SCOTTISH TARDIGRADA, COLLECTED BY THE LAKE SURVEY. 653 



E. spitsbergensis, Scourfield (21). 



The Scottish animal supposed to belong to this species never grows so large as I 

 have found it in Spitzbergen moss. A variety found in Loch Earn and elsewhere 

 differs in having both dorsal processes long spines. It approaches a variety from Franz 

 Josef Land. 



E. quadrispinosus, Bjchters (15). 



The type of this species has not been found in Scotland, but several closely related 

 animals occur, which I think it best, in our present ignorance as to the amount of 

 variability in the genus, to unite with E. quadrispinosus as varieties. The type has 

 5 long lateral setse, a, b, c, d, and e ; 4 dorsal spines, on the paired plates ; the surface 

 markings, which look like perforations, are interrupted by a plain band connecting the 

 two slits of the lumbar plate, and also by median bands on the shoulder and lumbar 

 plates, and some transverse bands on the shoulder plate. In addition to the 10 normal 

 plates, it has 3 additional small plates on each side — 2 between II and III, and I 

 between III and IV. 



Var. cribrosus, var. nov. (Plate I. fig. la to lc.) 



Exactly resembling the type in all other respects, but the three additional small 

 plates on each side were not seen. Only the 10 normal plates (3 median). There are 

 small barbs on all inner claws. Three eggs seen. Among tree moss, Broughton, Peebles- 

 shire, July 1906. A modification of this variety, having all the lateral processes 

 shorter and the second dorsal spine a short triangle, was found in Loch Morar, 

 1903. 



Var. Jissispinosus var. nov. Exactly like the form of var. cribrosus found in Loch 

 Morar, but the lateral spine d is double. Also in Loch Morar, July 1906 (Plate I. fig. 2) : 

 var. Jissispinosus, forma, — lateral process b lacking, c large, strong, and curved, d 

 furcate from the base or some distance above the base ; all dorsal processes lacking. 

 This would be counted a good species but for the existence of the variety jissispinosus, 

 intermediate between the form and type. In tree moss, Broughton, with the variety 

 cribrosus (fig. 3) : var. cribrosus, forma — like the form (fig. 3) : but spine c is smaller 

 and spine d is not forked. There are no dorsal processes. Top of Eonas Hill, Shetland, 

 September 1906. 



The differences between E. quadrispinosus, type, and the form with furcate d and 

 the Shetland form, seem sufficiently great. Yet all have the same surface texture, 

 interrupted by the same plain bands, and with the var. cribrosus we have such 

 a connected series of gradations that it would seem to me impossible to separate 

 any of the varieties as distinct species. The paired lateral processes are a principal 

 specific character of E. aculeatus, Plate, but in that species it is c, not d. which 

 is double. 



Length up to 280m- 



