A LETTER FROM DR. V. GUNSON THORPE. 227 



foand this Rotifer in Ireland I cannot conceive. Of course it is 

 not a Rhinops, and as far as I can see at present it ought to be 

 placed in a genus by itself. The only excuse for my error is 

 that at first I did not possess an Abbe condenser, which I do 

 now, and which, of course, makes everything more distinct 

 under high powers. The Rotifer is a very small one dro" ^^ 

 length). Some of the clusters of the Chinese Lacinularia and 

 Megalotrocha are simply enormous, quite a quarter of an inch 

 across, hanging like white bits of wool from the stems of the 

 water plants. I should say thac some consisted of quite 200 

 individuals. I think the time is not far distant when some- 

 thing will have to be done with these two genera ; probably 

 one of them will have to be done away with, and the two 

 amalgamated. If you care to make any use of this letter at the 

 Quekett Club you are quite at liberty to do so. ... I always 

 look back with pleasure to the evening I spent at the Club, 

 where I met so many interested in the same pursuit. . . . The 

 Journal which reaches me regularly gives me a good deal of 

 information of your excursions. I wish I could join you. . . . 



