SELECTED NOTES FROM SOCIETY'S NOTE-BOOKS. 119 



The intention of giving it here is specially to show the value of 

 careful drawings, which need not, however, always he finished through- 

 out. This has been lying by in my portfolio for nearly thirty years, 

 and only now finds its value in connection with the slides of Ticks 

 recently circulated by members of the Society. 



The notes are copied verbatim from the paper (half sheet of blue 

 foolscap), on which the original drawings are made. It may be amus- 

 ing to note that "5 P" was intended evidently to denote that the 

 purple colour there is only half the strength it has in the other parts 

 where it occurs, and is so indicated in the original ; but this had been 

 forgotten, and was overlooked in making the copy, until it was thus 

 recalled to memory. 



The lower portion of this plate illustrates details of Tortoise- 

 Tick ; the figures have had to be reduced to suit the modest size of our 

 note-books, but are otherwise fac-similes of the originals, as are also 

 the notes jotted down at the time near the drawings. 



One of the feet on either side is gone ; it is interesting to note that 

 it is in both cases the (apparently) second foot, the real first. What 

 appear to be the first limbs corresponding to the antennce in true insects. 

 What appear to be antennae here, being not really so, but palpi — 

 authors diflTer much as to their identification. The fact is, the homolo- 

 gies have not yet been worked out. 



The special design of these figures is to show the importance of 

 making out details clearly and accurately with higher powers than are 

 requisite for the entire figure. It is upon such minute details that 

 specific and generic characters depend. 



[This plate is, we believe, an accurate copy of two of the small 

 plates which were drawn in one of our note-books by Mr. Tufi'en 

 West, and dated 20 | 11. | '75, except that the shaded portion of the 

 body of the Tick is coloured in Mr. West's drawing. — Ed.] 



Selccteb IRotce from tbe Socict^'0 



1Flote===Booft0* 



Batrachospermum is a special favourite of mine, and I never 

 see a specimen but it calls up my first acquaintance with it and its 

 slippery tricks. Standing at the edge of a small pool, fed by a pipe 

 of clear water, I put my stick under a little patch of floating green 

 weed to lift it out, but it slipped off; I tried a second and third 

 time, and each time failed. I then coaxed it near enough to grasp 

 it with my hand, but could not hold it. I then tried the open 

 palm, but it would not stay. I ultimately captured it by closing 

 my palms in a cup-shape, and thus got the better of its slippery 



