46 NOTES — ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



New Species of Dasydytes in Epping Forest — In " Science Gossip," 

 for July, 1891, Mr. Percy G. Thompson, of Bow, E., has an interesting paper on 

 a new species of Dasydytes (belonging to the Order Gastrotricha) from the forest 

 district. He met with it in November, 1890, in a pond near Leytonstone, and 

 could not identifi' it with any of the species described in Dr. Carl Zelinka's ex- 

 haustive monograph of the group (" Die Gastrotrichen," in Zeitschr. f. wiss. 

 Zool., xlix., plate 2). Mr. Thompson proposes to name the new species Dasydytes 

 bisetosum. He gives a full description, with figures, with many details of its 

 habits. The same pond at Leytonstone furnished him with specimens of Dasydytes 

 fusi/orniis, Spencer, and Lepidoderma r/iomhoides, Stokes (the latter only known- 

 before from Trenton, New Jersey). At Chingford he met with D. goniathrix, 

 Gosse, and D.fusiformis. Mr. Thompson is convinced that many of the species 

 recorded by Stokes in America ("Journal de Micrographie"), and by Zelinka, would 

 be found in England if microscopists would but search systematically for them, 

 and place on record observations on such forms as they may chance to meet with. 



Males of Cladocera (Entomostraca) in Epping Forest. — During the 

 months of September, October, and November last, the comparatively rare males 

 of the Entomostracan order Cladocera seemed to be fairly abundant in the south 

 Epping Forest district. Males of fourteen species in all were seen by me during 

 the period mentioned, belonging to the different genera as follows : — Ceriodaphnia 

 (4), Scapholeheris (i), Simocephalus (l), Daphn-.a (4), Bosmina (i), Acropems (i), 

 Camptocerens (i), Pteuroxiis (i). I do not know whether to consider this as an 

 exceptionally good list for one season or not ; but it is certainly far better than my 

 records for the two preceding years, and it would be interesting if collectors of 

 pond-life in other localities would give their experience in this matter. — D. J , 

 ScouRFIELn, in " Science Gossip," January, 1892. 



Microscopic Fossils from the Colchester Chalk. — In the year 1853, 

 the ever-memorable John Brown, of Stanway, then in his seventy-third year, 

 published an interesting notice of the forarniniferse, &c., found in the chalk of the 

 artesian well then recently made at Colchester. The depth was then 294 feet, 

 and John Brown's notes, which were printed in the "Annals and Magazine of 

 Natural History," October, 1853, gave a description and illustration of the micro- 

 scopic fossils in the chalk brought up by the borer. It has recently been found 

 necessary to make a further boring in the chalk at the bottom of the well to a 

 depth of 400 feet from the surface, and I have examined the chalk from the borer at 

 this depth. The specimens obtained are for the most part similar to those 

 described by Brown in 1853 — Cristtllaria, Globigerina, Truncatidma^ and the usual 

 forms met with in chalk. In sketching some of these with the camera lucida, I 

 had drawn a form exactl)' similar to one depicted by John Brown, and alleged by 

 him to be a A'odosaria, when, to my surprise, the object rolled over in the still 

 liquid balsam, and revealed itself as a Gaudryina, which had been lying edgeways. 

 Is it possible that species sometimes acquire a name and a local habitation in 

 text-books through a similar accident ? — Chaki.es E. Benham, Colchester, 

 January 27th, 1892. 



" Melampyrum Arvense in Essex." — In jour last issue (E.N., v., p. 203) 

 reference is made to the finding of Melampyrum arretise at Faulkbourne. In vitw 

 of the rarit}' of the plant it m.iy be worth while adding two localities from which 

 I have recorded the species, viz., \Vickham Bishops and Hatfield Peverly, both in 



