37 6 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the ordinary plates, and the spine over cl is longer. E. creplini has three 

 pairs of dorsal spines. E. oihonnae usually has b and d as spines, but some- 

 times all five are setae. It has spicules at the bases of the setae, and the outer 

 claws are usually barbed. 



In distinguishing E. eoluminis from similar species the position of the 

 dorsal seta over c, nearer the middle line than in most species, is an important 

 character. 



EcMniscus sp. ? 



Three forms occurred which appear to be related to E. eoluminis. Two 

 of them are figured. 



First. — Lateral setae a, c, d, e ; over c a moderate spine, over d a spicule. 

 A spicule on first leg. This form is not figured, as it is exactly like 

 E. eoluminis (Plate I., fig. 3a), but lacks seta b. The animal was mature, as 

 an example was found with two eggs in the skin. 



Second. — (Plate I, fig 5.) Lateral setae a, c, d, e ; over c and d small 

 spicules. This differs from the first form described above in having the 

 dorsal process over c reduced to a spicule. The setae c, d, and e sometimes 

 have bidbose bases. Examples with two and three eggs occurred. 



Third. — (Plate I., fig. 6.) Lateral setae a, c, d ; over c a moderate spine, 

 over d a spicule. Differs from the type of E. eoluminis in lacking setae b and 

 e, and the reduction of the dorsal process over c to a spine. 



All these three forms agree with E. eoluminis in having the dorsal pro- 

 cesses over c nearer the middle line than in most species. They differ from 

 it mainly in the lack of one or two of the lateral setae, and in the varying 

 proportions of the dorsal process over c. 



Milnesium tardigradum Doy. 



All the Irish specimens closely examined had three points on each of 

 the lesser claws of all legs. It is important to note this, as there may be 

 incipient local races distinguished by the number of points. Often the 

 number of points varies from one to three in the same individual, the first 

 leg having one point, the second and third legs two and three, and the fourth 

 leg three. 



Macrobiotus crenulatus Eichters. 



This arctic species was abundant on the two mountains visited, Shevemore 

 and Croaghmore, at elevations of ovei 1,000 feet. 



Distribution. — Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Lam I, Orkney, Shetland, Ireland. 



