Jan. 16, 1855.] Linnean Society. 359 



that they played an important, perhaps the same, part in the oeco- 

 nomy of the ancient world as they do in this, serving as food namely 

 to countless shoals of gregarious fishes, which abounded then as 

 now in fresh and in marine waters. The Entomostraca of the 

 Southern Hemisphere differ seemingly from those of the Northern ; 

 that they serve there also as the food of gregarious fishes was proved 

 by the author's brother many years ago in respect of the so-called 

 Herring of the Bay of Islands. They vary considerably in size, and 

 seem to extend from pole to pole, consuming the organic remahis, 

 which but for them might speedily infect the ocean itself. 



The paper was accompanied by magnified drawings of the species 

 of E?itomostraca found in the stomachs of the Vendace and of the 

 Herring. 



January 16, 1855. 

 Thomas Bell, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



Read, an extract from a Letter, addressed by the Rev. William 

 Henry Hawker to the President, dated " Horndean, Hants, Dec. 11, 

 1854." After referring to his previous discovery of Aspleniumfon- 

 tanuni in the neighbourhood of his place of residence, Mr. Hawker 

 proceeds as follows : — 



" My discoveries of the past year are not altogether without 

 interest. Last year I paid a visit to the English Lakes, and had the 

 good fortune to find Polystichum Lonchitis growing near UUeswater. 

 I brought away one plant and sent a frond to Newman, who, how- 

 ever, does not mention it in his new Edition. This year (in July) 

 I went to the Lakes again and had the pleasure of confirming the 

 above discovery ; and, moreover, on my mentioning it to other col- 

 lectors, a search was instituted, which has resulted in its turning up 

 in several new localities in that district, e. g. Helvellyn, Fairfield, 

 &c. This fern has never before, I believe, been found in the Lake 

 country. Whilst there this year I went a few days' botanical 

 ramble with Mr. Clowes of Windermere, and on one of these days, 

 whilst clambering on a terrific precipice, I had the delight to find 

 Aspl. septentrionale growing in such quantity, that I took away I 

 suppose between 60 and 70 plants and left more than 100, and 

 here right amongst them I found 2 plants of AsiAenium germanicum ! 



