NOTES AND QUERIES. 45 
the elegant marine infusorian, Fo//icularia ampulla, from the Aston 
Aquarium ; Bursaria truncatella, a large white ciliated animalcule 
found in ponds and ditches, amongst rotten beech leaves ; and the 
marine Pterodina, P. clypeata. 
The most interesting tube however was that containing a piece 
of sea-weed, upon which were clustered various organisms, notably 
Vaginicola valvata, exactly the same as the fresh water specimen, 
illustrated on Plate 1. in our first number. There were also upon 
it some lovely Spirorbis nautilotdes, a Lepralia occasionally pro- 
truding its bell of ciliated tentacles, and creeping about were some 
small Arachnida, with their bright red eyes and arborescent interior. 
Creeping and swimming were many rotifers, forming a goodly 
collection, and likely to afford endless amusement and instruction. 
PRIZES FOR Microscopy.—Two funds have been established in 
connection with the Royal Microscopical Society of London, one 
by Dr. John Anthony, the provider of a gold medal to be given 
trienially to the originator of any important improvement in the 
construction of the microscope, or any of its appliances; and the 
other by Mr. Frank Crisp, for a gold medal to be awarded to any 
one who promotes the advancement of research in natural science 
in connection with the microscope. The intention of the one donor 
is to place in the hands of the Society a tangible means of signifying 
their approval of any special and successful efforts to advance the 
construction of the microscope as an instrument of research ; while 
the intention of the other is to enable the Society to honourably 
distinguish any special and successful research conducted mainly 
by means of the microscope. 
Cuat Moss.—Chat Moss being still a large tract of uncultivated 
land, although annually being brought more and more under cultiva- 
tion, and though it, has been subject to repeated and extensive 
firing during the past few years, yet the Moss and the adjoining 
woods, which are principally composed of fir, birch, oak, sallow, 
and poplar, with a great variety of undergrowth, is still doubtless 
one of the best collecting grounds in this part of the country. 
During the busiest part of the collecting season it is no unusual 
thing to meet with collectors from various parts of the country, and 
I think it may fairly be called the “happy hunting ground” for 
Lancashire collectors, especially for entomologists. But not to 
entomologists alone is the place interesting. For the collector of 
fungi, the botanist, the ornithologist, or the naturalist in any de- 
partment, it is a fine collecting ground, where each may pursue any 
particular branch in which he takes the greatest interest.—ead at 
a recent meeting of the Bury Natural History Society. 
Roya Microscopicat Society.—At the meeting on December 
