( 451 ) 



NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF THE COUNTEY OF 

 THE CHESS AND GADE. 



By T. E. Lones, M.A., LL.D., B.Sc. 



(Continued from p. 346.) 



The Rotiferan fauna of most parts of the canal, in the 

 country of the Chess and Gade, is comparatively very poor. 

 On many occasions samples of water, representing the results 

 of dredgings over long lengths of the canal, have yielded very 

 little. One reason for this is that the boat traffic being 

 considerable, and a large number of the boats being drawn 

 by screw steamers, the waters of the canal are often thoroughly 

 stirred up and rendered very muddy. In such waters but few 

 species of Rotifers would be likely to thrive. Still, several 

 species obtained from the canal have been more than usually 

 interesting. The finest specimen of Rotifer vulgaris, as already 

 stated, was from a section of the canal between Watford and 

 King's Langley ; the best specimen, to be described later, of 

 Philodina citrina, was from the canal at Boxmoor, and a few 

 species of Rotifers, so far not obtained elsewhere in the country 

 of the Chess and Gade, or only very sparingly, have been taken 

 from the section of the canal between Berkhamsted and Tring 

 Station. Not only is this true of the Rotifers, but, as far as my 

 notes show, a corresponding statement is true also of some other 

 forms of life, e. g. Entomostracans. This question of the peculiar 

 fades of the fauna of the northern section of the canal will be 

 dealt with again when the Entomostracans of the country of the 

 Chess and Gade are considered. 



On October 15th, 1913, a sample of water obtained by 

 dredging to the south of Tring Station appeared to contain 

 nothing but Anurcea cochlearis, Chydorus sphcericus, and a few 

 immature specimens of Cyclops. In order to facilitate examina- 

 tion of the various specimens some narcotizing fluid was added 



