SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
certain species, the facts previously obtained at Wanstead Park have 
been rather closely matched by the results from the whole district, as 
have also those relating to the seasonal distribution of the species in the 
different orders. Other points dealt with are the comparative abundance 
of the various species, the faunas of some well known forest ponds, and the 
occurrence of the males and “ephippial” females of the Cladocera. In 
connection with the last named subject, Mr. Scourfield thinks that his 
observations show that the influence of environment upon the production 
of the sexually mature individuals may be more direct than is admitted 
by Weismann. Prefaced to the actual results of the work on the local 
fauna, are some remarks on Entomostraca in general, which treat of such 
topics as the number of known species, their distribution, habits, reproduc- 
tion, food, andbconomic importance, the methods of collecting, examining, 
and preserving, &c. The paper concludes with a very full bibliography 
of the literature relating to the British fresh-water Entomostraca. 
A Very Common Water-flea.* — Mr. D. J. Scourfield, taking for his 
text a very common species, Chydorus sphsericus, has written a short 
paper which will probably be found useful as an introduction to the 
study of the Entomostraca, or at any rate to the smaller forms included 
in the family Lynceidae. In addition to the descriptive remarks about 
the ordinary parthenogenetic female, special attention has also been 
given to the much rarer “ ephippial ” female and the male, and to the 
times and causes of their appearance. 
Gigantic Fresh-water Gstracod.f — Herr G-. 0. Sars institutes a new 
genus, Megalocypris, between Herpetocypris and Stenocypris, for two new 
species (M. princeps and M. hodgsoni) from near Cape Town. In Herpe- 
tocypris and Stenocypris the females only are known, but the two sexes of 
Megalocypris seem to be almost equally numerous. The male of M. prin- 
ceps w as G-5-7 mm. in length, the female 7*3 mm., while the largest 
European fresh-water Ostracods are scarcely half as long. 
Burrowing Habit in Crustaceans.:}: — M. Georges Bohn points out 
that the Homaridse and Thalassinidse exhibit a series of forms more or 
less adapted to burrowing, as is especially illustrated by the thoracic 
appendages. Beginning with Homarus , he shows the increasing adapta- 
tion in Nephrops, Gebia, and Callianassa ; and notes that, apart from the 
adaptations in the thoracic appendages, there are other effects associated 
with the mode of life. Size decreases ; there is less chitinisation and 
pigmentation ; the branchiostegite is shorter ; the gills are less deve- 
loped ; the exopodites of the maxillipedes become less functional. Tho 
Thalassinidse may be considered as Homaridse in which the burrowing 
habit has been followed by a relative arrest of development. 
Stomatopod (?) Metanauplius Larva.§. — Mr J. J. Lister describes a 
larval Crustacean (caught in a tow-net off the south coast of Tasmania), 
which presents some interesting features. It is in the metanauplius 
stage, and yet has well developed compound eyes. The articulated con- 
dition of the divisions of the caudal fork is also peculiar among the 
higher Crustacea ; for the character of the eyes shows that the larva is 
* Illustrated Annual of Microscopy, 1898, pp. 62-7 (1 pi.). 
t Arch. Math. Naturvid., xx. (1898) 17 pp. (1 pi.). See Zool. Centralbl. v. 
(1898) p. 803. % Comptes Rendus, cxxvii. (1898) pp. 781-3. 
§ Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., xli. (1898) pp. 433-7 (2 figs.). 
