466 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Terrestrial Isopods of Natal." — Walter E. Collinge describes six 

 new species of Cubans and two of Philoscia. The latter genus is 

 heterogeneous and requires separating into definite genera based on 

 sound structural characters. The mouth-parts of Isopods are by them- 

 selves very unsatisfactory for either generic or specific distinction, and 

 this is particularly so in the genus Philoscia. " Apart from the question 

 of variation J the abdominal appendages (pleopods) are scarcely less so, 

 whilst any classification of the terrestrial Isopods founded upon sexual 

 characters always leaves it open for the opposite sex to be described as a 

 distinct species. I fully agree as to the great value of the antennae and 

 uropoda, and to these I would add the shape of the cephalon, the meso- 

 somatic and metasomatic segments, and the telson." 



Rare Woodlice in Scotland.f — Walter E. Collinge reports the 

 occurrence of PorceUio rathhii and Bajdophthahrnis danicus from Dum- 

 bartonshire. The former is recorded for the first time from Scotland ; 

 the latter has been previously recorded from Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. 

 In P. ratJcii there is great variation in coloration and tuberculation, 

 especially in the female. The beautiful little species JI. danicus and its 

 near relative H. mengii are apt to be confused with various species of 

 Trichoniscus, but microscopical examination clearly shows that whereas 

 in the members of the genus Trichoniscus the lateral portions of all of the 

 metasomatic segments are clearly visible, in the genus Haplophthalmus 

 only the 3rd, 4th, and 5th are seen, those of segments 1 and 2 being 

 small and concealed beneath the pleural plate of the last segment of the 

 mesosome. Of the 36 British species of terrestrial Isopods, 21 have 

 been recorded in Scotland, 33 in England, 12 in Wales, and 25 in 

 Ireland. Another rarity % is Liffidium hypnorum. 



Rare Scottish Woodlouse.§ — William Evans reports from the Isle 

 of May the occurrence of Trichoniscoides sarsi Patience. There is only 

 one other Scottish record. 



New British Terrestrial Isopod.|| — Walter E. Collinge describes 

 Trichoniscoides scabrous sp. n., from Darwen, Lancashire. It is a 

 small greyish-violet woodlouse, 5*9 mm. in length, readily distin- 

 guished by size and colour from 2\ albidus or T. sarsi, whilst in the 

 form of the antennules, antennse, mesosomatic and metasomatic appen- 

 dages, uropoda and telson, there are well-marked distinctive features. 

 Further, the body is much flatter than in either of the above-mentioned 

 species and the pleural plates are more expanded. 



Check-list of British Terrestrial Woodlice. Tl — Walter E. ColUnge 

 has compiled a useful check-list showing the name and authority for each 



* Ann. Natal Museum, iii. (1917) pp. 567-85 (3 pis.). 



t Scottish Nat., No. 66 (1917) pp. 137-9. 



t Scottish Nat., No. 64 (1917) pp. 94-5. 



§ Scottish Nat., No. 62 (1917) pp. 35-6. 



li Journ. Zool. Research, ii. (1917) j>p. 95-6. 



t Scottish Nat., No. 65 (1917) pp. 111-16. 



