SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



J 75 



found its colony on the shoulders of its gigantic 

 neighbour, thus ensuring a plentiful supply of 

 nutriment for itself and its young, without the 

 trouble of swimming about in search of it. The 

 drawing shows a young polyzoon with the valves 



Fig. 3. — Young Lophopus crystallinus, 



Just emerging from Statoblast with colony of Philodina 

 mcgalotrocha and eggs. 



of the statoblast still adhering, like the valves of 

 the shell of an oyster, and even in this early stage 

 of existence a colony of Philodines has established 

 itself in a favourable position for sharing its food. 



Other interesting microscopic forms of life are 

 met with here. My friend, Mr. Daunou, has found 

 some very large specimens of that beautiful 

 polyzoon, Cristatella mucedo. Some of the largest 

 ones were not less than three inches in the total 

 length of the coenoecium, being at least half-an-inch 

 larger than the full-size mentioned by Dr. Allman 

 in his monograph. Mr. Daunou has also met 

 with another polyzoon, Fredericella sultana ; and I 

 have this year found a Plumatella which seems to 

 be specifically different from P. ripens, though I 

 have not yet been able to identify it, owing to the 

 small and undeveloped condition of the specimens. 

 All these polyzoa have been found on the floating 

 leaves and submerged stems of Potamogeton natans, 

 which is very plentiful in the Minster streams, and 

 is well worth hunting over, being the favourite 

 habitat of many interesting parasites. 



The submerged mosses, of which there are 

 several species in these marshes, are especially 

 rich in various rotifers and infusoria, and other 



forms of animal life. I have frequently met with 

 a curious naid-worm among moss, whose name I 

 have not yet been able to discover. It has five or 

 six most richly-ciliated finger-like processes sur- 

 rounding the vent, by which a powerful current is 

 drawn in and propelled throughout the body by 

 means of a water-vascular system. Stentors, of 

 large size, and water-bears abound in and among 

 these mosses. Parasitic infusoria, such as Vorticella, 

 Epislylis and Opercularia, clothe their stems and 

 branches. I find these water-mosses are more 

 useful than most other weeds in an aquarium, as 

 they are far less liable to be eaten by water-snails. 

 I think these few notes will suffice to show that the 

 Minster marshes are a rich field for microscopists 

 in search of rotifers and other Infusionsthierchen. 

 Margate ; September, 1894. 



SCARCITY OF BUTTERFLIES. 



UNTIL I read the note on this subject in last 

 month's Science-Gossip, I did not think 

 that the scarcity of butterflies in this place would 

 be worth noting, but as it has been observed 

 elsewhere, perhaps a few remarks may not 

 be out of place. I do not, however, think that 

 the weather of last year has very much to do* 

 with either the appearance or the non-appearance 

 of certain butterflies. I think that it is the weather 

 of the present season that is accountable for it. I 

 have noticed a remarkable absence of the different 

 "whites" as compared with last season, and I 

 cannot say that any particular species is as plentiful 

 as usual, but some of the more common ones, such 

 as Hipparchia j antra, etc., seem to be fairly 

 numerous when we are fortunate enough to have 

 bright weather. Vanessa to is scarce, as it was last 

 year, but Vanessa urticcc has been somewhat 

 plentiful, and the larvae particularly so during the 

 whole summer. Although there is a marked decrease 

 in the numbers of some butterflies this season, 

 it is not the case with all. I have had one 

 specimen of Thecla w-album brought to me, 

 a species which is very seldom seen here. I 

 saw several hibernated specimens of Vanessa 

 cardui in the early part of the season ; they were 

 very much damaged and would have been useless 

 if caught. A friend of mine has captured here 

 nearly a dozen specimens of Colias cdusa, mostly 

 males. They are, however, very local, having all 

 been caught on, or close to, one field. I did not 

 hear of any of these three last-mentioned butter- 

 flies being seen here last season. If the dry 

 weather of last year has been the cause of the 

 scarcity of some butterflies it has evidently not 

 affected the appearance of all. 



Edward Ransom, Sudbury, Suffolk; September, 1894. 



