574 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Dec. 7, i i 



everywhere in the ocean. In size they range from Jj- in. 

 to nearly half an inch in length in one northern species, 

 which is said to be the chief food of the Arctic whale, 

 and gives a distinct red colour to the waters where it 

 abounds. 



They are very easily captured by means of a tow-net, 

 a long, very fine muslin bag, with a round metal hoop 

 about a foot in diameter, and narrowing in a length of 

 about five feet to nearly a point. Attached to a long 

 cord, the tow-net is pulled along from a boat, skimming 

 the surface and occasionally being allowed to fall a few 

 feet or more below. In about ten or fifteen minutes it is 

 taken out, and the inside end floated into a wide-mouthed 

 jar of clear water, which, on being held up to the light, 

 will probably be found to contain minute creatures of 

 brilliant colours darting vigorously about in all directions. 



These are mainly copepoda, and it is a little remark- 

 able that so comparatively small attention should have 

 been given by naturalists to a class which forms by far 

 the largest proportion of the life of our seas and oceans, 

 and which are of the greatest service to mankind, for 

 they are truly the scavengers of our lakes and seas, de- 

 vouring refuse matter that would otherwise lead to 

 pollution, and by turning the seeds of decay and death 

 into vigorous life, again forming rich food for fishes and 

 higher crustaceans, which, in their turn, furnish an 

 illimitable quantity of food for man. 



There are few more interesting or beautiful objects as 

 seen under the microscope, and their variety gives scope 

 for endless examination and careful study. They are 

 very easily preserved in glycerine, or in a mixture ot 

 glycerine, alcohol, and water, and if put into such a 

 solution soon after capture will retain their colours for 

 a very long period, if not indefinitely. As microscopic 

 slides they may without any further preparation be per- 

 manently mounted in glycerine jelly, and viewed with 

 objectives varying from the one inch to the one-eighth 

 inch power. 



Cyclops Puffini, I.C.T. (Plate I.)— This elegant little 

 species was first found near Puffin Island, at the mouth 

 of the Menai Straits, being taken by a tow-net from the 

 steamer Gamecock during the excursion of the British 

 Association from Manchester last year. It is specially 

 interesting to science as being the first species of the 

 genus Cyclops ever found in salt water, thus forming a 

 connecting-link between marine and fresh-water species. 

 It is one-twentieth of an inch long. The anterior antennas 

 (fig. 2) are short, being six-jointed, and clothed with long 

 whip-like setae or hairs. The posterior antennae (fig. 3) 

 are terminated by several spines and plumose setas. The 

 mandible, or masticatory jaw (fig. 4), is divided at the 

 apex into long sharp slender spinose teeth. The maxilla 

 (fig. 5) is furnished with several plumose spines, the 

 termination of the palp having a deeply serrated edge. 

 Two of the swimming feet are represented in figs. 8 and 

 9. The abdomen (fig. 1) is three-jointed in both sexes, 

 being terminated by caudal segments, with long plumose 

 hairs at ends. 



This Copepod was named after the Island, Puffin, 

 around which it has been taken on several occasions 

 during the late summer. A biological station has been 

 recently opened upon this charming island, under the 

 directorship of Professor Herdman, of Liverpool Univer- 

 sity College, and is being largely availed of by students 

 and naturalists. Its situation for biological purposes is 

 all that can be desired. It contains sleeping accommoda- 

 tion for six, and is fitted up with microscopes and all the 



other paraphernalia for biological investigation. The 

 resident curator furnishes weekly returns of the work 

 done, also particulars as to weather and other meteoro- 

 logical observations. 



Lichomolgus Sabellce, I.C.T. (plate ii.) — This striking 

 Copepod was first taken at Beaumaris, North Wales, 

 about a year ago, being found adherent to the tentacles 

 of the sandworm Sabella, hence its name. It is some- 

 what strange that this species should not have been 

 previously recorded, as numbers of specimens of the 

 worm examined were all found to be similarly infected. 

 It is of a greyish-brown colour. Both sexes were found 

 on a single worm, the male being one-tenth of an inch 

 long and the female one-fifteenth of an inch, the latter 

 the most plentiful, and at once distinguished by its long, 

 narrow ovisacs. The body is ovate, and the first segment 

 nearly half the length of the cephalothorax. The 

 rostrum is short and beak-like. The anterior antennae 

 (fig. 2) are alike in both sexes, composed of seven joints, 

 the two basal joints large and strong and about equal in 

 length to the other five; their edges are roundly serrated 

 and curled over, with several setae. The third joint has 

 three long setae on inner margin, and the terminal joint 

 has several long setas at apex. The posterior antenna (fig. 

 3) are also alike in both sexes, and have four joints ; the 

 second joint has four teeth placed longitudinally ; the 

 terminal joint has several hooked claws both at side and 

 at apex, the latter having also several long setas. The 

 mandible is strongly toothed, the terminal portion having 

 three spines. The maxilla has a long process terminated 

 by a blunt spine, and bearing on each side a row of 

 sharp teeth similar to those of the mandible ; the other 

 extremity has five digital spines. 



The anterior footjaw (fig. 4) is two-jointed, the second 

 joint terminated by four short spines. The posterior 

 footjaw is also two-jointed ; that of the male (fig. 6) 

 being terminated by a long falciform claw, similar to 

 that of L. fucicolus, Brady, and that of the female (fig. 

 5) is elongated and terminated by three claw-like spines. 

 The swimming feet of the first four pairs are two- 

 branched (fig. 7), each branch being three-jointed, and 

 bearing several spines and plumose setas. The fifth 

 feet (fig. 8) in both sexes are composed of one short 

 straight joint terminated by two spines. The abdomen 

 is five-jointed in each sex ; the first joint nearly equal 

 in length to the remaining four, and much broader, 

 especially in the male. The caudal segments are 

 parallel, and about three times as long as broad, and 

 are each terminated by four setas, in addition to a small 

 seta about the middle of the outer edge. The species can 

 be easily recognised by its remarkable antennas. Even 

 after being preserved in alcohol, the crustaceans were 

 tenaciously attached by their strong, broad-set antennas 

 to the tentacles of the sabella, some force being required 

 to remove them without injury. It has within the last 

 month been found on the same worm at Puffin Island. 

 (To be continued.) 



Manchester Scientific Students' Association. — At 

 a meeting held on November 20th Mr. Henry Hyde 

 read a paper on " Comparative Respiration in Animals," 

 illustrated with diagrams. 



Edinburgh Geological Society. — At the anniversary 

 meeting, held on November 22 nd, Mr. Ralph Richard- 

 son, vice-president, delivered an address dealing with 

 Darwin's geological work. 



