PROPAGATION OF MELICERTA RINGENS. 275 



gallons. The smallest is placed four feet from the window, and the 

 largest, which has been most successful, is placed seven feet from the 

 window. The temperature has ranged from 41° to 68° F. 



The bottom of the large tank is covered with a shallow layer of the 

 finest river sand well washed. A little rockery consisting of quartz, 

 Kmestone, and fluoi'spar crystals, is arranged at the end. The plants consist 

 of one Vallisneria sixiralis, three water violets, (Hottonia imlustris,) and 

 three water milfoils ( Myriophyllum sjyicattim.) The last named plants are 

 arranged as much as possible along and under the surface of the water. 



The Mehcerta is particularly fond of Myriophyllum and duck weed 

 (Lemna miiwr.) There are also in the tank two smooth newts, (Lissotriton 

 punctatus,) and of Mollusca there are six Planorhis corneus, three 

 SpluErium corneum, (to be safe put in no Limnea,) and plenty of Daphnia 

 and Cyclops. The water is very clear and sweet. 



On the 4th September Mr. Bolton sent me a tube containing two 

 specimens of the beautiful gi-ouped Rotifer, Laeinularia socialis, which I 

 put at once into my aquarium, and now there are five more groups. 



My aquarium is now a soiirce of the greatest pleasure to myself 

 and friends. I will not name all the wonderful forms to be met with ; 

 but the following list of some of my treasures will, perhaps, be interesting : 

 Wlelicerta ringens, Flosctilaria cornuta, Lwinias curatopliyUi, Pterodina patina, 

 Rotifer vulgaris, Stentor Miilleri, Epistylis, Vorticella, Cothurnia imberbis, 

 Actinosphoerium Eichornii, and Actinophrys sol. If these observations 

 should be the means of inducing others to enter heartily into the study 

 of Melicerta ringens and other rotifera my object in writing will be 

 accomplished. William Shippeebottom, Bolton. 



METEOROLOGY OF THE MIDLANDS. 

 THE WEATHER OF AUGUST, 1878. 



BY W. JEROME HAKRISON, F.G.S. 



A wet month indeed, the rain mostly falling during thunderstorms, 

 of which those on the 4th, 6th, 16th, 24th, and 30th may be specially noted. 

 The storm of the 6th was accompanied in North Leicestershire by hail, 

 which did much damage. At Dalby HaU some of the " lumps of ice " 

 measured one inch in diameter; at Bel voir Castle they were " the size 

 of filberts." At Matlock Bath 2J inches of rain fell during this storm in 

 " less than two hours." From Nottingham, Mr. Lowe writes : "Themontlily 

 fall here (8-76in.) was the largest for the past thirty-nine years." Mr. 

 Davis, of Tenbury, states that the " rainfall for the month (7-81 in.) was 

 excessive, and has only been exceeded twice in the last forty-eight years ; 

 in July, 1834, 9-23 inches of rain were registered, and in November, 1852, 

 8-22 inches." 



Temperature was very uniform and about the average, although 

 there was httle sunshine. The crops suffered much from standing in 

 the fields, and were not half secured at the end of the month. The 

 barometer ruled rather low. Fogs prevailed on the 25th and 26th. 



