622 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Dec. 21, I? 



Its length is about T ' ff inch. The body is oval, and 

 rounded in front. The posterior segments are terminated 

 by two lateral spines. The anterior antennae are 23- 

 jointed, bearing several spinous processes on the inner 

 margin, and short setae at the termination of each joint. 

 The 8th, 9th, 10th, and nth joints (fig. 1) are deeply 

 pigmented with a blackish-brown colour, the same pig- 

 ment tinging the setae of the posterior antennie and the 

 terminal spines of the swimming feet. The posterior 

 antennae (fig. 2) are similar to those of C. truncata, but 

 with fewer terminal seta;. The anterior foot-jaws 

 (fig. 3) are 2-jointed, large, and powerful, with two 

 small claw-like spines on the basal joint, and five large 

 ones on the second joint. The posterior foot-jaws are small 

 and 7-jointed. The first four pairs of swimming feet 

 (fig. 4) are alike ; the inner branch has one joint only ; 

 the outer edge of main branch is finely serrated. The 

 pigment does not extend above the terminal spine, 

 which is somewhat bent and finely serrated, and clothed 

 with dark hairs on the dorsal side. The fifth feet of the 

 male (fig. 5) are each 3-jointed, the right foot having ex- 

 tension on the inner side of the middle joint, both being 

 terminated by two small claws. The abdomen of the 

 male (fig. 6) is 3-jointed, the third being nearly equal in 

 size to the other two ; the caudal segments are about 

 twice as long as broad, and are terminated by short, 

 strong setae. 



Several specimens of this strongly marked form were 

 taken at Orotava, Teneriffe, all of which appear to be 

 males. 



Candacc brcvicornis, I.C.T., plate iv. A much more 

 diminutive form than the last, and characterised by its 

 antennae being 18-jointed instead of 23 or 24, as is the 

 case with most of the genus. 



Machairopus Sancttz-crucis, I.C.T., plate v. One 

 specimen only was taken by tow-net at Santa Cruz, 

 Teneriffe. Length, rV inch. The rounded head (fig. 1) 

 is of a deep pink colour. The anterior antennae (fig. 2) 

 are 12-jointed. The posterior antennae (fig. 3) have long, 

 whip-like setae, extending to the length of the anterior 

 antennae. The swimming feet (fig. 4) have three joints 

 to the outer branch, and two joints to the inner. The 

 terminal spine is narrow and finely serrated. The basal 

 joints of the swimming feet have long spine on the inner 

 margin. The fifth feet (fig. 5) have one joint, terminated 

 by a long, stout, curved spine, with a small one at each 

 side. The first joint of abdomen is small, the second long, 

 and wide in the middle. The caudal segments are about 

 four times as long as broad, and are terminated by short, 

 non-plumose setae. 



Acontiophorus angnlatus, I.C.T., plate v. One speci- 

 men only of this new species was taken at Funchal Bay, 

 Madeira. The angular shape of the posterior segments 

 of the cephalothorax readily distinguish it from A. 

 scutatus, which it resembles in general characters. 



Length, —■ inch. The anterior antennae are n-jointed 

 short, and gradually tapering from base to apex ; the pos- 

 terior antenna; (fig. 9) are 2-branched, the first being 3- 

 jointed and terminated by two long, lancet-shaped 

 spines; the second has one joint, and is terminated by a 

 long, sword-shaped spine. First and second foot-jaws 

 (figs. 10 and n) each have a long apical claw ; the first 

 is composed of two, the second of four joints. 



First four pairs of swimming feet nearly alike, both 

 branches being 3-jointed (plate vi., fig. 5) ; the base and 

 second joint of the chief branch have very fine serration 



on inner edge, formed by minute hairs. Fifth feet 

 (plate vi., fig. 6) are composed of two stout joints, the 

 outer bearing a number of long setae, some of them 

 plumose ; the outer edge of both joints has fine hairy 

 serration. 



Siphon very long and slender, reaching to the ends of 

 caudal segments. 



(To be continued.) 



MEMORANDA. 



(")F all mechanical modes of assisting study, perhaps 

 none are so important as wise methods of making and 

 preserving notes. The commonplace book of the old 

 scholars is the most obvious receptacle for scraps ot 

 knowledge, but not at all the best. The habit of 

 transcribing passages without the alteration of a word 

 gives dryness to the style, and in the long run to the 

 mind. Examples could be quoted to show that pleasure 

 comes at last to be taken in the mere occupation of 

 copying, however unimportant the remarks may be. 

 Southey's "Commonplace Book," copies of which used 

 to load the shelves of secondhand booksellers, shows 

 what may become of a student who gives way to the 

 passion of accumulating curiosities. We must never 

 forget that the end in view is not the production of a 

 neat book of extracts, nor any kind of learned trifling, 

 but the concentration into manageable form of the 

 products of genuine thought, and that thought in some 

 sense our own. Let us not suffer the love of pigeon- 

 holing to overpower, as it easily may, the love of 

 research. What is wanted is a rapid and flexible 

 system, which can alter with altering needs, and greater 

 experience, and by means of which we can bring into 

 one view the results of years of reading and observation. 

 Perhaps no better methods can be recommended to the 

 young student than those practised with such memorable 

 results by Charles Darwin. The first and simplest 

 resource is to fasten a sheet or two of paper into any 

 book which contains materials likely to be wanted here- 

 after, and write down the headings with references to 

 the pages. Of works which are to be got up throughout 

 abstracts must be made. Let the abstract be brief and 

 carefully arranged to avoid repetition as well as to 

 promote quick examination. Nothing beyond a single 

 sentence should as a rule be given in the words of the 

 book, and even so much is rarely necessary. The 

 inexperienced student must be ever on his guard to see 

 that the work of the pen is not allowed to stand for the 

 close application of his mind to the subject. As materials 

 accumulate, they want classification and storage. A 

 range of shelves or drawers is wanted. We have found 

 nothing better than Stone's cabinet for law-forms, which 

 costs ^3 12s., and will hold enough for a life-time of 

 abstracting. As need arises, special indexes can be 

 made, or the materials resorted. It is an indirect advan- 

 tage, not to be lightly esteemed, that the student soon 

 becomes used to note the heads of whatever he is 

 interested in, and is led to adopt that useful maxim of 

 Lagrange — " Always read pen in hand." 



The Lily of the Valley Poisonous. — According to 

 the Revue Horticole, the lily of the valley ( ConvaUaria 

 maialis) is a powerful poison for poultry. Of ten young 

 hens which had been eating the flowers of this plant, 

 nine died shortly after. 



