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VOLVOX IN YORKSHIRE. 
THOMAS HICK, B.A., B.Sc., 
Demonstrator and Assistant Lecturer in Botany, Owens College, Manchester. 
In March of last year I drew the attention of the readers of ‘The 
Naturalist’ to an important paper on the genus Volvox by Klein, in 
the hope of inducing Yorkshire botanists and microscopists to assist 
in extending our knowledge of the Yorkshire species, their distribu- 
tion, and the physical and other conditions under which they are 
met with. As the time has come round when the subject may again 
be profitably worked at, it seems desirable to say a few more words 
on the subject, with special reference to the results of last year’s 
observations and the desirability of continuing them. 
Disrripution.—As regards the distribution of Volvox in York- 
shire, little was added last year to our previous knowledge. 
r. Lees, in his ‘Flora of West Yorkshire,’ gives as its localities 
Ripon, Bramham Park, and Askern, as well as Bramhope and 
Hunslet in the Leeds district, and, as was mentioned in my previous 
paper, I myself collected it several years ago at Rawcliffe and 
Askham Bog, and in ponds near Wetherby. The new localities 
which, so far as I have learned, have to be added to this list, are the 
following: (1) Midgely Moor, near Halifax, where specimens were 
obtained by Mr. A. Thompson, of Luddenden ; (2) a hill slope near 
Salterhebble, Halifax, where Volvox was discovered by Mr. T 
Carnell ; and (3) Thornhill Lees, whence specimens were obtained 
for me by Mr. P. Fox Lee, of Dewsbury. 
It is obvious that, even with these additions, the recorded 
localities for the occurrence of Volvox are extremely few for so large 
a county as Yorkshire, and one cannot but think that if the ponds in 
the various districts were thoroughly searched, they might easily be 
considerably extended. 3 
VERTICAL RancE.—In Klein’s paper attention was drawn to the 
fact that in Germany Volvox inhabited low-lying districts, and had 
not been found in regions ranging from goo to 1,300 metres above 
sea-level. Up to the present time the statement is equally true for 
Yorkshire, though it is difficult to see why Volvox should not occur 
on some of our more elevated moorlands. Two of the new localities 
are interesting from this point of view. The one on the hill above 
Salterhebble is estimated. to be over 600 ft., while that on Midgely 
Moor is said to be 800 ft. above sea-level. They are the highest 
points at which Volvox has been found in Yorkshire, so far as I know, 
and seem of themselves sufficient to warrant the expectation that it 
June 1891. 
