52 AXx\ALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



in St. Andrews Bay in May 1887, ''^"^ one recorded by Dr. Fulton 

 from Kincardine-on-Forth in February 1902 ("Scottish Fishery 

 Board's Reports, Pt. III. 1888, p. 275 ; 1902, p. 229). — D'Akcy 

 W. Thompson, University College, Dundee. 



[A specimen, weighing about 2 lbs., was captured in the Firth 

 of Forth off Elie in November 1904, and is now in the Royal 

 Scottish Museum. The date is an unusual one. — Eds.] 



Another Occurrence of the Oar-fish in Scotland. — Referring to 

 the article in the July number of the "Annals" on the Oar-fish, 

 I can add another occurrence of this fish in Scottish waters, which 

 Mr. Evans omits from his list, and which I mentioned in "The 

 Field " of 1 6th March 1907, as follows : "Last week a fine specimen 

 of the Ribbon Fish was washed ashore on the beach of Whitemill, 

 Burness, Sanday, Orkney. It was of a beautiful silver colour, and 

 measured 13 feet in length, 2 inches across, and about 8 inches in 

 depth. It was quite fresh when washed ashore, but unfortunately 

 was not preserved, and the Gulls soon made short work of it." 

 "The Field" again mentions this specimen in its issue of 13th 

 June 1908, when mentioning the occurrence of the Dunbar speci- 

 men. — H. W. Robinson, Lancaster. 



Hydrachnids from Neigrhbourhood of Kirkliston. — During the 

 last eighteen months, I made three or four collections of Hydrachnids 

 from a small loch and some ponds in the neighbourhood of 

 Kirkhston. The loch yielded the largest number of specimens, 

 but the ponds gave very meagre results, which I attribute mainly 

 to the lack of vegetation. In a small quarry now filled with water 

 I was able to get some large specimens of the genus Hydrachna. 

 Only fourteen species representing seven genera were found by me. 

 Fiona and Limnesia each contribute four species, while Arrheiiurus^ 

 Thyas, Hygrobates^ Brachypoda^ and Hydrachna yield only one each. 

 Fiona and Limnesia are represented by F. cofiglobata (C. L. Koch), 

 F, discrepans (Koen.), F. uncata (Koen.), F. carnea (C. L. Koch), 

 L. undulata (Miill), L. maculata (Miill.), Z. koenikei, Piersig, and 

 Z. histrionica (Herm.). None of these call for particular mention 

 as they are fairly common species. Hygrobates longipalpis (Herm.) 

 also appears to be a common species. Brachypoda versicolor (Miill.) 

 cannot claim to be common. I have only found it on two occasions 

 before, one specimen at Duddingston some years ago, and one at 

 the Elf Loch last December. It is a small species with colour 

 markings which tend to render it inconspicuous when creeping 

 among the sediment which lies at the bottom of the water. Thyas 

 vemista (C. L. Koch) is rather conspicuous from its bright red 

 colour. I have also found it at Bavelaw. Hydrachna scutafa, 

 Piersig, can be readily seen swimming in clear water. It is one 

 of the larger species and red in colour. The distinguishing feature 

 is the plate situated well forward on the dorsal surface. The shape 



