G. WESTERN ON SOME FOREIGN ROTIFERS. 421 



3. Anapus ovalis, Bergendal = Chromogaster testudo^ Lauter- 

 born = Ascomorpha teshido, Zacharias,is another species I received 

 from Mr. Hood, wLo found it at Dundee. I have also seen it 

 from Hertford Heath and other places near London. 



4. (Ecistes socialis, Weber. — This is quite distinct from (Ecistes 

 mucicola, Kellicot, which I have already described before this Club 

 as a British species. It was also a find of Mr. Hood's, who 

 identifies it with Weber's species. It inhabits the same alga, 

 Gloiotrica pisim, and was associated with CE. mucicola and 

 crystalliniis. The foot is very long, twice or thrice the length of 

 body, and deeply wrinkled. It has no dorsal hook, one dorsal, 

 and two dorso-lateral antennae. The habit which this Rotifer has 

 of arching itself towards the ventral aspect so that the dorsal side 

 of the corona is upwards when expanded is a very distinctive 

 feature. For original description see Weber's " Hotateurs des 

 environs de Geneve," Hudson's Bibliography, 199. 



5. Saccuhis saltans, Bartsch. — This also I got from Mr. Hood, 

 who has known it long in the neighbourhood of Dundee. I have 

 also found it near London, at Esher Common and elsewhere. It 

 is described and figured in Hudson and Gosse's Supplement. In 

 his article above referred to, Mr. Percy Thompson has mentioned 

 that Saccvlus hyalinus may also be looked upon as a British species. 

 I have also seen a Eotifer which I have identified therewith, and so 

 have some friends of mine, and there is, I know, an idea abroad 

 that the two species are identical, hyalinus being the younger 

 stage of the other. This is a matter which requires verification, 

 and might possibly be cleared up by seme members of this Club 

 during the present excursion season. 



6. Brachionus dorcas, Gosse, var. spinosus, Wierz., described 

 and figured in Wierzejski's *' Rotatoria Galicya." — This I have 

 frequently found, and believe it to be only a stage in the life 

 history of B. dorcas, ju?t as B. cmpTiiceros is in that of B. pala as 

 stated by Hudson. Bilfinger, I see, goes further, and says B. 

 dorcas is only a variety of B. pala. My experience is rather 

 against this, for in a particular pond in v^hich I constantly find 

 B. dorcas they are always dorcas and never pala, whereas in the 

 near neighbourhood are ether ponds in which I find constantly 

 B. pala, hut \]c\eY B. do7cas. Gosse says that he could not see 

 the contractile vesicle in this Eotifer, B. dorcas. Strange to say he 

 has put it in his figure, and correctly so, for it is always present. 



