Clare Island. Survey. 



46 

 FRESH-WATER ENTOMOSTRACA. 



By D. J. SCOURFIELD, F.Z.S., F.R.M.S. 

 Plate I. 



Read June 10. Published July 22, 1912. 



The collections forming the basis of the present report were made for the 

 most part in Clare Island, in the north-eastern part of Achill Island, and in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Westport, though a few were also obtained 

 from Castlebar and Islandeady Loughs and some others from the district on 

 the southern side of Clew Bay as far inland as Doo Lough. All the localities 

 are situated, therefore, either in Clare Island or within 10 miles of the shores 

 of Clew Bay, and this may be considered as the area covered by the Survey 

 so far as fresh-water Entomostraca are concerned. 



No previous collections of fresh-water Entomostraca had apparently been 

 made in Clare Island itself, and very little had been done in the country 

 surrounding Clew Bay. In 1868 Brady and Bobertson (9) visited Westport. 

 and recorded a few Cladocera and Ostracoda, among these being a new 

 species, Limnicythere sancti-patricii, obtained from Lough Moher, and the rare 

 Monospilus dispar. Canon Norman visited Westport in 1874, but only the 

 Ostracoda obtained on that occasion seem to have been recorded (20) 

 Mr. Kane also visited the district prior to 1909, and recorded the remarkable 

 Holopedium gibberum from L. Keel, Achill (19), while Messrs. W. & G-. S. West 

 made collections of phyto-plankton in two lakes in Achill in 1904, and 

 incidentally refer to the presence of certain Entomostraca (24). 



Much more attention had been given to the district to the south, 

 embracing Connemara and Loughs Comb and Mask, and a considerable 

 number of species from this area are to be found in the papers and notes by 

 Andrews, Norman, Brady, Kane, West, and others. Nevertheless the records 

 are very imperfect even for this district, owing mainly to the fact that no 

 attempt has hitherto been made to compile a complete list of species, 

 including the commoner as well as the rarer forms. 



Most of the collections dealt with in this paper were made in June, 1909. 

 either by the writer or by Mr. Kane. Later in the same year, and again in 

 1910 and 1911, Mr. Kane collected in the same area, and small gatherings 

 were also made by Mr. James Murray (March, 1911), and Mr. J. S. Dunkerly 

 (April, 1911). I wish to express my thanks to these gentlemen for the 

 R.I.A. pboc, vol. xxxi. A 46 



