Botifera of Natal. By Hon. T. Kirkman. 239 



is partial to pools and edges of streams where there is plenty of 

 decaying vegetation, and is found all through the year, except during 

 the cold weather. I have seen it in incredihle numbers in the drifts, 

 as we call them, i.e. the fords of rivers on sugar estates, where sugar- 

 cane has fallen from the wagons in crossing and been crushed under 

 the wheels. It generally has a couple of eggs hanging from it. I 

 consider it to be the commonest rotifer in Natal. 



Noteus quadricornis Ehrbg. — This handsome rotifer is fairly 

 common here, and in some spots is found in considerable numbers ; 

 like most of the rotifers here, it is not seen during the cold months. 



Copeus cerberus Gosse. — A small pool with water quite warm 

 and full of algae, at the edge of the river Equeefa, among the boulders, 

 contained, in Kovember last, 1900, an enormous number of a rotifer 

 that tallied with the description and illustration given of Copeus 

 cerberus. It was quite free from mucus, and had small toes, no ten- 

 tacles, small auricles, minute but distinct tail, a three-lobed brain, 

 of which the two outer lobes particularly contained opaque granular 

 matter. The tropin had five distinct teeth in each uncus. It was- 

 considerably smaller than Copeus Ehrenbergii. This is the only 

 time that I have seen it, and I have not had an opportunity of looking 

 for it again. 



Jan. 1901. — Since the above was written I have found a rotifer 

 that answers to the description of Rotifer tardus Ehrbg., with the 

 exception of the eyes. Also one that is evidently Diglena grandis 

 Ehrbg. 



Note by C. F. Rousselet, F.R.M.S. 



A few remarks seem advisable on the Hon. Thos. Kirkmau's 

 interesting paper, which is the first contribution to the rotiferoua 

 fauna of any part of South Africa, particularly with regard to the 

 species which the author was unable to identify. The sketches ac- 

 companying the paper are too slight and rough for publication, but 

 the slides contain four very well mounted species which make their 

 identification easy. 



The " puzzle " is Cyrtonia (Notommata) tuba of Ehrenberg, a rare 

 rotifer, but found occasionally in various localities. The figure Mr. 

 Gosse has published of N. tuba is not recognisable, and it is impossible 

 to say what this drawing really represents, whilst Ehrenberg's figure 

 of this species is fairly good. In 1894, I gave a new figure and 

 description of this animal in the Journal Quekett Micro. Club, vol. v. 

 p. 43;i 



The Pterodina which the author calls patina is Pt. intermedia of 

 Anderson,* being a slight variety of patina, of same size, with a 



* H. H. Anderson, Notes on Indian Rotifers, Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, 1891. 



