728 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEAECHES RELATING TO 



remind om" members of tlie many splendid creatures wliicli that locality 

 yielded. . . . Now I do not tbink it too much to say that this, like 

 many other localities, had never been thoroughly searched before, 

 and am quite sure that some of our neighbours who regard their dis- 

 tricts as unfavourable for pond life may find riches within their reach 

 quite as great if they will only adopt the same vigorous means of 

 seeking them." 



On a country road, in a small patch of water not more than three 

 inches deep in the wheel-ruts or holes made by the feet of cattle, 

 Mr. Levick found Pandorina morum, and another rotifer Notommata 

 brachionus. The latter was traced to a pond from which sheep drank, 

 and " here was a ready solution to the problem as to how the rotifers 

 had got to the puddle on the roadside. These unintentional dis- 

 tributors of microscopic life would go to the pond and paddle in the 

 water, and then readily carry either the eggs or the rotifers them- 

 selves upon their feet, and possibly leave some behind in the first 

 puddle they passed through on their way." 



On the question of cultivating microscopic fresh-water life, Mr. 

 Levick says that in indoor aquaria animals and plants also are stimu- 

 lated into such rapid changes, that sooner or later they come to grief, 

 and he " most earnestly commends all lovers of the study to acquire 

 a garden pond." His " is a brick structure of about 8 feet outside 

 diameter, and about 2 feet 6 inches in depth, measured from the top 

 edge to the base ; the inside is made to slope at a good angle, which is 

 very important. It stands about 18 inches above the level of the sur- 

 rounding ground, making nice sloping banks for about half its cir- 

 cumference, the inside being asphalted, which renders the whole 

 perfectly water-tight. It has an outlet and temporary means of 

 sui)j)lying water, but the former is never required, and with the 

 bountiful supply of rain we have had during the past few years, it has 

 rarely been necessary to add any water whatever, occasionally just a 

 little to keep up the level during any warm and dry period we may 

 have happened to have, few of which have troubled us for a long time 

 past. The bottom and sides have a good layer of sandstone rubble, 

 with a little clay, furnishing innumerable nooks and crevices where 

 plants may root and animals may hide, no attempt whatever being 

 made at architectural ornamentation. The rubble, however, is carried 

 to and over the edge of the brickwork, which it completely hides, 

 and is continued down the outside, making just a bit of ordinary 

 garden rock-work, planted in the usual way with ferns, saxifrages, 

 &c., forming in summer-time a perfect maze of plant life, shading 

 the water from some of the sun's rays, and affording shelter 

 for the numerous reptiles which also find a home in or about the 

 pond." 



In the remaining part of the address, relating to the examination 

 or rather " display " of objects, Volvox and Amoehce. are more par- 

 ticularly referred to. 



Mr. A. D. Michael, at one of the " Demonstrations " of the Quekett 

 Microscopical Club, gave an admirably practical account of sea-side 



