46 NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
New Species of Dasydytes in Epping Forest.—In "Science Gossip,"
for July, 1891, Mr. Percy G. Thompson, of Bow, E., has an interesting paper on
a new species of Dasydytes (belonging to the Order Gastrotricha) from the forest
district. He met with it in November, 1890, in a pond near Leytonstone, and
could not identify it with any of the species described in Dr. Carl Zelinka's ex-
haustive monograph of the group ("Die Gastrotrichen," in Zeitschr. f. wiss.
Zool., xlix., plate 2). Mr. Thompson proposes to name the new species Dasydytes
bisetosum. He gives a full description, with figures, with many details of its
habits. The same pond at Leytonstone furnished him with specimens of Dasydytes
fusiformis, Spencer, and Lepiaoderma rhomboides, Stokes (the latter only known 
before from Trenton, New Jersey). At Chingford he met with D. goniathrix,
Gosse, and D. fusiformis. Mr. Thompson is convinced that many of the species
recorded by Stokes in America ("Journal de Micrographie"),and by Zelinka, would
be found in England if microscopists would but search systematically for them,
and place on record observations on such forms as they may chance to meet with.
Males of Cladocera (Entomostraca) in Epping Forest.—During the
months of September, October, and November last, the comparatively rare males
of the Entomostracan order Cladocera seemed to be fairly abundant in the south
Epping Forest district. Males of fourteen species in all were seen by me during
the period mentioned, belonging to the different genera as follows :—Ceriodaphnia
(4), Scapholeberis (1), Simocephalus (1), Daphnia (4), Bosmina (1), Acropems (1),
Camptocerens (1), Pteuroxus (1). I do not know whether to consider this as an
exceptionally good list for one season or not; but it is certainly far better than my
records for the two preceding years, and it would be interesting if collectors of
pond-life in other localities would give their experience in this matter.—D. J.
Scourfield, in "Science Gossip," January, 1892.
Microscopic Fossils from the Colchester Chalk.—In the year 1853,
the ever-memorable John Brown, of Stanway, then in his seventy-third year,
published an interesting notice of the foraminifera;, &c, found in the chalk of the
artesian well then recently made at Colchester. The depth was then 294 feet,
and John Brown's notes, which were printed in the "Annals and Magazine of
Natural History," October, 1853, gave a description and illustration of the micro-
scopic fossils in the chalk brought up by the borer. It has recently been found
necessary to make a further boring in the chalk at the bottom of the well to a
depth of 400 feet from the surface, and I have examined the chalk from the borer at
this depth. The specimens obtained are for the most part similar to those
described by Brown in 1853—Cristellaria, Globigerina, Truncatulina, and the usual
forms met with in chalk. In sketching some of these with the camera lucida, [
had drawn a form exactly similar to one depicted by John Brown, and alleged by
him to be a Nodosaria, when, to my surprise, the object lolled over in the still
liquid balsam, and revealed itself as a Gaudryina, which had been lying edgeways.
Is it possible that species sometimes acquire a name and a local habitation in
text-books through a similar accident?—Charles E. Benham, Colchester.
January 27th, 1892.
"Melampyrum Arvense in Essex."—In your last issue (E.N., v., p. 203)
reference is made to the finding of Melampyrum arvense at Faulkbourne. In view
of the rarity of the plant it may be worth while adding two localities from which
I have recorded the species, viz., Wickham Bishops and Hatfield Peverly, both in