Il6 NOTES ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



Pond Life in the Forest. — Just now (May) the forest ponds are very 

 prolific in all forms of lowly life. Hydras^ Rotifers^ Vo/vox, Punc/orina, are very 

 abundant in the ponds near the " Forest School," and Vo/vox, especially in some 

 parts, may be found in thousands. Those put in a bottle have increased very 

 much in a few days. 



Among the captures was a green Hydra without arms. When taken it had all 

 the appearance of having recently had a full meal, but had not the vestige of any 

 tentacle. Fastened as it was by its foot to a weed, it looked like a diminutive 

 green beer bottle, the top part being gorged and distended. I carefully removed 

 the animal to a small bottle, and kept it under observation for some days. At the 

 end of twelve hours from the first examination, arms began to grow. At the end 

 of thirty-six hours two arms were grown, but were short, and the stump of a third 

 was visible. In six hours more four arms were grown a good length, and another 

 was visible. At the end of eighteen hours more it had only five arms, but a bud 

 commenced growing out of its side. In forty-eight hours after this the bud had 

 grown considerably, but still the animal had only five arms. After another forty- 

 eight hours the bud had dropped off, and the creature had now six arms. After 

 this it disappeared, being very likely devoured by some other animal. — A. P, 

 Wire, Leytonstone. 



Neottia nidus-avis at Hazeleigh. — On June 8th, as Mr. Fredk. Spalding 

 and I were walking through Hazeleigh Hall Wood, he called my attention to two 

 fine spikes of the Bird's Nest Orchis. This is the first time I have seen it in this 

 locality, but on the next day I found two other spikes about loc yards further 

 down the wood. The only record Gibs:in (" Flora of Essex," p. 308) gives for his 

 district No. 6 is " Woodham Ferrers— Rev. T. Benson." — Edward A. FiTCH, 

 Maldon. 



Vicia lutea at St. Osyth. — On June 5th, I found two or three good-sized 

 patches of the yellow vetch ( Vicia lutea) under the martello tower on St. Osyth 

 shore. This plant is not included in Gibson's " Flora," but I do not think I can 

 be wrong in my determination of the species. — EDWARD A. FiTCH, Maldon. 



Epping Forest Flora. — The July number of " Natural Science " contains 

 the following remarks : — " In the pamphlet on the ' Organisation of Science ' the 

 author empties the vials of his contempt upon the compilers of county floras, 

 which he calls ' a kind of drivel over which life, and time, and print are wasted.' 

 The author seems to forget that if naturalists are born, not made, it is collecting 

 that has a good deal to do with the bearing : most men begin as collectors, and if 

 this work is to be discouraged as waste of time, the next generation of naturalists 

 is likely to be much smaller than the present. Except with those who agree with 

 the writer of that pamphlet, we think that most naturalists would strongly disap- 

 prove of the planting of wild plants from one district in the few small tracts of 

 virgin land we have. We notice in the January number of the Essex Naturalist 

 that Damasonium has recently been found in a very well-known pond of Epping 

 Forest, 



' The thing is neither so very fine nor rare ; 

 But the question how the devil it got there 



ii a problem that is seriously puzzling the botanists of the Essex Field Club. 

 There can be no doubt that such a plant as Damisonium could not possibly have 

 escaped notice, while it is difficult to see how its introduction can have been 



