem almost certain that it has totally disappeared from 

 <»ur fauna. The same fate also seems to have overtaken the brine- 

 shrimp, Artemia salina. In Baird's time this form was to be found 

 in the ' salt-pans ' at Lymington, and probably other places, but at 

 the present day one may search the old ' salterns ' in vain for any 

 :race of the creature. With regard to the beautiful Chiroc&phalus 

 diaphanus, which Baird mentions from a large number of localities, 

 the facts scarcely warrant our regarding it as totally extinct. 

 It has certainly been seen several times since 1850. Prof. G. S. 

 Brady mentions it from Yorkshire, and more recently it has been 

 taken near Birmingham ; nevertheless for all practical purposes 

 it now appears to have disappeared. We should, however, be 

 exceedingly glad to hear if any of our readers have taken this form, 

 say, within the last ten years. 



Prof. Hickson attributes this dying out of Phyllopoda — he refers 

 to Apus more particularly — to the very limited means of dispersal 

 which these creatures have at command. They are comparatively 

 large forms, and cannot therefore be transported, attached to birds' 

 legs, &c, so readily as the smaller and commoner Entomostraca. 

 In addition to this they do not produce specially protected eggs 

 like many of the Daphnias, &c. It seems probable, therefore, that, 

 not being provided with the means of transport found in the cos- 

 mopolitan fresh -water forms, the phyllopods have not been able 

 to extend their geographical distribution, while owing to the drying 

 up of old lakes, and other changes, the localities in which they occur 

 are becoming fewer and fewer. 



The Bibliography of Science 



Of course we are glad to find that Mr Arctowski's article on the 

 Uenealogy of the Sciences, which appeared in Natural Science for 

 -Tune 1807, should so have pleased the editors of the Bulletin de 

 rinstitut Intcrnationcd de Bibliographic that they should have pub- 

 lished a French version of it in their number just received by us. 



