CORRRSPONDING SOCIETIES MEETING AT DOVER, 71 



Amphipoda, and these De Rougemont would reduce to a single species.' Two 

 other forms, however, have been found in recesses of coalpits in Scotland 

 and Northern England. Mr. Stebbing noticed the blindness and want of 

 colour characteristic of this subterranean fauna ; also the singular fact that 

 while its study may be said to have begun in England, almost every discovery 

 therein during the last 50 years had been made in the wells and caverns of 

 other countries, whether European or American. He concluded by remark- 

 ing that it would indeed be extraordinary should Great Britain and Ireland 

 not yield on investigation a fauna comparable to that found in other parts of 

 the world. In this research he hoped that some members of our local 

 scientific societies might take a share. 



In answer to a question as to the best way of catching " Well- 

 shrimps," Mr. Stebbing replied that a good plan was to wait till the well was 

 nearly empty, then let down a bucket and withdraw it as soon as possible. 

 Sometimes they were brought up when pumping was going on. 



Some discussion then ensued, in which Rev. J. O. Bevan, 

 Mr. T. Workman, and Mr. Hotblack took part, as to whether 

 the Bats in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky passed all their 

 time there, it was hardly a matter that could he decisively 

 settled, but some presumption that they did not was afforded by 

 a remark of Mr. Workman's (who had visited the Mammoth 

 Cave) that they were not found in the depths of the Cave, 

 though in great numbers near the mouth. 



Mr. Hotblack said that a Well-shrimp had been obtained at 

 Norwich by a member of the Society he represented (Norfolk 

 and Norwich Naturalists' Society).- Mr. Mark Stirrup men- 

 tioned that a few years ago a Society was started in Yorkshire 

 for cavern exploration, with which a search for underground 

 fauna might well be combined. Mr. Stebbing had certainly 

 opened out for them a new field of research. 



The Chairman (Mr. Stebbing) added that two gentlemen 

 had written to him on this subject, Mr. E. S. Goodrich, of the 

 Department of Comparative Anatomy, Oxford, who would be 

 glad to have any specimens of blind Crustacea from wells and 

 caves for experimental purposes, and Dr. Charles Chilton (to 

 whose work on the underground fauna of New Zealand he had 

 already referred) who was living in Edinburgh. Dr. Chilton 

 was collecting information about the English Well-Amphipoda, 

 and would be glad of specimens. A general hope was expressed 



1 In a letter to the Editor, Mr. Stebbing says that the British Well-shrimps are 

 Niphargus aquilex, Schiodte, N. fcntanus, Spence Bate, N. Kochinas, S. Bate, and 

 Kraangonyx subtcrraneiis, S. B. He adds, " of these the first is most frequently met with in 

 England." 



2 This species is Niphargus aquilex, see " Notes " in the present part of the E.N. — EJ. - 



