?8 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



small eye, similar lo those we found in species of 

 the genus Hydryphantes. 



Legs. — First pair about 1.30 mm. long ; fourth 

 pair extend to about 2.30 mm. Red in colour, same 

 as body. In some cases slightly yellow near the 

 joints. All the legs are well supplied with swimming 

 hairs, and those on the fourth pair of legs are very 

 Ion"-. Claws to all feet. 



Fig. 



H. globosa. Dorsal surface. 



El'iMERA. — Arranged in four groups (fig. I). 

 The plates are rather small in proportion to size of 

 body, but are very plain and distinct, being a little 

 darker in colour than the other part of the ventral 

 surface. 



PALPI. — About 0.7 mm. in length, rather hairy, 

 but quite without the pegs we have found in some 

 species before mentioned. 



Genital Area. — Composed of one heart-shaped 

 plate, covered with a large number of small discs. 



There is little difference in structure in the sexes. 

 The general form is much the same, the male as 

 usual being a little smaller. 



3. Hydrachna maculifera Piersig, 1S97. 



Bodv. — Very similar in shape to H. globosa, and 

 about same size. Some specimens are very dark in 

 colour. I have taken individuals that were nearly 

 black. In this species the dorsal plates behind the 

 eyes are very small (Fig. 4). 



Fig. 3, H. scutatci. Dorsal plate. 



Localities. — Fairly common in England. Mr. 

 Taverner has found this mite in Scotland. 



2. Hydrachna scutata Piersig, 1S97. 



Body. — Very much the same shape as that of the 

 preceding mite. About 2.40 mm. in length. Red 

 in colour, sometimes of a darker shade than H. 

 globosa. The principal point of identity between the 

 last species and this mite is the chitinous plate 

 between the eyes (Fig. 3). This plate is all in one 

 piece, but is not always quite so symmetrical in its 

 outline as drawn ; but still this is sufficiently near the 

 form. In this species the median eye, if indeed this 

 is an eye, is situated on the plate, similar to those of 

 the genus Hydryphantes. 



Localities. — This, also, is rather common. I 

 have taken it at Staines and in several localities 

 round London ; also in Suffolk and in Kent. 



Fig. 



M. maculifcra. Dorsal surface. 



Genital Area. — Figs. 5 and 6 will show the 

 shape of the genital plates in male and female, the 



Fig. 5. Male. 

 H. mac 



wli/er 



Fig. 6. Female. 

 Genital plates. 



difference being in the outline. Both are covered with, 

 a large number of small discs. 



Localities. — This species is not uncommon. I 

 have taken great numbers during this last four years, 

 from a pond at Totteridge, north of London, at 

 different seasons. 



4. Hydrachna gcographica Mviller, 1776. 



Body. — Shape very similar to the other species of 

 this genus, but when full grown its dimensions are 

 so great that we have no other water mite to compare 

 it with for size. I have found some large species of 

 the genus Eylais, but none nearly so big as H. geo- 

 graphica. It reaches as much as 8 mm. in length. 

 Koch, in his great work, gives a very good figure of 

 this mite, and so does Miiller. It is brilliantly 

 coloured, having vermilion markings on a black 

 ground. Its legs are very bright red, but slightly 

 yellow at the joints. It has no decided dorsal plate, 

 but two chitinous ridges behind the eyes similar to 

 H. maculifera. It does not appear necessary to 

 figure this distinct and handsome species. 



Localities. — It is a. very uncommon mite. The 

 only place I have taken it, and then not in the per- 

 fect state, was in 1895 at Snaresbrook, Epping 



Forest. 



( To be continued. ) 



Twenty-seven new members and two honorary 

 members were elected by the Meteorological Society 

 at its last meeting. 



