484 
NALORE 
[March 10, 1870 
few examples only have been found, and those are not 
yet fully worked out. Of the ten enumerated above, four of 
the most remarkable (JZ. cordota, C. fuscata, P. Stevensont, 
C. fretensis) have occurred in the gatherings from the 
Méuse and Scheldt. The new species are not yet pub- 
lished, but will shortly be fully figured and described by 
the present writer, in conjunction with Mr. D. Robertson, 
in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 
The Foraminifera of the broads and fen rivers are 
scarcely less interesting than the Entomostraca, and em- 
brace some new species and varieties ; we are not yet, how- 
ever, in a position to institute any comparison between them 
and those of the Dutch rivers. One point of interest may 
should have found nothing of great interest. JVot one 
of the new species would have been found (though one of 
these is everywhere abundant, and some of the rest by no 
means rare), except Gondocypris mitra, of which one or 
two detached valves were observed in a gathering from 
Somerton Broad. M 
The explanation of the origin of this peculiar fauna is 
perhaps not very easy. If we might be allowed to specu- 
late, we should say that it is probably the last surviving 
representative of a group of species which may have - 
inhabited in remote times a large, lagoon-covered district 
possibly continuous between this country and Holland, 
the water of which we should suppose to have been 
(4) 
Polycheles Stevensont, magnified 40 diameters: (a) seen from side ; (2) seen 
from below. 
its posterior end. 
The young fry are seen through the translucent shell at 
‘The species is probably viviparous. 
Gomocypris mitra, magnified 84 diameters: (a) seen rom side ; (4) seen from below. 
be noticed, that although, on the site of Whittlesea mere, 
Foraminifera are very abundant, scarcely any are to be 
met with in the river Nene, which is closely adjacent. 
This would seem to indicate that the faunas of the two 
places are independent of each other, or, at any rate, that 
the Foraminifera of the Fens are not recruited indirectly 
from the sea through the medium of river communication. 
In conclusion it must be said that the free-swimming 
Entomostraca of the whole fen district present, so far as 
we have found, nothing calling for remark; many of the 
common fresh-water Lyncei and Copepoda are very abun- 
dant in the broads, rivers, and dykes, throughout the 
district ; but had it not been for the use of the dredge we 
ordinarily but slightly brackish. Possibly if this condition 
lasted during any great period of time, the species in 
question may have been developed by a process of modi- 
fication from those inhabiting the estuaries on one side 
and the fresh water on the other. But two or three of 
them are so far removed in character from any others 
with which we are at present acquainted that it is impos- 
sible to speak more positively on the subject. Enough 
has been said to show that the subject is one of no little 
interest, and that the waters of the districts referred to 
would very probably well repay the labours of investi- 
gators in other departments of natural history. 
G, S. BRADY 
