CANADIAN TARDIGEADA 



Collecting in Canada. The only opportunities which offered for collecting in 

 Canada were the pauses in a hurried journey across the continent. At Victoria, 

 British Columbia, where the steamer called for a few hours, plenty of moss was found 

 on the sea-shore, close by the wharf. This proved afterwards to be the most 

 productive got in Canada. At Vancouver a whole day was spent, but the time 

 available was not sufficient to go farther afield than the Stanley Public Park. This 

 park, in its half-wild state, and everywhere clothed in moss, was very suitable for 

 the collection of microscopic animals. 



Thereafter, right across the continent, there was nothing to be looked for but 

 chance collecting at any stations where the train stopped for more than a few 

 minutes. Through the Selkirks and the Rockies, at all the stations where the train 

 stopped long enough to allow time for meals, I generally managed to get my pockets 

 filled with moss. 



Accident assisted science. Twice on the journey the train was held up for some 

 time. At Sicamous, floods had destroyed a little bridge, and a heavy engine had got 

 overturned. While a new loop of railway was being built round the obstruction 

 there were two days available for collecting. It was a beautiful spot, on the shore 

 of a lake, and moss was abundant, but somehow it proved very unproductive. We 

 were afraid to make long excursions up the neighbouring hills, as we did not know 

 when the train might go on. 



A few days later, after crossing the Prairies and just after passing the Lake of 

 the Woods, there was a train-wreck in front of us, on a high bank between two 

 lakes. This delayed us for several hours. The microscope was again got out, the 

 dry moss was washed in the lake, and the sediment examined. This time we were 

 luckier, and got many interesting things. 



Half a day was spent in Ottawa, and much moss was collected in the public parks 

 and roadsides. This also proved good. 



The only records of Canadian Tardigrada with which I am acquainted are in 

 Richters' " Moosfauna Australiens, &c.," 1908 (37). He records three species from 

 Vancouver : Echiniscus gladiator, Milnesium tardigradum, and Macrobiotus hufe- 

 landii. For the whole North American continent I only know one other record, 

 Packard's insufficiently described Macrobiotus americanus (21). Some half-dozen 

 species are recorded for South America. 



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