NOTES AND QUERIES. 235 



together heaps of the crustaceans, and took them in barrow-loads to 

 put on his garden for manure. I have seen small visitations at 

 irregular intervals for several years past ; in 1892 there were a good 

 many, and again in 1907, but never before have they occurred in such 

 swarms as on the present occasion. To-day, which is a week since 

 they first appeared, I could point out greyish patches on the sands 

 where accumulations had been formed, the remains now being merely 

 the skins or cases. These visitations invariably occur in spring, with 

 north or north-east winds, but last week the wind had been westerly 

 for several days before the 23rd. I think the theory regarding these 

 occurrences is that the ocean currents setting in from the Arctic seas 

 southward in spring carry these little creatures to our waters, and so 

 they are drifted in and come under observation if suitable conditions 

 prevail. I understand that E. com/pressa is considered to be rather 

 uncommon ; it has been reported from the Norwegian coast, and 

 from further northward, so that the present visitation is unusually 

 interesting. — Thos. H. Nelson (Seafield, Eedcar). 



P.S. — Since writing the above I had some conversation with a 

 friend, who tells me he was bathing, on May 23rd, at the east side of 

 Eedcar, and the sea was swarming with E. compressa. He said he 

 could scoop up hundreds in his doubled hands, and his bathing 

 costume was covered with them when he came ashore. Bathing was 

 rendered quite unpleasant owing to the millions of these little 

 creatures. I am reminded that in 1892 Canon Norman named some 

 crustaceans for me, amongst them E. compressa, the first specimens 

 known in British waters (see 'Naturalist,' 1892, pp. 144 and 175-6 ; 

 also ' Birds of Yorkshire,' vol. ii. p. 692). — Thos. H. Nelson. 



[Dr. W. T. Caiman, who has seen some of these specimens, also 

 refers to Norman (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), v. p. 132 (1900), and 

 Petch and Norman, ' Naturalist,' 1904, pp. 158-159. — Ed.] 



ANNELIDA. 



Dutrochet's Land Leech in Surrey. — Since the previous record of 

 this species in Surrey (Zool. 1911, p. 155), there is now evidence that 

 Trocheta subviridis is far from uncommon in this county. In April 

 last my gardener brought me three examples which he had found 

 in the clay subsoil near my garden. I forwarded them on to Mr. 

 W. A. Harding, who identified them as the above species. — W. L. 

 Distant. 



