— — — — — ~ fO< ;l >T^ OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 35^ (5V^/T£> i ••w i LIBERT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CH.FORNU UBRARY.OF THE UNIVERSITY OF C, OF THE UNIVERS.TY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA <5\\~yfD LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA <5v_/re> '}* •-* OF THE UNIVERSITY OF (5\N i IY OF THF II N I K f n « i T v n t = "• LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIWN4A LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 9 3 io SITY OF CALIFORNIA f& 9 != \ ~a s Qj^^Q LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA :x-^ -(> a- 4 JAMES MURRAY from the clear transparent ice, through which on our first arrival we could see the vegetation grosving on the bottom at a depth of several feet. The largest of all was Blue Lake, which most nearly deserved the name of " lake." It was nearly half a mile in length, and filled about half of the valley separating the promontory of Cape Royds from Mount Erebus. The lake was divided into two portions by a very narrow strait, known as the "Narrows," in which the depth was only about three feet. The northern half was deeper, and was found to have a few feet of water under twenty-one feet of ice. The southern half was frozen to the bottom. The accompanying sketch-map (Fig. 1) shows the positions of some of the principal geographical features in the immediate vicinity of the camp. The principal lakes are marked, and the highest point of land on the promontory, known as " High Peak." The lower hills are not indicated. Beyond the valley occupied by Blue Lake rise the lower slopes of Mount Erebus. This is a region of rocky ridges and moraines like those of Cape Royds promontory, extending for several miles up the mountain, on the sides of which the moraines have been traced to a height of 1100 feet. Many small lakes occur up to a height of at least 500 feet. Northward and southward, at the distance of a few miles, the rock and moraine give place to crevassed glacier. Beyond the limits of the small area thus briefly described, snowfield and glacier stretch for many miles, offering no support for any living thing, unless it be some of those lowliest organisms which can exist on the surface of the snow itself. At Cape Barne, two miles south of Cape Royds, there is a district of hill and valley similar to those of Cape Royds, but the hills are higher and the valleys deeper. In this region there are many interesting lakes. In one place there are two concentric curved gullies, both ends of which open to the shore. These are occupied by lakes, one of which, in the gully nearest the shore, is considerably below sea- level. The bay immediately east of the hut was our customary dredging ground. All the dredging was done within a mile of the Cape, in shallow water, nowhere more than 100 fathoms in depth. Farther out the Sound deepened to 300 fathoms or more, but that region remained for ever inaccessible. Collecting on Land. — It is difficult to imagine a more unpromising field for biological study than Cape Royds appears on a first examination. Nothing is to be seen but a succession of ridges of black lava (shattered into loose blocks by the . intense cold), moraines and snowdrifts, all apparently equally barren. Near the shore the monotony is relieved by the busy Penguin Rookery, the Skua Gulls, the Weddell Seals, and an occasional Giant or Snowy Petrel. All these animals are only summer visitors, except the Weddell Seal, which comes ashore at all seasons. Apart from these there is no conspicuous life, animal or vegetable, in the whole area. Indeed, leaving the lakes out of account, the collecting which could be done on land was of the most meagre description. ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS 5 On the triangular promontory no moss or lichen wai ever found. Higher up among the moraines on the slopes of Erebus dwarfed tufts of moss were fairly abundant, but so feeble is their growth that M. Cardot,* who examined them, describes them as "sickly plants, struggling painfully against exceptionally hard conditions." Lichens were more abundant, though scarcely more vigorous in their growth, and there were more kinds of them. The commonest was a pretty orange- coloured kind, closely encrusting the rocks, and crowded with apothecia. The Tripe de Roche, familiar in books of Arctic travel for its role in prolonging the lives of starving explorers, occurred in two forms. Its little scales, some half-inch in diameter, and attached by a single point on the under surface, were scarcely so abundant as to fulfil the same life-saving role in the Antarctic. The largest-growing lichen was a tufted kind, growing to an inch or more in height, and resembling Usnea in possess- ing a fragile cortex, which breaks on pulling the stalks and exposes a tougher elastic medullary portion. The Tripe de Roche and the tufted lichen could be picked off the rocks, but most of the other kinds could only be collected by selecting conveniently small stones on which they were growing. When the snow completely melted from some of the moraines in the height of summer, patches of the tufted species were found a yard or more in diameter. In the valley bottoms, where water had run or at least percolated in summer, there was a faint scum of green, which consisted generally of dried -up green algae. On some parts of the moraines, where there was some depth of soft soil, considerable masses occurred of a plant which seems to be identical with that which abounds in the lakes, and which will be more fully studied when dealing with them. It is of a whitish, yellowish, or pink colour, and is in sheets like thin paper, superposed to form masses of considerable thickness. In some eskers on Blue Lake it was traced to a depth of several feet, and on some flat moraines it was discovered occupying pockets underground. In all cases when found on land the plant was friable and had a bleached appearance. From this fact it is doubtful if it ever grew in the kind of situation it now occupies. It may have been preserved from a time when these were parts of lake bottoms. Collecting in the Lakes. — Soon after landing at Cape Royds, on walking across the lake afterwards called Green Lake, some thin films of vegetation of a dull green colour were seen projecting above the surface of the ice. Shortly afterwards Wild found pieces of a similar plant, but of pink or brown colour, exposed on the surface of Clear Lake. At the margin of Clear Lake, where the ice was transparent, the same plant was seen at a depth of about a foot, of much brighter colour than that exposed at the surface. Pieces of this were cut out with an ice-pick, and taken home and melted, when several microscopic animals were found. This was the introduction to the most prolific source of fresh-water life in the district. The plant was found embedded in the ice of nearly all the lakes, and when * " Musci," by J. Cardot, in Part IV. of this volume. 6 JAMES MURRAY the smaller ones melted in summer it was seen that it formed continuous sheets over the whole bed of some of them. Everywhere microscopic life swarmed on this weed. The method of collecting during the winter was very simple. A few pieces of ice containing plants were chipped out and taken to. the house to thaw. When quite melted the weed was put into a coarse silk net, which was again put inside a very fine silk net, and the whole immersed in a bucket of water. When the nets were violently shaken in the water the microscopic organisms, animal and vegetable, were washed off the weed, and strained through the coarse net into the fine one, from which they could be easily transferred to a bottle. Thus were obtained multitudes of living things for study. In summer the collecting was still simpler. The weed could be washed in the lake water without the need for preliminary thawing. In this way we collected continually from the shallow lakes. There were some deeper lakes, which, as it proved, did not melt in summer. In Clear Lake a hole was dug through the ice. We came on water at a depth of about four feet. Here we dredged on the lake bottom, at a depth of seventeen feet. There was a quantity of vegetation brought up, but it was discoloured and dead, and there was no living thing upon it. Late in the winter, Priestley sunk a shaft in the southern portion of Blue Lake, for the purpose chiefly of observing the temperatures of the ice. At a depth of nine feet some scraps of weed were got, and when thawed a number of living animals were found on it. At a depth of fifteen feet we came on the bottom of the lake, which was here composed of angular fragments. These were covered by a continuous film of yellow weed, and on this also there were numerous living things. In autumn an attempt was made to use the tow-net in some of the lakes. The lakes being at this time covered by a thick sheet of ice, the net could not be drawn through the water. A hole was dug and some gallons of water taken up with a bucket and poured through the net. At this time the temperatr"0 of the air was about Zero Fahrenheit, and the net was soon filled with ice. When thawed out there was no living thing found in it. In summer, when the lakes were melted, and the air temperature was about freezing-point, the tow-net could be easily used, and good collections were got. The vegetation of these lakes is so important a feature in the biology of the district that it merits some attention. Portions of it have been submitted to expert botanists, but no report has yet been received, so it cannot be stated to what group of the vegetable kingdom it belongs. Its appearance and method of growth will be described. In Green Lake and many other lakes it is in the form of sheets, from a few inches to many yards in extent, sometimes continuously covering the bed of a pond from side to side. It varies in thickness, from one-eighth to half an inch or more, and is of a consistency like sodden paper, so that it was not possible to lift up sheets of any considerable size without breaking them. The upper surface is of a bright orange ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS FIG. 2. DIAGRAMMATIC SECTION OF BLUE LAKE The part shaded with short vertical lines is the uppermost " prismatic " layer of ice. The convex upper surface of the lake is indicated, and the irregular thickness of the prismatic layer. The area marked by little arrows is the clear transparent ice which fills the whole lake to the bottom. The bed of the lake is of angular fragments, and the dark line over them is meant to represent the film of vegetation which covers the bottom. At the bottom of the shaft is seen the geologist chipping out some gravel and vegetation. 8 JAMES MURRAY colour, and is coarsely and irregularly wrinkled. It is composed of few or many layers, like superposed sheets of paper. The lower surface of the sheet is of a dirty green colour, and is composed of a tangled mass of many different algse, green and blue-green. The whole mass was slimy to the touch. The mode of growth differs in different lakes. The broad sheets above described are the commonest form. In Clear Lake it does not form flat sheets, but is coarsely lobed and undulate, and can be seen through the clear ice growing up from the bottom. In Coast Lake the lobed character is carried further, and little dendroid masses of fine lobes can be seen embedded in the ice near the surface. When one of these is cut out and thawed the plant loses its dendroid character and falls down to form flat sheets. When the ablation of the ice of Coast Lake goes so far as to expose part of the lake bed, it is seen to be covered with a deposit of small flakes of the plant, in colour and appearance not unlike used tea-leaves. In a lake near Cape Barne the ablation of the ice exposed small masses of the weed in which the successive superposed layers made up a thickness of six inches. The layers were very thin and the colour a fine pink. Large fragments dredged from the bottom of Clear Lake and dried on blotting- paper had a glossy surface and ash-grey colour like some of the lichens of the genus Peltigera. In most other samples the surface was dull when dried. Under the microscope the brown weed is seen to be composed of a felt of very fine fibres, crossing one another irregularly in all directions. Usually no definite structure can be detected in the fibres, but Mr. Scourfield noticed some in which an obscure division into cells could be seen. In some ponds we found another weed of very similar colour and appearance, but in very small quantity. This was definitely composed of moniliform rows of cells of some blue-green alga, very probably of the large olive-green laminae which we got in some streams and ponds in summer. The similarity of the two suggests that the commoner brown weed has in like manner originated in the blue-green filamentous algaa generally associated with it. Plausible though the suggestion is, it requires expert investigation before we can decide upon it. The filaments (Oscillatoria ?) seem inadequate to the production of such masses, being to a large extent in the form of longer or shorter rods (as shown in Plate IV. Fig. 15). The method of trenching a lake in order to get at the sheet of vegetation at the bottom is illustrated in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 2). The shallow lakes were very easily trenched, a few hours' work sufficing to reach the bottom. The trenching of the deeper lakes, Clear Lake and Blue Lake, was a more laborious undertaking. The trench is marked out by a draft cut with the ice- pick, enclosing an area of about six feet long by three feet wide. The whole surface is then picked over to a depth of a few inches, and the chips are shovelled out. A very little chipping seems to make a great depth of chips, and frequent clearing out is necessary, or it becomes impossible to get at the solid ice on account of the loose ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS 9 stuff. Thus alternately picking and shovelling, a few inches at a time, the trench gradually deepens to five or six feet. Up to this time everything is easy. The debris is easily shovelled out with force enough to carry it well clear of the hole. With every increase in depth this becomes more difficult, till at last the chips come shower- ino- back on the worker below. It then becomes necessary to have another man to pull up the chips in a bucket, or if one man attempts to do everything, he must inter- rupt his work below every little while, climb out of the hole and pull up a load of chips. Beyond a depth of five feet it is necessary to construct a stairway. It was usual to have a few broad steps near the top, and lower down to cut niches for the feet alternately at one side and the other. Blizzards are apt to interfere with the work, filling the trenches with snow. After some experience we learnt wisdom, and covered the trenches with sacking, which was secured with ice-picks whenever we had to go away for a time. The most laborious part of the picking was the squaring of the corners. Some of the latest shafts were made round, and of just the diameter at which a human arm can con- veniently wield an ice-pick. In these the minimum of material had to be removed. At depths of fifteen feet and more progress becomes very slow. It is necessary to have a ladder to get down. If there are two men the ladder can be drawn up out of the way after one man has gone down. If there is only one the ladder is very much in the way. The man below is in some danger when the bucket is being hauled up, as the breaking of the line would let it fall upon him. Collecting in the Sea. — Mr. Hodgson has given an account * of his collecting at Hut Point, and he mentions some of the difficulties which attend the collector in polar regions. Though our location at Cape B/oyds was only twenty miles north of the Discovery winter quarters the local conditions differ very considerably. The temperature appears to be usually ten degrees or more (Fahrenheit) higher than at Hut Point. Being close to the spot where McMurdo Sound opens into the Ross Sea we had open water close by throughout the year. In fact, even in winter the edge of the permanent ice was never more than a mile from our camp. Beyond the fast ice the Sound frequently filled with pack-ice stretching as far as eye could see. Sometimes, in a period of calm, the pack was cemented into a solid field by new ice, but this was broken up by every storm, and it was therefore always unsafe to go out on it. The marginal zone of even the permanent winter ice was liable to be broken off in a severe storm. From this cause marine dredging was confined within a very small area. We could work steadily during winter only in a little bay between Cape Royds and Cape Barne, where the ice formed early and stayed late. Here, as early as the beginning of May, the ice was strong enough to allow us to cut holes and put down traps. The traps were baited, and brought up Amphipods and Molluscs. Some pieces of a den- droid sponge were entangled in the net and from these we got a number of minute * " On Collecting in Antarctic Seas." By T. V. Hodgson. " National Antarjt. Exped. 1901-4," vol. iii. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. B 10 JAMES MURRAY molluscs and other animals. A storm early in May broke up the ice and our dredging apparatus went out with it. On May 11 ice again formed in the Bay, and proved to be permanent, remaining fast till February of the following year. As soon as the ice was strong enough dredging was begun. The first dredging-line was put down while the Bay was open, from the edge of a small area of fast ice which remained near the head of the Bay. Afterwards we had to take advantage of tide-cracks in order to get lines put down. It rarely happened that we found the cracks open and could get the line down with- out labour. Usually they were filled with new ice to a depth of 6 inches or a foot, and it was by hard labour with ice-pick and crowbar that we got a sufficient length open to serve for dredging. Foot by foot as the crack was cleared the rope was forced through, for with the low temperatures new ice quickly forms in the part we have opened. When the rope was through for a sufficient length it was secured at the two ends to bamboo poles, enough slack being paid out to allow the ends to hang nearly vertically, thus avoiding the danger of the rope being frozen in. It was then necessary to dig holes in the ice at the two ends of the rope, through which the dredge could be lowered and drawn up. The holes were from fifty to one hundred yards apart, but the effective dredging distance was less than that on the ice, as the dredge would always leave the bottom some considerable time before arriving directly under the opening in the ice. Each time that we wished to dredge the holes had to be reopened with pick and crowbar. They would be frozen over with ice from a few inches to a foot or more in thickness, according to the temperature and the length of time they had been left undisturbed. In cold weather it was not well to leave them for more than a day, and Priestley sometimes opened them, although there was no intention of dredging, in order to lessen the labour next time. The Weddell seals were of assistance in keeping the holes open. They found them useful as breathing-holes and visited them frequently, some- times arriving in an apparently exhausted condition, to judge from their laboured breathing. In order to avoid dredging too frequently over the same ground it was necessary to cut trenches in the ice alongside the ends of the rope and at right angles to the line joining the two ends. In these trenches the rope could be shifted a yard or so at each time of dredging and so the dredge covered entirely fresh ground. Sometimes the rope was left too long and got frozen in too solidly to be cut out in the usual way. A new hole was then cut close by the old one, and the line was fished up by means of a hook on the end of a long bamboo pole. The arrangement of the apparatus and method of using it are illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the Bay where we dredged is shown in section. The dredge was fixed to the middle of the line so that it could be used in either direction. It was found that it often caught nothing when travelling downhill, so it was. usual to haul it downhill and then back again uphill before bringing it to the surface ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS 11 FIG. 3. DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING METHOD OF DREDGING The ice (which is supposed to be five or six feet in thickness) and the bed of the sea are shown in section. The vertical lines mark the sea-ice, and their cessation indicates the positions of the two holes kept open for the purpose of dredging. One man is shown hauling the dredge, and another is paying out the spare line to lessen the strain which tends to lift the dredge off the ground. A few feet in front of the dredge a weight is seen, which series to keep the dredge down, and at the same time by the length of its attaching cord maintains it in the right position. The weight was sometimes a lump of kenyte tied in a cloth, but generally some discarded parts of a motor-car were used. 12 JAMES MURRAY When the dredge reached the surface both men went to the opening, the one who had been hauling keeping the line taut to prevent it sinking again. The contents of the dredge, consisting of a thick black mud in which only the larger objects such as sponges, shells, blocks of kenyte, and sea-anemones could be distinguished, were emptied into a bucket. This was made from a 4-gallon kerosene tin provided with two wire handles. The bucket was filled nearly to the top with sea-water in the hope of enabling the animals to remain alive for some time. At first it was conveyed home, a distance of about a quarter of a mile, by slinging it on a bamboo pole carried on the shoulders of two men. This caused too much splashing, and thej bucket was thenceforward carried by the handles. Generally all the water in the bucket was frozen into a kind of soft sludge before we reached home. It was placed behind the stove to thaw, but so cold was it on the floor of the hut that it often took a day, or even two days, before it^was ready for examination. Any large objects visible on the top of the mud were first taken out. To get out the smaller organisms the thick coherent mud was taken by a handful at a time and put in a small silk net having a mesh of about one-sixteenth of an inch. This was shaken in clean sea-water till the fine mud was all washed away. What remained in the net was emptied into plates and picked over. The larger pieces -of kenyte and shells, sea-urchins, &c., were first separated. Then came the task (very trying in the dim gas-light, which alone penetrated to the biological lab., or the equally dim light of a hurricane lamp) of picking out the smaller things, minute Crustacea, shells, &c., requiring the use of a lens to detect them. All these various objects were sorted according to their size and kinds, and stored in bottles. When we had enough jars filled to occupy one of the compartment boxes provided for the purpose, they had to be removed, as there wasn't room in the hut for them. The first was put under the floor of the hut, as likely to be warmer than the outside air, and to escape filling with snow during blizzards. The air-lock under the house was so very difficult of access that the boxes were afterwards put outside, to take their chance of cold and snow. A few jars were broken by the cold, but there was no help for it. The formalin which was used for certain kinds of animals suffered a change from the low temperature, becoming milky, and did not again regain its clearness. When not in use the dredge was left at the bottom of the sea. This kept the rope soft, , and the dredge was ready for use whenever the holes were opened. The one-inch lines used lasted throughout the season. This may be partly attributable to leaving them in the sea and never allowing them to freeze solid. The part never immersed was air-dried and flexible. The Bay, which was the only place where dredging was possible during almost the entire season, was very shallow, the depth varying from seven to eighteen fathoms. The sea bottom was everywhere covered with a deep layer of very fine ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS 18 black mud, in which there were many pebbles of kenyte. While this mud was favourable to certain forms of life it was unfavourable to others, and thus though life was abundant it was restricted to a comparatively small number of species. Shells of the large mud-lo ving Mollusc (Anatind) were very plentiful (thoughwe rarely found the living animal), as well as ofPecten Colbecki. The large predaceous Gastropod (Neobucdnum) crowded to any bait put down. Dendroid sponges and a large kind of yellow Sea-anemone adhered to the shells of Anatina or to the pebbles of kenyte, and rarely large turnip-like Tunicates came up. Ugly little fishes with enormous heads (Notothenia) were grubbing closely among the other organisms. In the mud were numerous worms of many kinds, echini, and multitudes of minute Crustacea, &c. This shallow muddy dredging-ground was used constantly throughout the winter, and at intervals afterwards till February 1909. It was not till the beginning of July that there was an opportunity to dredge over fresh ground. At this time a crack opened which stretched from the cliff of Cape Royds away towards Cape Barne. This crack appeared to be caused by the contraction of the main icefield in McMurdo Sound. At any rate it only opened in cold spells and closed in warmer weather. When the cracks were open the dredge could be put down and dragged a long way without any need to cut through the ice. Near the Cape this new ground was quite as shallow as the Bay but it was quite free from mud, and the collections differed a good deal in their composition. There were many loose stones near the shore, but as we extended our operations farther and farther out we reached greater depths and there were no more stones. The sea bottom here appears to be covered by a continuous carpet of living things. The sponges were much more numerous and the siliceous kinds were first obtained. There were Sea-spiders (Pycnogonids), Lace-corals (Polyzoa), Holothurians, File-shells (Lima), Alcyonarian Corals, Star-fishes and Brittle-stars, pretty milky white Nudibranchs (Tritoniella) , and many other things. The greatest depth at which we dredged in this crack was about eighty fathoms. The dredge was not left down en the bottom when not in use as we did in the Bay, because the crack was apt to close at any time, and when it did so the one side of the floe was often caused to override the other, which would have snapped the line and lost the dredge. On July 6, a crack opened from the Penguin Rookery westward out into the Sound, in which we were able to dredge once at 100 fathoms. Nothing strikingly different was obtained. In one haul pretty near the shore, the dredge was filled with the common red Star-fish, and there was almost nothing else. Collecting Plankton. — Very little plankton collecting could be done in McMurdo Sound. As the Nimrod passed through the Ross Sea the tow-net was used several times, being kept clear of the ship by a long boom projecting about ten feet from the side. The last of these tow-nettings was made as we entered McMurdo Sound. The boom had then to be unshipped to prepare for the vessel lying alongside the ice-foot. 14 JAMES MURRAY While she remained for some days moored to the fast ice in the middle of the Sound, a number of hauls were made with the tow-net used vertically. The net was let down to a depth of 100 or 200 fathoms and hauled steadily to the surface. These hauls brought in a good many things, including two kinds of Pteropods, a small hyaline species, and a pretty red one about an inch in length. No further collecting could be attempted till we were settled down on shore at Cape Royds and the ship had gone away. There was at this time open water all round, but the coast was too rugged to allow of any good tow-netting by throwing in the nets, and, moreover, we were too busy in other ways. When the ice formed for the winter it was always unsafe to go to the edge which bordered the open sea. There were no lanes where the net could be used. The only feasible method was to attach the net to the dredging-line and pull it from one of the holes to the other, under the ice. When this was attempted the net came up full of sludge, which probably came in early in the haul and so prevented much water passing through. The sludge took a long time to thaw, and when it was reduced to water there was almost nothing in it. In one such haul we got two phosphorescent Copepods, one Diatom, and one Peridinium. The method of taking vertical hauls at the dredging-holes might have been practised had the depth been sufficient, but at our habitual dredging-ground the depth was only from seven to eighteen fathoms. Early in July a crack opened to the west of the Cape. At a distance of a quarter of a mile from shore the depth was 100 fathoms. Our first concern was to dredge on this fresh ground, and as the temperature was very low fresh ice filled the crack before there was time to use the tow-net. After the Nimrod returned on her second trip south, when the ice had broken up to beyond Glacier Tongue (twelve miles south of Cape Royds), we noticed a great many brown bodies, from one to six inches in length, floating in the sea. While the ship was moored to the Glacier Tongue some members of the ship's crew fished up a few of them in a tow-net. Some of them, at least, were Ctenophores. The ship's company also picked up a large medusa (of sorts), but as there were no conveniences available for preserving it, it was allowed to freeze in a jar of sea-water, and by the time it could be put in spirit it was in such a condition as to be unrecognisable. Occasionally shoals of Shizopods (mistaken by the sailors for fish fry) came alongside the ship. The Fish-trap. — At the end of August, Day made a fish-trap, at Priestley's instigation, from Joyce's design, and with the object not so much of adding to scientific knowledge as replenishing the larder. It was constructed of copper wire, and was originally of the shape of a water-melon, with a small opening at each of the poles. From the openings several wires projected into the inside, converging inwards, so that the fish could easily push them aside to get in, but could not get out again. The trap was baited and put down in about twenty-five fathoms. After an hour or ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS 15 two it was drawn up and two dozen fish found in it. Put down on the same spot for a time there was nothing caught except star-fish and gigantic red worms. The trap was used several times, and when put down at a fresh place always caught plenty of fish the first time used, but few or none afterwards. As the fish were not appreciated when cooked the trap fell into disuse. The big-headed fish caught in the trap were good collectors for the Expedition, for in their mouths we found Isopods and Opisthobranchs, larger and finer than any that ever came in the dredge, and frequently small fish, to all appearance of the same species as the big ones. The fish- trap was the best collector of the giant worms, which came up hanging from it like long ribbons. As they contracted on feeling the cold, and thickened at the end inside as well as outside the trap, we could not get them out as complete specimens. The largest of our star-fish, nine inches across, came into the trap. , PART II MICROSCOPIC LIFE AT CAPE HO YDS BY JAMES MURRAY THE finding of an abundant microscopic fauna and flora at Cape Royds came somewhat as a surprise. It is true that the most northerly lands hitherto carefully examined (Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land, in about latitude 80° 0' N.) have a rich microscopic fauna, but in these lands the higher summer temperature allows of a flora of the higher plants, and a luxuriant growth of mosses, among which so many microscopic animals have their haunts. In Grant Land at an equally high latitude there has recently been found a rich moss flora, which would undoubtedly be found to harbour plenty of animal life, though this has not yet been reported. Cape Royds, though at a much lower latitude (77° 30' S.) and close by the open sea, has a much lower summer temperature. The mean temperature of a summer day rarely rises above freezing-point, and there is no vegetation higher than mosses. As contrasted with the northern lands the moss fauna is a very poor one. We found only four species, and from the whole of Victoria Land there are but eight species known. At Cape Royds they are very scarce, and are stunted and sickly in growth. The micro-fauna which they support is very meagre, a few water-bears and rotifers, one rhizopod, and little else. In some tufts of moss the individual animals were numerous ; in others no life could be detected. The kinds of animals which are usually to be found among mosses have at Cape Royds a shelter of another sort, which, judging from their numbers, appears to suit them better. This is furnished by the foliaceous vegetation which grows so abundantly in the lakes and ponds. On the surface and between the layers of this plant they abound both summer and winter. In summer, when the ponds are melted, they enjoy for some weeks a warm climate, the temperature rising as high as 60° F. in some ponds. There they are sheltered from the air, which would freeze them every day if they lived among the mosses. In winter again they are frozen in the ice for many months, in some of the deeper lakes for many years. While the mosses appear to be dwarfed by the cold, the microscopic animals are not at all troubled by the rigours of the climate. When the cold comes they curl up and go to sleep, it may be for years, and when the thaw comes they go merrily on as though nothing had happened. Indeed, since the cold does not harm them, the ice BEIT. ANTAECT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PAET 2, ISSUED APEIL 1910 0 18 JAMES MURRAY preserves them, secure against all other dangers, except only the advent ot explorers. Their numbers prove how completely they are adapted to the local conditions. I have never anywhere seen Bdelloid rotifers so plentiful as are the two dominant species at Cape Royds (Philodina gregaria and Adineta grandis). Among the higher Invertebrata the Rotifers are easily first in numbers, both of individuals and species. The Water-Bears are of only a few kinds, but one of them (Macrobiotus arcticus) is extremely abundant. There are Nematode Worms of two or more kinds, Mites of several kinds, and two Crustacea belonging to the Entomostraca. The Ciliate Infusoria are very numerous, there are a good many Flagellata, but only two Rhizopods were observed. The vegetation consists solely of Algae, Blue-green and Green, in filaments, colonies, and single cells. The Diatoms are few and very small, and the Desmids very rare, only two filamentous kinds being seen. In this paper a preliminary account will be given of the microscopic life, illustrated with photographs from life taken on the spot, and with drawings. Some of the groups, as the Rotifera and Tardigrada, will be worked up and reported upon in separate papers. Other groups, especially the Infusoria, cannot be worked up in a scientific manner. Such animals must be studied by a specialist on the spot. Most of them cannot be preserved in recognisable condition, or to thus preserve them requires special training and experience. Even were these objections inoperative there is not time on such an expedition, with a limited scientific staff, to overtake work of this kind. It is best that the specialist should give as much as possible of his available time to the line of work which he is best qualified to deal with, and outside of that do what he can. Such information as we were able to collect upon the Antarctic Infusoria, &c., in the form of notes and sketches, will be here presented, without supposing that it can be of much value to scientific students of these groups. A specialist looking at the sketches might make a guess at the genera of some of the animals. Lack of know- ledge prevented observations being made on various organs (mouth, nucleus, &c.) which are important in determining species. Photographing the Microscopic Organisms. — The first microphotographs were made by Mawson, who had some previous experience. Mawson, however, could not spare much time for this work, since he had all the physical observations to attend to, as well as the preparations for a long sledge journey. After a few lessons from Mawson the biologist was able to continue the work when Mawson had left on his journey. It was not easy to find an opportunity for microphotography in our crowded hut. During the day the tramping of feet caused too much vibration. We had to wait for the hours of the night-watch before anything could be done, and Mawson gave an entire night-watch to experimenting with different exposures and plates. MICROSCOPIC LIFE AT CAPE ROYDS 19 The photographs were all made by acetylene light. This light was quite unsuitable for ordinary work with the microscope, at any rate with the lenses we used. We could never get good definition with it. Oil lamps were used, and though they were of a very poor quality for such purposes, being ordinary stable lamps with very inferior glass, they sufficed for the work. Photographs were tried by the light of the oil lamps and also by daylight, but the acetylene proved better than either for photography. The little daylight which filtered through the frost- encrusted window was insufficient for microphotography, though it sufficed for ordinary photography. In addition to difficulties with regard to light we had to contend against dust. In our small hut, with its large stove requiring frequent stirring up, its crowded sleeping accommodation and infinite paraphernalia of fifteen men, cleaning could be of but a perfunctory character, and there was always a great deal of dust settling. The exposure varied, according to light, subject, and especially the degree of magnification, from two seconds to half an hour. With higher magnifications we got no satisfactory results, and we ordinarily used a magnification of about 100 diameters, at the eye, which would give about 200 at the full length of the camera. The eye- piece was sometimes removed, but the results were not so good. Two plates were exposed on each occasion and immediately afterwards developed, in order to check the time of exposure. This varied so much with different subjects that we could have no general rule. We wished to shorten the time to the utmost, as nearly all the animals to be photographed were alive, and liable to change their positions. They were under the influence of a mild narcotic which quietened them down a little, but which had to be so weak as to permit them to feed in a natural way. Exposures of five, and even of two seconds were used, but they were too short, and the average was about half a minute. As the whole of a subject could never be in focus at one time it was customary when using long exposures to gradually alter the focus, with the view of giving every depth a chance. This was done too much by guess to be a conspicuous success, but in some instances it gave a clearer outline for the whole body of a thick animal than would have been possible otherwise. The photographs, as such, are very poor, but since they have an interest as pictures from life of subjects which cannot be seen anywhere else but in the Antarctic Region, their shortcomings will perhaps be overlooked. Unfortunately, through some mischance the best negatives have been mislaid, and are not available for reproduction. Crustacea. — In ice from Blue Lake, shortly after we landed, there were found immature examples of a Calanid of small size. It was "hot in condition to be iden- tified, and we hoped to find the same species alive and mature when the lake melted, so the specimen was not mounted. As it happened the lake never melted and we 20 JAMES MURRAY never saw another example. It is possible that the species is not a native of the lake, which is situated only a few hundred yards to the north of a bay of the sea, and it is conceivable that in a severe summer gale microscopic Crustacea and other organisms might get caught up with the spray and blown into the lake. Against this is the fact that Blue Lake is the freshest of all the lakes, and the water from it is as fresh as condensed water. No organism definitely recognisable as marine was ever got in it. The only other Crustacean found, a small Harpacticid like Canthocamptus, was also got in Blue Lake. It was never found in the shallow part of the lake, called the Narrows, but only at a depth of from 9 to 1 5 feet below the surface in a shaft sunk by Priestley in July 1908. On July 13, we found a skin on some scraps of weed at a depth of 9 feet. On July 17, on a film of weed covering the gravel of the bed of the lake at a depth of 15 feet, another skin was got. There is more probability of this Crustacean being a native of the lake than the Calanid, as its relatives are not free-swimmers, but creep about on various plants. No drawings or photographs of the Crustacea were obtained. Mites. — In Coast Lake, Blue Lake, Clear Lake, and Deep Lake (near Cape Barne) skins of small mites were got. During our stay in the Antarctic, none were seen alive, but after our return to England a living mite was obtained from vegeta- tion brought from Deep Lake. It had probably hatched from an egg. In Coast Lake they were abundant, and of several species. No drawings or photographs were made, but a specimen of one kind was mounted, and it is hoped that enough examples will yet be got to enable us to report upon them. Insect. — On Plate IV., Fig. 16, is the photograph of the only Antarctic insect which we obtained, a parasite on Maccormick's Skua. Two examples were got by Joyce on one Skua, and it appears to be rare, as very careful search failed to find any others. On an Emperor Penguin also a small louse was seen, but the specimen was lost. Other Arthropods. — In the lakes we occasionally found fragments of Arthropods, but whether of Crustacean, Insect, or Acarid we did not find out. A probable explana- tion of such occurrences is that they were parts of small marine Crustacea, brought by penguins as food for their chicks, and blown into the lakes. Worms. — In addition to the Kotifera we found worms belonging to several other groups — Gastrotricha, Turbellaria, and Nematoda. Gastrotricha. — This small group, supposed to stand near the Rotifera, was repre- sented by a single example of Chcetonotus found among weed from the Deep Lake at Cape Barne. Turbellaria. — Microscopic Turbellaria were found in Coast Lake and Blue Lake. In the former they were at one time very abundant. Nematoda. — The Nematodes of the lakes were microscopic and free-living. Two MICROSCOPIC LIFE AT CAPE ROYDS 21 kinds were common, one of which is figured on Plate IV., Fig. 13. Another kind had the skin minutely annulate. Injusoria. — In dealing with the lowest and simplest forms of life, which are easily carried about in the form of dust, there must always be some doubt as to whether many of the species are native or introduced by the expedition making the observations. When we arrived at Cape Eoyds the season was well advanced towards autumn, and nearly all the lakes were already frozen. When we cut out blocks of ice containing portions of the vegetation which so abounds in these lakes we found many kinds of Infusoria, some of them of large size, dead and embedded in the ice. These were undoubtedly native. Afterwards, when the lakes melted and living Infusoria appeared in them, we were able to recognise many of them as of the same kinds which we had previously found frozen into the ice. Some of them were encysted and probably alive when found in the ice, but we never observed any of them leaving the cysts while under observation. One of the puzzling organisms which we first observed consisted of clusters of whitish elliptical bodies, in which no definite organs could be seen. They were supposed to be some kind of eggs. Long afterwards they were accidentally dis- covered to be Vorticellids. On treating with formalin an "infusion" in which a kind of Vorticellid abounded, it was found that they contracted into the puzzling egg-like bodies. There is little doubt that most, if not all, of the Infusoria and other organisms hereafter figured were true natives of the lakes of Cape Royds. The number of kinds seen was much greater than the number noted and figured. Very many were seen at times when important observations were in progress, which allowed of no time being given to side issues. The Flagellata, on account of the greater difficulty attending their study, were generally passed over without note. Rhizopoda, — The paucity of Rhizopods at Cape Royds was surprising, after it became known that so many other kinds of microscopic life abounded in the lakes. In the lakes only two testaceous species were observed : the well-known Difflugia vas, and a very small kind which appears to be a Quadrula. Among the moss there was another species, not identified. On one occasion, when the ice of a lake was melted, we found numbers of an amorphous granular organism, each with a round nucleus, which were probably Amoebae, but being only seen dead nothing could be made of them. When our material is submitted to a specialist it is expected that he will find other forms which we have overlooked.* Heliozoa, — In Coast Lake in April 1908, there occurred an animal which appears * Dr. Penard has, in fact, detected about a dozen species, which will be reported upon in a subsequent paper. 82 JAMES MURRAY to be a Heliozoan (Acanthocystis ?). The spines are all of one kind, and they are few in number and of clavate form (Plate VIII. , Fig. 23). Microscopic Plants. — The Algae, the majority of which are microscopic, will be reported upon in a separate paper. Bacteria. — Many kinds abounded in the lakes in summer ; but in this group it is impossible to discriminate between native and introduced kinds. Organisms of Doubtful Position. — Many organisms occurred, of whose nature we had no guess. Certain of these are figured on Plates VII. and VIII. Perhaps the sight of these sketches may suggest some of their names to other naturalists. Acinetaria. — No tentaculiferous Infusoria were definitely recognised, but while these pages are in the press, Mr. A. W. Sheppard, F.R.M.S., has identified the organism figured on Plate VII., Fig. 19, as the encysted condition of a species of Podophrya. PLATE I PLATE I MICROPHOTOGRAPHS OF A ROTIFER PhUodina gregaria, sp. n. FIGURE 1. — Portion of the field of the microscope, crowded with the Rotifers, under a low power. These examples were brought by Priestley from a lake in the west. They were frozen solid when brought in. As soon as they were thawed some were transferred by a pipette to a slide and photographed. They were not narcotised, and were beginning to stretch themselves and creep about, so the exposure had to be very short. Many of them have moved and are blurred in the photograph. FIGURE 2. — One of the Rotifers feeding. It is under the influence ot Eucaine, but its form has been little affected by it, and is nearly normal. The dark column in front of the head is formed of an accumulation of minute particles which have been swept towards the mouth by the cilia of the discs. The little clouds of particles on each side of the neck are those which have been rejected by the selectors in the gullet, while those chosen for food have passed down to the jaws. FIGURE 3. — Side view of an extremely large example. It has been narcotised and the constrictions bounding the turgid central trunk have been much deepened by the influence of the Eucaine on the muscles. (Photograph by Mawson.) FIGURE 4. — A Rotifer under slight pressure, to show some of the internal organs and the well-grown young. The dark central tract was coloured deep red, and the eyes, being also red, show more conspicuously than in life. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE I. MURRAY: MICROSCOPIC LIFE n-: 1. FIGURE 2. FIOUIIE 3. FIGURE 4-. PLATE II BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE II MICROPHOTOGRAPHS OF ROTIFERS Adineta, Hydatina,' Diaschiza FIGURE 5. — Adineta grandis under the influence of Eucaine. The trunk and anterior part of the body are of the normal form. The Eucaine has caused the foot to be drawn in, which would not usually be the case in the natural condition. The two examples, of which portions are seen at the foot of the photograph, show the deep constrictions of the neck which are caused by the influence of the Eucaine on the muscles of the trunk. FIGURE 6. — A very large example of Adineta grandis. It is under slight pressure, so that the foot could not be drawn in. The head and neck have been moved while the photograph was being taken, but the central trunk shows clearly the six contained young. FIGURE 7. — Hydatina senta, side view. This is the only free-swimming Rotifer which we obtained in the Antarctic. It appeared in Coast Lake in summer. The photograph is taken from a living example, under the influence of Eucaine, which causes the cilia to move very slowly. The natural shape was not affected by the narcotic in this instance, though it frequently causes some distortion. FIGURE 8. — A small Rotifer, probably Diaschiza tenuior, seen from the side. It was narcotised, and was showing the natural form very well when the plate was put in, but at the very moment of exposure the body has become turgid, which is an indication that death is imminent. Close under the head of the Rotifer can be seen one of the small Diatoms which are common in the lakes. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE II. MURRAY: MICROSCOPIC LIFE r FIGURE 5. FIGURE 6. v FIGURE 7. FIGURE 8. PLATE III PLATE III MICROPHOTOGRAPHS OF WATER-BEARS FIGURE 9. — Side view of the common Antarctic species of Water-bear, Macrobiotus arcticus, which is also found in the Arctic Region. In the photograph may also be seen a Eotifer and some filaments of Algae. FIGURE 10. — Dorsal view of another example of the same species. Four eggs at an early stage of development can be seen in the body. To the left of the animal is one of the eggs of the species, but it is so encumbered by debris that its characteristic peculiarities cannot be seen. FIGURE 11. — A different species of Water-bear (Macrobiotus oberhduseri] found among moss at Cape Royds. It has one excessively long claw on each foot, and the body is marked with a warm brown colour, forming longitudinal and transverse bands, indicated in the photograph. Mb />*'\ i> i^*£ FIGURE 12. — Another example of Macrobiotus arcticus, containing six eggs not very far advanced in development. In the anterior part of the body the fat-cells in the body fluid can be distinguished. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE III. MURRAY: MICROSCOPIC LIFE FlClL-RH 10. '*' FIGURE 11. FicniK U. PLATE IV PLATE IV MICROPHOTOGRAPHS OF NEMATODE, ALG^E, AND LOUSE FIGURE 13. — Part of the field of the microscope under a low power, showing many kinds of organisms. The largest is a Nematode of the commonest Antarctic kind. The pear-shaped pharynx can be seen. There is a Water- bear and the cast skin of another, a contracted Rotifer, and some Algae in round colonies. Near the upper right-hand corner is a large egg, which is probably that otHydatina senta. (Photograph by Mawson.) FIGURE 14. — Fine filamentous Alga from Pony Lake. This is probably an Oscillatoria, but is different from the kind most commonly found in the other lakes. FIGURE 15. — A short rod of the common blue-green Alga (probably Oscillatoria), highly magnified. Beside it are some narrower filaments of another kind. FIGURE 16. — Photograph from life of the only parasite which we obtained from the feathers of Antarctic birds. Two examples were got on a Skua Gull (Megalestris Maccormicki). Though not so purely microscopic as the other animals photo- graphed, it is a very small species. BUIT. ANTARCT. EXPE1). 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE IV. MURRAY: MICROSCOPIC LIFE FlGI'KK 13. FIGURE 14. FIG IT UK FlCiUUK 1(>. PLATE V PLATE V CiLIATE INFUSORIA ; VOET1CELLA AND SIMILAR FORMS FIGURE 1. — Vorticella, a narrowly pyriform species, with slender contractile stalk, which can extend to five or six times the length of the body. The whole body was covered by papillae, as in V. monilata Tatem, but the shape of the body is different. FIGURE 2. — Vorticella, a species of conical form, widest at the mouth, and with a con- striction separating a basal portion, one-third of the total length. There is only a short broad stalk, but it may have been broken off. FIGURE 3. — Vorticella, mouth not expanded. FIGURK 4. — Vorticellid, narrowly oblong ; free-swimming example, with posterior ring of cilia and no stalk. FIGURE 5. — Vorticella, long narrowly oval species, with narrow mouth. FIGURE 6. — Vorticellids, two contracted individuals on one stalk. FIGURE 7. — An animal of doubtful position, resembling the Vorticellids in possessing only a circlet of cilia round the mouth. FIGURE 8. — Vorticellid, another free-swimming example. Brit Antarct. Exped 1907-9. MURRAY; MICROSCOPIC LIFE. Vol. 1. Plate V J. Murray del ad nat. PLATE VI BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. E PLATE VI CILIATE INFUSORIA FIGURE 9a. — A large reddish brown animal, common in all the lakes. It is covered all over with short cilia, which appear to continue beneath the surface as short rods, making a thick skin. A bundle of pbaryngeal rods forms a kind of narrow cage, tapering downwards, as in Nassula, &c. FIGURE 96. — Probably the same animal as Fig. 9a, at a different stage in its life- history. The cage of pharyngeal rods is of the same form, and projects far above the surface. The skin is thin, and not ciliated. Many of these colourless examples were found at the same time. FIGURE 10. — A narrow curved animal, narrowing to one end. It is marked longitu- dinally with faint ridges, which are seen in profile to be finely undulate. It is ciliated on all the ridges, the cilia being long and not very close together. They gradually elongate to the broad end. All are motile but only those on a limited area move actively. No mouth could be detected. FIGURE 11. — A ciliate with projecting crest ; no other details noted. FIGURE 12. — Ciliate with a beak, a series of strong cilia at the mouth, and another series round half the circumference of the body. FIGURE 13. — Large oval ciliate, ciliated all over, and with a vibrating membrane occupying an elliptical area. The cilia appear to be continued under the skin as rods (as in the species figured in 9a). FIGURE 14. — A dark brown ciliate, with cilia all over the body. It is elliptical in form, with the poles produced into rounded processes. No mouth or other organs could be seen. As it travels along in the direction of its long axis it at the same time revolves round it. FIGURE 15. — An oval ciliate, marked with longitudinal ridges. There are four strong setse at each end, a row of motile setae half-way down one side, and a single seta on the same side. Brit Antarct. Expect 1907-9. MURRAY: MICROSCOPIC LIFE. Vol. 1. Plate VI 9. a 10. 15 M.rray del ad nat. PLATE VII PLATE VII FLAGELLATA; AND VARIOUS ORGANISMS OF DOUBTFUL POSITION FIGURE 16. — An oval flagellate with green granular contents. One strong flagellum was seen. FIGURE 17. — A cluster of four cells, with one flagellum visible on each. The cluster rotated rapidly with an irregular motion. The contents were green. FIGURE 18. — A colourless flagellate, of ovate form with a long tail: one flagellum seen : contents granular. FIGURE 19. — A hyaline, almost spherical body, set on a slender stalk. The body is marked with ten prominent annular ridges, about equidistant from one another, except near the pole to which the stalk is attached, where they are crowded. The protoplasmic contents form a globular mass much smaller than the envelope. Identified as an encysted Podophrya, by Mr. A. W. Sheppard, F.R.M.S. (see p. 22). FIGURE 20. — A soft orange -coloured ciliated body issuing from a small opening in a hyaline shell. FIGURE 21. — A cluster of oval bodies of sienna-brown colour, in a darker brown matrix. FIGURE 22. — A soft thick-skinned animal, finely ciliate all over. Little internal structure could be seen except two cavities occupying the greater part of the interior. The granular part between the cavities is sienna-brown in colour. Two vibrating membranes were seen, like those which are found in various sorts of worms. Brit Antarct. Exped 1907-9. MURRAY MICROSCOPIC LIFE 16 17 Vol. 1. Plato VII 20 19 21 22 J. Murray del ad nat. PLATE VIII PLATE VIII VARIOUS ORGANISMS OF DOUBTFUL POSITION FIGUEE 23. — Possibly a heliozocm (Acanthocystis ?). The spines are few and of one kind only, clavate in form. Plentiful in Coast Lake. FIGURE 24. — Oval bodies of a dingy purple colour, always occurring in clusters, as many as eight together. They always included many round pellet-like bodies. FIGUBE 25. — Apparently a bit of vegetable tissue. Such a plant must have been introduced, but if so it must have been previous to our expedition, as it was found in the ice of a lake which was frozen when we arrived. FIGURE 26. — An elliptical hyaline body, made up of eight rings. FIGURE 27a. — A brown discoid body with finely reticulate surface. One pole is pro- duced with a little point. There is no opening of any kind. Fig. 27b shows a bit of the reticulate surface more highly magnified. FIGURE 28. — Round vegetable cells, in irregular clusters and strings. A few were filled with green contents, like two of those figured ; most had a little shrivelled dark mass as in four of the cells figured ; the empty cells were open, as shown in the two cells at the ends of the series. Brit Antarct Exped 1907-9. MURRAY MICROSCOPIC LIFE. Vol. 1. Plate Vlll. 23 25 27 26 27 fe ad nat. PART III ANTARCTIC KOTIFERA BY JAMES MURRAY AMONG the various forms of freshwater life the Rotifera were most conspicuous. They were found among mosses and in the lakes and ponds. In the former situation they were relatively scarce, while in the lakes they were extremely abundant, and were often associated in such numbers as to affect the colour of the water. Some sixteen species were distinguished, representing three of the recognised orders, and five or six distinct families. The predominance of the Rotifera was entirely due to the Bdelloida, of which a dozen species were found. In the other orders there were only one or two members of each family present. Five of the Bdelloids are species previously unknown. Most of the others differ more or less from the types of their species. Only two non-Bdelloids species were recognised (Hydatina senta and Diaschiza tenuior), the others were only assigned to their genera. No Rotifera were found in the sea. I have been able to find no record of any species of rotifers found on the Antarctic Continent or on any of the islands which, though lying outside the Antarctic Circle, possess a polar climate. The German Expedition found Rotifers on the Gaussberg, just on the Antarctic Circle (Richters, 31) ; * the Swedish Expedition obtained them at Snow Hill Island, not far from the Circle (Richters, 32), and the Scottish Expedi- tion at the South Orkneys, a little farther north (Murray, 26). t All of these were unrecognisable. The only species doubtfully identified from this whole great area is Callidina papillosa, Thomp. (40). Richters found an egg in moss from the Gaussberg which resembled the egg of C. papillosa figured by Jansou (20). The identification of this egg can never be certain, as there are several other Bdelloids which have similar eggs, covered with blunt processes. To find definite records of Rotifera in the southern hemisphere we must go far * Figures in heavy type enclosed in brackets refer to list of books at the end of the paper. t The Rotifer vulgaris casually recorded in that paper must be regarded with doubt. As all the others •were dead, it had probably been accidentally introduced into the bottle. BRIT. ANTARCT. KXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PART 3, ISSUED APRIL 1910 F 42 JAMES MURRAY beyond the Antarctic Region. A few species have been found in Gough Island (Murray, 29), and Amsterdam Island (Richters, 31). Hilgendorf (19) has published a list of over forty species from New Zealand, in about latitude 43° S., and these are- the nearest neighbours to the Antarctic Rotifers of which I can find any notice. Order— BDELLOIDA Family — PHILODINAD^E Genus — Philodina Philodina gregaria, sp. n. (Plate XL, Figs. 7a—7e) Specific characters. — Large, corona large, narrower than trunk, wider than collar, space between discs wide, the rounded lobes springing from collar large, the interspace with two smaller convexities ; collar very prominent, but scarcely marked off from pedicels; rostrum short and broad; antenna short; eyes large, pale brown; teeth 2+1/1+2;- foot of four joints, spurs slender, acute, moderately divergent, separated by broad flat interspace; viviparous; found aggregated in great numbers, forming larger or smaller patches. Detailed description. — Size variable ; smallest about •£$ inch long, in the feeding attitude (= 416 M) ; longest measured ^ inch (= 800 /*) when fully extended creep- ing : a fairly large example had the following measurements, diameter of corona y^ inch (= 166 yu), of collar y^ (inch = 132 /*), of neck -^ inch (= 106 /*), of trunk yyT inch (= 213 ft), length of jaw ^fa inch (=* 47 M). of spur ygVs inch (=25 /*). Central setae were not detected on the discs. The very prominent collar passes insensibly into the pedicels, the junction marked only by the line of fine cilia (secondary wreath). The rostrum bears short lamellae, a brush of active cilia, and four stout straight setae, corresponding to the tactile setae of P. brevipes (25) and some other species, but they were not seen in motion. The length of the antenna is about equal to half the diameter of the neck segment which bears it. The brain is fairly large. Each jaw bears two strong teeth and one thin one, and in addition the usual fine striae. There is a prominent hook at the back of the ramus. The stomach is very voluminous, and of a very bright deep ruby or crimson colour, due to the presence of coloured granules and globules. The central trunk is the broadest part of the body, and varies in size with the number of young carried. It is- regularly plicate, the folds shallower on the back, deeper on the sides. The reproduction is viviparous. Usually there are two or three young carried at a time. Whatever the number, they appear to be all at the same stage of development. At any rate they are all of the same apparent size, and after the jaws are developed they appear to be alike in all. It is very different with the genus Rotifer, in which. ANTARCTIC ROTIFERA 43 the young are obviously of very different ages, one being fully developed while another shows no detail at all. The yolk mass contains eight nuclei. The spurs vary greatly in size, generally most closely resembling those of P. acuti- cornis (25). The interspace is relatively broader. Occasionally they are very long and apparently two-jointed. The last foot-joint is long. The ventral toes are very large, and the dorsal ones very small. The vibratile tags are short, and broadly spindle-shaped. Three pairs have been seen. Habitat. — In lakes and ponds at Cape Royds, Cape Barne, and at the Stranded Moraines on the west side of McMurdo Sound. It was absent from the very saline Green Lake, but was in nearly all the other waters examined. It was much the most abundant species in the district. Its abundance in Coast Lake and in the lake at the Stranded Moraines was remarkable. In winter it was got by digging out ice containing plants from the lakes. As soon as these were thawed the rotifers were found active in great plenty. In summer blood-red patches began to form on the stones at the margin of Coast Lake. These attained to a diameter of an inch. Similar patches were on the plants, but these were more difficult to detect owing to the orano-e-red colour of the plants. In the lake at the Stranded Moraines, Priestley reports that the patches reached to six or eight inches in diameter, and were of appreciable thickness. These patches were formed solely of P. gregaria, which were fixed side by side, as close as they could stand. To obtain them a handful of weed was taken and washed in a bucket of water, being vigorously shaken in order to detach all the adherent microscopic organisms. The sediment thus obtained was strained through a coarse silk net, in order to remove the larger particles, and the fine sediment was then bottled and allowed to settle. At first it was of a dull green colour, from the preponderance of blue-green Algae. After an hour or two a red film, like blood, appeared on the surface of the mud. The rotifers have crept out of the mud. After a time they leave the mud and creep up the sides of the bottle into the clear water above ; eventually they reach the surface of the water and there form a ring of red round the bottle. They may then be collected in thousands with a brush and put into clean water. This process may be continued with one lot for days, an hour or two being sufficient time for new hosts of the endless procession to reach the surface. Habits. — P. gregaria is ordinarily rather a restless animal. It is ready enough to feed, and remains fixed in one spot for a long time, but it swings about continually so that it is not easy to get a good portrait. Though normally anchoring itself, in company with its myriad neighbours, it occasionally casts off" and goes swimming. In Coast Lake it was got in the tow-net, and a few might be seen if a bottle of the lake water was held up to the light. According to Priestley it was much more plentiful in the water of the lake at the Stranded Moraines. It was particularly amenable to treatment with mild narcotics. When a very 44 JAMES MURRAY dilute solution of Eucaine was added to the water, it at once changed both habits and appearance. It ceased its restless swaying about and went on feeding so steadily that it could easily be photographed. The circular muscles were slightly contracted, thus deepening the constrictions between the principal divisions of the body. The foot was inclined to be further retracted than in the normal condition. Otherwise there was little change in form, and the corona was quite unaltered. The effect of the narcotic was much less than on P. laticeps. When that species is treated with Eucaine it partially retracts the foot, expands the usually narrow central trunk, and reduces the width of the corona, in fact it so completely alters its proportions that it is not recognisable for the same species, and might be mistaken for some species of the central group (P. citrina, P. brevipes, &c.) unless particular attention were paid to the spurs. Affinities. — P. gregaria belongs to the central group of the genus, possessing eyes and tapering spurs of moderate size. There is nothing distinctive in the general form. The viviparous reproduction distinguishes it from all the species of that group. The red colour is differently distributed from that of P. roseola, in which the red is diffused. In this species it is limited to the stomach. The slender spurs, with broad interspace, are like those of P. laticeps and P. acuticornis. The short antenna separates it from both. It is of larger size than any of the other species in the central group, except perhaps P. citrina. The large size, red stomach, viviparous reproduction, and slender spurs set far apart, will distinguish it from all known species of Philodina. The absence of a groove between the prominent collar and the pedicels is also a good character. Natural history. — As the dominant species in the lakes of Cape Royds the natural history of P. gregaria received a good deal of attention, and many experi- ments were made to elucidate it. These will not be detailed here, but a short summary of the facts will be given.* Its extraordinary abundance must indicate that it is possessed of great powers of resistance to all the adverse influences which would be supposed to attend upon it in such a rigorous climate, or else that it is of remark- able fecundity. It appears to triumph in both ways. It is perhaps inaccurate to call it "gregarious." It is found in large " flocks," but it is doubtful if they ever " flocked " together. The great crowds in which they occur appear to arise from the rapidity with which they reproduce themselves. Several young, probably sometimes as many as six or eight, are produced at a time, and they seem to stay and fix themselves where they are born. Thus the patches increase till they reach inches in diameter, and as there is not foothold for all, they stand on one another's heads (so to speak) till a layer of measurable thickness is produced. They withstood all the tests applied to Adineta grandis except the heating, which was not tried on them. They are normally frozen in the ice of the lakes for the greater part of the year, and revive at any time that the ice is thawed. When dried and exposed to the lowest air temperatures for a long time, they were not killed, nor * The detailed account of the observations and experiments will be found in a paper on " Life under Polar Conditions," in a later number of this series of Reports. ANTARCTIC ROTIFERA 45 did they die when alternately thawed and refrozen at weekly intervals for several months. They lived for a month in sea-water and in a much more saline solution, and became active again immediately on being transferred to fresh water. They were dried while in the Antarctic by exposing to the air till all the ice passed off by ablation, ' and were then conveyed by a long voyage through the tropics to England, where they revived within an hour of being moistened and could be seen alive in London a year after they were collected. In England they were subjected to a temperature of — 78° Cent, for many hours, by Mr. J. H. Priestley, of Bristol, and survived. Philodina antarctica, sp. n. (Plate X., Figs. 5a-5c) Specific characters. — Large, elongate : corona of moderate breadth, wider than the prominent collar, discs with central papilla?, each bearing several fine setae ; antenna long : teeth 2/2 : foot four-jointed, long, slender ; spurs with broad triangular basal portion, and narrow apical portion of about equal length (Fig. 5b) ; last joint of foot short, dorsal toes nearly as large as the ventral ones : pale brown eyes. Detailed description. — The size is variable. The shortest measured was 380 /* in length, in the feeding attitude, and with the foot well drawn in. The longest measured 714 n, fully extended, creeping. In a large example the diameter of the corona was 96 n, of the collar 73 M, of the neck 60 p., of the trunk 106 n : the length of the spur was 30 /x. The stomach is of a deep ruby-red colour, the anterior part of the body of a faint brown, and the foot clear and hyaline. The longitudinal folds of the trunk are deep at the sides and shallow on the back. The discs are separated by a space equal to half the diameter of a disc. Into this come the low rounded lobes terminat- ing the collar. They are slightly separated, and the part between is convex. The collar appears two-lobed in dorsal view, and is distinctly marked off from the pedicels. The rostrum is short and broad. The length of the antenna is equal to the diameter of the neck segment bearing it. The reproduction is unknown. Neither eggs nor embryos were ever seen. The yolk mass has the eight nuclei usual in the order. The vibratile tags were not detected. It was an extremely difficult animal to study, on account of its restless disposition. It went wriggling and twisting and creeping about, often stopping to feed for a moment, but never still. There were no narcotics available when it was first found in considerable numbers, and it afterwards proved to be a rare species, and very uncertain in its occurrence. For this reason no photographs were obtained, and no specimens could be preserved. Habitat. — Among plants in the ice of several lakes at Cape Royds and Cape Barne. It was never got except by thawing the ice of the lakes. Most of the lakes in which it lived did not melt in either of the two summers we spent in the district. Affinities. — Belonging also to the central group of species, there is little in its general proportions and characters to distinguish it from several other species. It is more 46 JAMES MURRAY elongate than most of them, and in that respect comes nearest to P. erythrophthalma Ehr. (15). The characteristic spurs, consisting of a narrow blunt apical portion springing abruptly from a broad conical base, will separate it from that and all other known species when well developed. Sometimes the narrow part is considerably reduced. No other member of the genus has such spurs, but very similar spurs, differing only in being sharper pointed, are possessed by Callidina hexodonta, Ber- gendal (3), formerly regarded (from the possession of cervical eyes) as belonging to the genus Philodina. The slender foot, which can be elongated much more than the drawing (Fig. 5a) shows, the lack of interspace between the spurs, and the deep red stomach are also good characters. Philodina alata, sp. n. (Plate X., Figs. 4o-4/) Specific characters. — Size moderate : corona broad, diameter about equal to that of the trunk (exclusive of the processes) in ordinary extension ; collar inconspicuous, the lobes going to the upper lip not reaching beyond the line of the bridge joining the pedicels : interspace between discs equal to diameter of disc ; central setae on discs : teeth 2/2 : trunk plicate, bearing two large rounded lateral processes (one on each side) a little way in front of the widest part of the central segments : rump short, with a rounded boss in the middle of the preanal segment : foot short, four- jointed, spurs diverging, tapering, conical, rather blunt. Eyes brown. General description. — Length 300 /t, in the feeding attitude. The stomach is of the same deep red as in P. gregaria, the colour being seated in small granules and globules. The rostrum is short and rather narrow. The length of the antenna is about equal to the diameter of the neck. On the fairly large brain are seated the pale brown eyes. The jaws are rather small, and bear two teeth each. The trunk is regularly plicate, the dorsal folds being wider and shallower than the lateral ones. The trunk is sometimes decidedly viscous, and has extraneous matter adhering to it, but this is not always so. It is sometimes quite clear. The lateral processes are not thickenings, like most of the trunk processes of Bdelloids. They are large, hollow, approximately conical protuberances, with skin no thicker than that of the trunk, unless at the extreme apex, where it is a little thicker. They are controlled by special muscles, by which the apex may be more or less pulled in and inverted, making the form truncate, as shown in Fig. 4a. Some- times, when creeping or feeding, the processes are so far inverted that they are scarcely visible in dorsal view, but this is not always the case, as shown in Fig. 4c, where they are fully extended when the animal is creeping. In complete con- traction of the animal they have their greatest projection, and are then more directed forward than at any other times. No suggestion as to the function of these curious processes has been offered. In other Bdelloids having warts on the body they are supposed to have a defensive ANTARCTIC ROTIFER A 47 function. It can hardly be so with P. alata, as the processes are, from their form, more vulnerable than the trunk wall would be. The boss on the preanal segment is of another nature. It is a thickening, and may have a protective function. The vibratile tags are short and somewhat broadly spindle-shaped (Fig. 4e). Habitat. — Among weeds from the Narrows between the two portions of Blue Lake, pretty numerous, March 27, 1908. Afterwards found in several lakes at Cape Royds and Cape Barne, always scarce and uncertain. A few could usually be got when wanted from the Narrows of Blue Lake. It was living, among scraps of weed, at a depth of 1 1 feet in Blue Lake. Habits. — A quiet animal and slow in its movements. When feeding, which it rarely did, it could be easily studied. Under the influence of a narcotic (Eucaine) it behaved in a very unsatisfactory manner. It kept the corona expanded and continued feeding, but contorted itself till it was not recognisable except by the side processes. No good photographs of it could be obtained, but under pressure some were made which showed the internal structure and the characteristic processes. Affinities. — P. alata, like the other two Antarctic members of the genus, belongs to the central group of species. The lateral processes, which are unique in the order, serve to distinguish it from all other Philodince and Bdelloids. The boss on the preanal is an uncommon character. Without these processes it would be very difficult to characterise. Philodina, sp. (Plate X., Fig. 6) Description. — Size moderate. Corona narrow, about equalling the prominent collar, and less than the trunk. Upper lip with two rounded lobes meeting in the middle line. Two pale or colourless eyes. Teeth 2/2. Foot short (number of joints ?) ; spurs broad short cones slightly diverging and with no interspace. This species, which is undoubtedly distinct from all the other Antarctic species, was only once seen, and is insufficiently studied. The form of the upper lip and spurs are like those of P. plena (4). There is little to separate it from that species except the possession of eyes. It is doubtful if the presence or absence of eyes constitute characters of even specific value, as several species are variable in this respect (P. rugosa, P. macrostyla, &c.). It had not the red stomach of nearly all the Antarctic Bdelloids, but that might merely indicate youth. Habitat. — Among weed from the Narrows of Blue Lake. Genus — Callidina Note. — The genus Callidina contains a host of species, many of them not at all closely related, and offering material for many genera. C. constricta and C. angularis 48 JAMES MURRAY in our list should le in a different genus from C. habit a. As the whole order requires revision by a competent authority,* the old names are retained here. Callidina constricta, Duj. (14) (Plate XII. , Figs. 13a, 136) Dujardin's meagre description would fit equally well a considerable number of those CallidincB which mould the food into pellets, and which are distinguished from one another by characters requiring more careful examination than the Bdelloids usually receive. The commonest of those species which have numerous teeth on the jaws, the corona somewhat less in diameter than the widest part of the head, the discs close together, and the spurs short divergent cones, may be taken as the type of C. constricta. To establish C. constricta, Duj., and C. elegans, Ehr. (15), and to distinguish them from the numerous related species, it would be necessary that both should be re- described by a competent authority. Janson (20) briefly describes them, but scarcely with the detail necessary to firmly establish them, neglecting, for example, the form of the upper lip, a character of the utmost importance in all Philodinadse. Janson gives C. constricta as having fewer teeth than C. elegans (8/8 instead of 10 or 11) and a shorter jaw. There is nothing so difficult as to make certain of the number of teeth in those pellet-making Callidince which have many teeth. They can be clearly enough seen, but the anterior ones are usually thickest, and the others diminish successively till they cannot be distinguished from the fine striae which are found on the rami of all Bdelloids. Very commonly there are four strong teeth, the fourth (counting from the anterior end) much thinner than the first; then there is an abrupt transition to finer teeth which are still thicker than the striae, but merge gradually into them. The Cape Royds Callidina, which I identify as C. constricta (see Plate XII., Fig. 13), is a small animal, about ^-Q inch in length (250 /u). It is not much enlarged in the central trunk, which is faintly plicate and not obviously stippled. The small discs are touching, and the whole diameter of the corona is distinctly less than the widest part of the head. The jaws are long and narrow, and each bears four distinct teeth, diminishing in thickness backwards, succeeded by finer teeth which continue to diminish in thickness to the posterior end of the jaw. The rump is clearly marked off from the central trunk, but its two segments are only seen as the animal extends itself in creeping. The foot is short, of three joints, and the spurs are very short, quickly tapering, and widely divergent. Habits. — It is a quiet sedate animal, moving steadily and readily feeding. It often swims free, rotating on its long axis. Habitat. — In most of the lakes at Cape Royds. Common, but not abundant. It is one of the two Bdelloids found in Green Lake. s- — In company with C. constricta two different forms of egg have been * Mr. D. Bryce is at present engaged on such a revision. ANTARCTIC ROTIFERA 49 found, which may belong to this species or to C. angularis (Plate XII., Figs. 12c-12c£). Each of these eggs was found with the jaws of the contained young so well grown that the numerous teeth could be seen. As there are only the two species known at Cape Royds which have many teeth, it is practically certain that these eggs belong to them, but as they were never found in the bodies of the rotifers it cannot be determined to which each belongs. Callidina angularis, sp. n. (Plate XII., Figs. 12a— I2d) Specific characters. — Small, yellow, much widest in central trunk ; strongly nodose from the lateral projection of certain segments, from the neck to the preanal : trunk strongly plicate, and stippled (except head, neck, and foot). The head is widest at the cheeks, and the corona is distinctly smaller, and about equal in diameter to the neck. Rump narrower than the fourth central segment, its two segments distinct. Foot short, of three segments. Spurs small, divergent, acuminate and acute. Food moulded into pellets. Jaws narrow, teeth many. General description. — Length when feeding about ^^ inch, rather greater when creeping. The diameter of the corona is about -§^ inch (50 ju), and of the widest part of the trunk about ^?261. 32. „ „ " Moosbewohner," Schwed. Sudpol. Exped., 1901-3, Bd. vi., 1908. 33. "ROUSSELET, 0. F., " Rotifera of South Africa," Journ. Roy. Micr. Soc. London, 1907, pp. 395-414. 34. SHEPHARD, J., "A New Rotifer, Lacinularia elongata," Victorian Naturalist, xiii., No. 2, May 1896, pp. 22-4. 35. „ „ "A New Rotifer, Lacinularia eUiptica," Victorian Naturalist, October 1897. 36. „ i, " A New Rotifer, Lacinularia striolata," Proc. Soy. Soc. of Victoria, August 1899, pp. 20-35. 37. SHEPHARD, J., and STRICKLAND, W., " A New Rotifer, Melicerta fimbriata," Victorian Naturalist, xvi., No. 3, July 1899, pp. 38-40. 38. STRICKLAND, W., " The Rotifer in Melbourne," Victorian Naturalist. 39. SCHMARDA, L., "Neue Wirbellose Thiere," Leipzig, 1859. 40. THOMPSON, P. G., " Moss-haunting Rotifers," Science Gossip, 1892, p. 56, 41. WESTERN, G., " Notes on Rotifers," Journ. Quekett Micr. Club, 1893, pp. 155-160. 42. WHITELEGOE, T., " Invertebrate Fauna of Port Jackson and Neighbourhood," Journ. and Proc. Roy. Soc. of New South Wales for 1899, pp. 308-17. 43. WIERZEJSKI, A., " Rot. W. Argentinie," Bull. Acad. Cracovie, 1902, p. 158. NOTE In the preparation of this paper I have been indebted to several friends for assist- ance, which I desire here to acknowledge. Mr. D. Bryce examined the drawings of the Bdelloid rotifers, and gave me the advantage of his opinion on the values of the species. Mr. C. F. Kousselet did the same for the non-Bdelloid rotifers, and helped me with the list of literature. Mr. D. J. Scourfield experimented on the dried rotifers brought from the Antarctic, and demonstrated that some had survived the many changes of climate which they had experienced. Mr. J. H. Prieetley subjected some of the rotifers to a temperature of —78° C. for many hours, and showed that some , were not killed by this, thus completing the simple series of experiments commenced in the Antarctic. Mr. Rousselet was also good enough to remount the few specimens of the new species of Antarctic rotifers, which had been mounted in a temporary way, thus saving them from destruction. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. I PLATE IX PLATE IX This plate is designed to illustrate the bright coloration which distinguishes most of the Antarctic Bdelloids. The brilliant red of the stomach of Philodina gregaria and Callidina hctbita (Figs. 1 and 3) may give the impression of being overdone. If we have not caught the precise shade of the red, it is not that it was lees vivid than we show it. It was a deep, clear, pure crimson or ruby. When seen in large mass the colour approaches blood-red, but by transmitted light it appears crimson under the microscope. When we succeeded in reviving a few examples of Philodina gregaria and showed them to a naturalist in London, he exclaimed, " Are they so red as all that." FIGURE 1. — Philodina gregaria, lateral view, showing the red stomach and eyes, small antenna, and two young. FIGURE 2. — Adineta grandis, dorsal view, showing the brown colour deepest in the alimentary tract. FIGURE 3. — Callidina habita, dorsal view. The distinctive spurs of this variety are shown, and the prominent foot-boss. Brit. Antarct. Expecl. 1907-9. Vol. I. Plate IX. MURRAY: ANTARCTIC R o T i F K R A. i) P. gregaria. (2) A. grandis. Colours of Antarctic Rotifers. (3) C. habita. J. Murray, del. ad. nat. PLATE X PLATE X FIGURE 4a. — Philodina alata, sp. n., dorsal view, feeding : the lateral processes, which distinguish it from all other known species, are in this figure slightly drawn in at the tips (which is accomplished by special muscles, shown in Fig. 4e). FIGURE 46. — The same, fully contracted. The lateral processes are then turgid from the pressure of the body-fluid, and are projected to their fullest extent and somewhat forward. FIGURE 4c. — The same, in the creeping attitude : usually the lateral processes are drawn in, almost out of sight, among the skin-folds when creeping, but in this instance they were fully extended. FIGURE 4c£. — Jaw of the same with its two teeth and wide border. FIGURE 4e. — One of the lateral processes of the same. It is seen to be hollow, and special muscles enter it and are attached near the top. One of the vibratile tags is seen at the base of the process. It is unusually short and wide for a Bdelloid. FIGURE 4f. — Foot and rump of the same seen from the side. The prominent boss of the preanal segment can also be seen as a curved line in Fig. 4c. FIGURE 5a. — Philodina antarctica, sp. n. The figure shows the prominent collar, the eyes on a conspicuous brain, the elongate foot, and the peculiar spurs. The basal portion of the spurs is badly drawn in this figure (it is correctly shown in Fig. 56). FIGURE 56. — Spurs of the same. These, with the broad triangular bases and peg-like apices, are the best character of the species. The distinction of the two parts is sometimes obliterated. Even then the absence of interspace will distinguish this from P. gregaria, and there are many other differences of general propor- tions and details, requiring, however, careful study. FIGURE 5c. — Lateral view of the foot of the same. The dorsal toes are almost as thick as the ventral, though shorter. This is a point of difference from P. gregaria, in which the dorsal toes are relatively very small. FIGURE 6. — Philodina, unnamed species. Brit Antarct Exped 1907-9. Vol. 1. Plate X. MURRAY ANTARCTIC ROTIFER A J. ML PHILODINAALATA.sp.il 5, P ANTARCTICA sp.n. 6. PHILODINA. sp. Murrav PLATE XI PLATE XI FIGURE 7ot. — Philodina gregaria, sp. n. dorsal view of the animal when feeding. The very prominent collar is only marked off from the pedicels by the cilia of the wreath. Two well-grown young are seen. FIGURE 7b. — Spurs and toes of the same. The dorsal toes are seen to be greatly smaller than the ventral. FIGURE 7c.— One of the spindle-shaped vibratile tags of the same. FIGURE Id.— Jaw of the same, with two strong teeth, one thinner tooth, and many fine striae. FIGURE 7e. — Lateral view of the jaw of the same, showing the process of the ramus behind. FIGURE Sa. — Callidina habita, dorsal view of a variety which differs from the type in the form of the spurs. FIGURE 86. — The same, a variety having spurs nearer the typical form, but smaller. FIGURE 8c. — Lateral view of the foot of the same showing the thickened part of the first foot-joint which forms the boss. FIGURE 8d. — Egg of the same, elliptical in form, with each pole produced into a process. FIGURE 8e. — Tip of rostrum of the same. The lamellae are widely separated. Brit Antarct Exped 1907-9. Vol. 1. Plate XI MURRAY: ANTARCTIC ROTIKERA. 8.c 7. PHILODINA GREGARIA, sp.n. Murray del ad nat. 8. CALLIDINA HABITA BRYCE. PLATE XII BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PLATE XII FIGURE 9a. — Adineta barbata, Janson ? FIGURE 96. — Egg of the same from Blue Lake ; one pole is produced, and there are no other processes. FIGURE 9c. — Egg from Deep Lake, Cape Barne, from which a similar Adineta was hatched on September 24, after the egg had been dry for about a year, and had been conveyed from Antarctica to Britain. FIGURE 10a. — Adineta grandis, large stout example, showing six young, apparently all in an equally advanced state of development, and with the jaws well grown. FIGURE 106. — Head of the same, ventral surface, showing the lamellse, brush of cilia and motile setse, pectinate folds at posterior margin of corona, &c. FIGURE lOc. — Jaw of the same, showing the projection at back of ramus. FIGURE Wd. — Yolk-mass of the same, dividing into six parts, each containing one nucleus. The number of nuclei is normally eight, as in moat Bdelloids. In this instance the full number may be present, two of them hidden behind the centre of the mass. FIGURE lla. — Adineta longicornis ? The rostral part is not of the same form as in the type, but allowing for a different angle of inclination it may be the same. FIGURE 116. — Spurs of the same. They are considerably shorter than in the type, but are still relatively much longer than in any other known species. FIGURE 12a. — Callidina angularis, sp. n., dorsal view, showing angular outline and stippled surface. FIGURE 126. — Jaw of the same, with four principal teeth and many finer ones diminishing backwards. FIGURES 12cand I2d. — Eggs found associated with this species and with G. constricta. FIGURE 13a. — Callidina constricta, Duj., dorsal view, illustrating the differences between this species and G. angularis ; the outline is not angular and the skin is not stippled. FIGURE 136. — Part of one disc of the corona of C. constricta, showing the groups ot cilia which give the appearance of toothed wheels to the philodinoid corona. Diagrams elucidating the motions of the cilia which cause the appearance of teeth have often been published. This is not a diagram, but a drawing from an example which had just been killed and fixed with osmic acid while in the act of feeding. Each group has cilia at every stage of the stroke, thus showing the course followed by each. The specimen was mounted in fluid and preserved. Unfortunately, as was only to be expected, the slight difference of density between the fluids within and without the body has resulted in making the disc turgid and opened out the groups of cilia into one uniform fringe. Brit Antarct. Exped 1907-9. Vol. 1. Plate Xll MURRAY: ANTARCTIC ROTIFER A. HI 10. A 9, ADINETA BARBATA^ 10, A GRANDIS, sp.-n. II, A LONGICORNIS 12, CALLIDINA ANGULARIS, sp n. 13, C. CONSTRICTA. \A I PLATE XIII PLATE XIII FIGURE 14a. — Pleurotrocha, sp. A large active animal resembling P. grandis, but with longer spurs and some other differences. FIGURE 1 46. — Elliptical papillose egg of the same. FIGURE 14c. — Jaws of the same, drawn from an example in the egg. FIGURE 15. — Floscularia, sp., semi-contracted. FIGURE 16a. — Diaschiza tenuior, lateral view with the foot drawn well under the body. FIGURE 166. — The same, dorsal view. FIGURE 16c and 16cZ. — Dorsal and lateral views of a supposed male of the same, having rudimentary jaws. FIGURE 16e. — Rough sketch of jaws of the female. FIGURE 16/ — Thick-shelled egg containing jaws similar to those of the supposed male (Figs. 16c and Brit Antarct. Exped 1907-9. yo] j pjate Xlll MURRAY: ANTARCTIC ROTIFERA. 16. b. 14, PLEUROTROCHA, sp 15, FLOSCULARIA, SP. 16, DIASCHIZA TENUIOR ^Murray del ad nat PART IV * MUSCI NOTE SUB LES MOUSSES RAPPORTEES PAR L'EXPEDITION DU "NJMROD" PAR JULES CARDOT LES Mousses de 1'exp^dition du Nimrod proviennent de la me'me region que celles rapporte"es anterieurement par le Discovery* Elles consistent seulement en 4 especes, dej& connues, mais dont 1'une toutefois est nouvelle pour la flore ant- arctique. Les echantillons sont extremement rabougris, et tous donnent 1 'impression de plantes malades, luttant pe"niblement centre des conditions de milieu exceptionelle- ment rudes. Alors que nous ne connaissons encore que 8 mousses ve"ge"tant mise'rablement sur les cotes inhospitalieres de la Terre Victoria, M. Bryhn vient de publier f une liste de 62 especes de Muscinees (57 Mousses et 5 Hepatiques) rapportees par Peary de 3 localites de la Terre de Grant, par 81°-82° de latitude boreale — chiffre supe"rieur a celui des especes actuellement connues dans tout le domaine antarctique au sud du 60ime parallele. La seule comparaison du nombre des especes connues d'une part a la Terre Victoria, par 77°-78° lat. sud, et d'autre part a la Terre de Grant, sous une latitude sensiblement plus elevee, fait ressortir d'une fagon frappante combien sont diflerentes les conditions climateriques auxquelles sont soumises les regions polaires dans les deux hemispheres. • DlCRANACE^: Dicranella Hookeri Dicranetta Hookeri (0. Mull.), Card, in Bull. Herb. Boissier, 2* sir., vi., p. 4, et Fl. bryol. Terres Magell., etc., p. 60. Angstrcemia ffookeri (C. Miill.), Syn. II. p. 607. * Of. National Antarctic Expedition, Nat. History, vol. ii., Musci. t Ad cognitionem Bryophytorum arcticorum contributiones sparsae (Christiania, Videiifck.-Selhk Fordhandl. for 1908, No. 5.). BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PART 4, ISSUED APRIL 1910 I, 78 J. CARDOT Anisothecium Jamesoni, Mitt. Musci., austro-amer., p. 39, pro parte. Dichodontium Jamesoni, Sch. Syn. Muse. Europ., ed. i., p. CO, et auct. plurim., pro parte. Dicranella Jamesoni, Broth, in Nat. Pflanzenfam., Musci, p. 311, jro parte. "CapeEoyds, 1908." Echantillon en tres mauvais ^tat, d'un vert noiratre. Les feuilles sont tantot entieres, comme dans la forme normale de 1'espece, tantot denticule'es vers I'extre'mite. II me parait ne'anmoins certain que ce specimen appartient bien au D. Hookeri, espece connue dans le domaine magellanique, a la Ge"orgie du sud, & Kerguelen et & 1'ile Heard, et qui n'avait pas encore ete signalee dans 1'Antarctide. II y a quelques tiges de Bryum argenteum, L., en melange. POTTIACE^E Sarconeurum glaciate Sarconeurum glaciale (Hook, fils et Wils.), Card, et Bryhn, in Nat. Antarc. Exped., Musci, p. 3. Didymodon (?) glacialis (Hook, fils et Wils.), Fl. Antarc., ii. p. 408, t. 152, fig. 6. Sarconeurum antarcticum, Bryhn, in Nyt. Mag. f. Naturvidensk, B. 40, H. iii., p. 204, tab. i. et ii. Barbula, sp., Gepp, Report on the coll. voyage Southern Cross, XXI. Cryptog., Musci, p. 319. "Hut Point, Boss Island, 77° 50' S. lat., Coll. E. Joyce, Nov. 1908 ; Cape Irizar, S. Victoria Land, Coll. T.W.E. David, Nov. 1908; Cape Barne, Ross Island, Coll. J. Murray, Nov. 1908 ; High Moraines, Cape Royds, 77° 30' S. lat., Coll. J. Murray, Jan. 1909." Les rhizoides forment une masse feutre*e, compacte, me'langee de sable et de terre, epaisse d'un centimetre environ, et limitee inferieurement par une surface nette. II est probable que cette surface indique le contact avec la partie du sol qui ne de"gele jamais et qui arrete ainsi la penetration des rhizoiides. BRYACE.E Bryum argenteum Bryum argenteum, L., Sp. pi. p. 1120. "High Moraines, Cape Royds, Ross Island, 77° 30' S. lat., Col. J. Murray, Jan. 1909." Forme excessivement rabougrie, identique aux dchantillons deja rapportds de la meme region par le Discovery " Stranded Moraines, McMurdo Sound, S. Victoria Land, Coll. R. E. Priestley, 1908." MUSCI 79 Tiges e*mettant de nombreux rameaux tres greles, longs de 2 a 4 millimetres, garnis de tres petites feuilles espacees, tres concaves, orbiculaires, ou suborbiculaires, obtuses ou apiculees, rappelant beaucoup les feuilles du B. cephalozioides, Card., mais les feuilles inferieures sont normales. Bryum antarcticum Bryum anlarcticum (Hook, fils et Wila.), Fl. Antarct. n. p. 414, t. 153, fig. 6. Webera antarctica, Jaeg. Ad. i. p. 599. " Stranded Moraines, McMurdo Sound, S. Victoria Land, Coll. R. E. Priestley, 1908." I BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1907-9 UNDER THE COMMAND OF SIR E. H. SHACKLETON, C.V.O. REPORTS ON THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS VOL. I BIOLOGY EDITOR JAMES MURRAY PART V TARDIGRADA BY JAMES MURRAY, F.R.S.E., F.Z.S. (WITH EIGHT PLATES) LONDON PUBLISHED FOR THE EXPEDITION BY WILLIAM HEINEMANN 21 BEDFORD STREET, W.C. 1910 ISSUED SEPARATELY. DECEMBER IfllO PRICE TEN SHILLINGS NET REPORTS ALREADY ISSUED VOL. I. PART I., ON COLLECTING AT CAPE ROYDS BY JAMES MURRAY PRICE Is. 6d. VOL. I. PART II., ON MICROSCOPIC LIFE AT CAPE ROYDS By JAMES MURRAY PRICE 5s. Od. VOL. I. PART III., ANTARCTIC ROTIFERA By JAMES MURRAY PRICE 5s. Od. VOL. I. PART IV., MUSCI BY JULES CARDOT PRICE Is. Od. PART V TAEDIGEADA BY JAMES MURRAY (WITH PLATES XIV.-XXI.) CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION .83 ON STRUCTURE OF TAHDIGRADA .84 ON NOMENCLATURE 91 ON THE VALUE OF SPECIES OF TARDIGRADA 91 ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADA 95 TARDIGRADA OF NEW ZEALAND .107 AUSTRALIAN TARDIGRADA 123 TARDIGRADA OF SOME PACIFIC ISLANDS 147 CANADIAN TARDIGRADA 159 SUMMARY OF RESULTS 179 ON DISTRIBUTION 179 BIBLIOGRAPHY .... 183 INDEX TO SPECIES 185 PLATES XIV.-XXI. . . .187 BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. PART 5, ISSUED DECEMBER 1910 M INTRODUCTION TARDIGRADA. were collected not only in the Antarctic, but in all other countries visited by the Expedition in the course of the voyage round the world. These were New Zealand, the Macquarie Islands, Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, and Canada. A brief visit was paid to South Africa, and some moss was collected on Table Mountain by Drs. Mackay and Michell, but though animals of other sorts were plentiful enough, no Tardigrada were found. The great majority of the Tardigrada obtained were of the k'nds which live among moss. These everywhere over the world greatly exceed in numbers the true water- dwellers. All, of course, are aquatic animals, in the sense that they must have at least a film of water to support their active life, but the dwellers among moss have to endure frequent and often long-continued desiccation, while the others live in ponds and other waters of a more permanent sort. Though a number of species are common to both habitats, there is no doubt that most are confined to one or other. The moss- dwellers are adapted to withstand desiccation, the others may be equally so, but they are rarely exposed to tests of their powers. By desiccation it is not meant that the animals can endure the loss of all moisture from their bodies, but that they can live when completely deprived of the external watery element. When so deprived they are dormant, and if any physiological change goes on, it must be excessively slow. Only some half-dozen species are well recognised as habitual pond-dwellers, though in Scotland a good many others are frequently found in ponds, lakes, and rivers. It was only in New Zealand, Australia, and the Antarctic that there was much opportunity of looking for the purely aquatic kinds. In those countries which were only visited in passing there was no available method of collecting except by taking dry moss to be examined afterwards at leisure. Nothing could exceed the facility of this mode of collecting. The moss is preferably gathered dry ; the animals have already become dormant in the natural course, and nothing is required for the examination afterwards, but to moisten the moss, when in half an hour or so the animals are found to be active. They will not live indefinitely, but for a year at least they can quickly be revived when wanted, and some have been kept for a number of years alive. In this paper, after some introductory paragraphs dealing with structure, nomen- 83 13 84 J. MURRAY clature, and other matters, the Tardigrada of each country visited will be treated in a separate section, five altogether. In the section dealing with each country there will be given first an account 01 how the collecting was done in that country, and a summary of previous knowledge of the Tardigrada. Then will follow the list of species and notes upon them, includ- ing descriptions of new species. The peculiarities of the Tardigrade fauna, and its relation to the rest of the world, will be briefly treated. General questions of geographical distribution, &c., concerning the entire area over which work has been done, will be reserved for discussion in the general summary of results. The information brought together about Tardigrada might have been exhibited in a more concise form by giving a complete list of all the species collected in all the countries, in one table, followed by notes on the species, and a discussion of general questions of distribution. It seems to me, however, so important to the student to find all the information about each country collected together by itself, that I have adopted this form, even at the expense of a little repetition, and some redun- dancy in the tables illustrating the distribution. The object has been to offer the information in accessible form, so that the student of one country may readily find what he wants. This has been attempted by a suitable classification of the facts under various headings, and for further assistance, there is a " Contents " page, and at the end an alphabetical index to the species, while the explanations of the plates have references to the pages of the text where the species figured are described. We have thus what is practically a series of five papers, each complete in itself, with Introductory and Recapitulatory chapters, dealing with all of them collectively. STRUCTURE OF TARDIGRADA The student is referred to other works for a general account of the structure of Tardigrada. Here there will be given only such details as are necessary to the understanding of the descriptions of the species. Ecliiniscus. — In this genus the important points in description are : the number and texture of the plates ; the processes on the body ; the claws ; and the skinfold (fringe) of the last legs. The plates vary in number. The minimum may be taken as nine and the maximum as twelve. There may often appear to be more than twelve plates, but I regard these as originating in the subdividing of the normal plates. The plates are either single or paired. The single plates are of two kinds : first, large, covering the back arid sides ; second, small, triangular, median plates. The pairs meet in the middle line, and go over the sides like the large single plates. The number of segments of an Ecliiniscus have been variously estimated by different writers. Doyere gives four body-segments, without regarding the head, which he supposes to show traces of several segments. Schultze's E. heller- TARDIGRADA 85 manni (43), has nine segments. What they mean by segments can only be ascertained by studying the figures which these writers have given. Richters' scheme is perhaps the most useful. It does not aim at accounting for all the morphological segments of some hypothetical primitive or typical Tardigrade, but is merely a division of the body for practical use to systematic naturalists. He reckons six segments, and indicates them by roman numbers, I. to VI. These numbers are here adopted to distinguish the segments, and as there are two distinct types of segmentation I give two figures, one of each type, on which the segments are numbered, and other points of structure indicated (see Plates XVIII. Fig. 34, and XVI. Fig. 14). In one group of Echinisci the segments V. and VI. have coalesced so completely that there is no external mark of their separation (Plate XVI. Fig 14). This includes the great majority of the species. Segment I. is the head, II., III., and IV. the body segments bearing the first, second, and third pairs of legs, V. -f VI. bears the fourth legs. The reckoning of V. as a segment is rather inconvenient, as there is in most species no visible trace of it. In the other group, which includes only about a dozen species, segments V. and VI. remain distinct (Plate XVIII. Fig. 34). When V. is separate it usually bears a pair of plates, like those of segments III. and IV., but it may be a half-ring, without trace of division in the middle, as in E. pulclier here figured. All of the plates are liable in one species or another to be subdivided in various ways. This usually only affects the surface markings. The divisions may be merely lines separating different areas, or they may be broad bands devoid of markings. The median plates are often divided by a transverse line into two parts (E. novcezeelandice, Plate XV. Fig. 5), or by median lines into pairs (E. pulcher, Plate XVIII. Fig. 34). E. tessellatus (Plate XVI. Fig. 15) is an extreme case of the division of segments II. and V. + VI. by transverse and longitudinal bands. E. scrofa, Richters (26), is an example of subdivision of the median plates into many narrow bands. The plates of the first and second pairs are commonly divided into two parts by a transverse plain band (E. duboisi, Plate XVII. Fig. 19, E. spinulosus, Plate XIX. Fig. 38). This band occupies a furrow. Sometimes the separation is a mere line, and the markings continue into the furrow. Occasionally there are two lines on each plate, separating narrow portions at the anterior and posterior borders, without any cessation of the markings (E. tessellatus, Plate XVI. Fig. 15). The markings of the plates are of several kinds. As their true character is often in doubt they are named from their appearances. There are pellucid dots which do not appear to project from the general surface, actual projecting granules (E. granulatus, .Doyere, very large in E. tessellatus, Plate XVI. Fig. 15), pits or apparent perfora- tions, and reticulation of raised lines. The reticulation may be simply the borders of adjacent depressions (E. intermedius, Plate XVI. Fig. 17). Very peculiar are the close-set spicules of E. spiculifer, Schaudinn (41), and the reticulation of pearly dots 86 J. MURRAY of E. islandicus (18). A very few species are said to have no surface markings whatever on the plates. The lumbar plate, which covers segment VI., or V. + VI. when these are joined, is nearly always divided by two lateral slits into a sort of trefoil. Often the middle and lateral flaps thus produced are bent downwards at an angle to the small median portion of the plate, which is then said to be faceted. The angle joining the two slits has caused it to be supposed that the posterior " tail-piece " thus separated is a distinct segment, and it has also been supposed that the portion in front of the slits is homologous with segment V. This is undoubtedly not the case, as when V. and VI. are separate, VI. is trefoliate in the usual way. A number of species have been figured without a trefoliate "lumbar plate" \_E. sintsbergensis, Scorn field (45), and E. bisetosus, Heinis (7) ]. Personally I have only seen one species in which the lumbar plate is not trefoliate (E. intermedium, described in this paper, see Plate XVI. Fig. 17, and Plate XX. Fig. 52). In other cases I do not take the evidence of figures, unless the authors refer to the character in their descriptions, as in certain positions the slits are hidden and may be overlooked. The processes connected with the plates are either setce, longer or shorter spines, little spicules, or blunt cones or knobs. Certain processes often occur in definite situations, easily indicated in descriptions. Near the mouth there are four cirri and two palps, which are in most species of no distinctive value. In a few species they are conspicuously large, or slightly modified in form [considerably in E. cornutus (34)]. In one or two species they are stated to be lacking [E. imberbis (38)]. Of most regular occurrence are the five lateral processes and two dorsal processes, on each side. Richters distinguishes the lateral processes by the letters a, b, c, d, e, (Plate XVI. Fig. 14)* counting from the head backwards. « is the head seta, the only process present in every known Echiniscus. It is situated at the base of the head, between I. and II. The pair commonly curve forward, and look very like cow's horns, but very thin, except in E. cornutus, where the resemblance is perfect. At the base of seta a there is generally (perhaps always) a little triangular or cylindrical palp or " Auricle " as it may be called. It is rarely distinctive but in a few species is of characteristic shape or large size. In a few species there are other processes besides these most common ones. The most frequent are little spicules on the posterior borders of the plates of segments II., III., and IV. between the lateral and dorsal processes. In such cases there may be a similar spicule beside the slit in the lumbar plate, close to seta e, if that be present. There may be more than one spicule between the lateral and dorsal processes, especially on segment IV. (plates of the second pair), where there may be two or three [E. oihonnce, Heinis (9)]. The dorsal processes usually spring from the postero-dorsal angle of the paired plates, that is, at the angle marking the limits of the space occupied by the median * Seta e is not present in the species figured. TARDIGRADA 87 plates. Sometimes the dorsal processes are nearer the median line (E. borecdis, &c.), and when there are any processes on segment V. they are usually near the middle line (E. islandicus, E. novcezeelandice). In the group which has segments V. and VI. united there are usually only two median plates. A well-defined third median is rare, but there is often an area in the triangular space behind the second pair, dotted exactly like the plates, but without definite bounding lines. In the group which has V. and VI. separate there are always three median plates, although they are often very obscurely separated from the pairs in front of them. In the majority of species there is a serrate fold of skin on the fourth leg. The teeth or spines on this fold vary from short and blunt to slender and acute, and are useful for distinguishing species. Near the base of the fourth leg, on the outer side, there is usually a blunt palp. On the first leg there is often a longer or shorter sharp spine. Rarely there are little spines on other legs (E. perarmatus). The colour of Echiniscus is usually red, varying from pale pink to deep crimson or scarlet. A very few species are yellow (E. mutabilis, sylvanus, tessellatus), green (E. viridis) or colourless (E. intermedius). The eggs are always smooth, shortly oval, and are laid in the cast skin. From one to nine have been seen in a single skin. As many as nine is quite exceptional, the usual number being three or four. Oreella. — Like Echiniscus in every important detail of structure except that the body is not covered with plates. It is soft and flexible like Macrobiotus. The only trifling differences from Echiniscus are that the " Auricle " at the base of seta a is elongate and acute, and is elevated on a large papilla which bears the seta also ; and that the anterior cirri at the mouth are replaced by narrowly conical processes. The generic forms of land Tardigrada do not seem to be very numerous. Although work has been done in all regions of the globe now, no new genus has been found since Diphascon (Plate, 1888) till now. Oreella has no eye-spots. The eggs are unknown. Milnesium. — Though several species have been described, their differences are slight and inconstant, and only M. tardigradum is here admitted. It is a large animal with very wide gullet and elongate pear-shaped pharynx, in which there are no rods such as Macrobiotus has. There are six cylindrical palps round the mouth, and a pair farther back. A distinct genus, Acrophanes, of no value, was separated by Ehrenberg (5) apparently to receive a shrivelled skin of Milnesium. The claws are very different from those of Macrobiotus. On each foot there are two claws, usually with two or three, or even four, branches. The three-branched claw appears to be homologous with a pair of Macrobiotus claws, including the supple- mentary point. On each foot there are also two very slender, bristle-like claws, each with a very fine supplementary point. 88 J. MURRAY The number of points on the branched claws has been used to distinguish species. Some examples have all these claws alike, and three-branched. In others they vary on the different legs. I find the commonest form to have fewer points on the front legs and more on the last. Thus, they will have only one point or two on the front legs ; two or three on the second and third legs, and three on the fourth legs. The colour in old animals is a very warm brown. The eggs are laid in the skin, and are often pretty numerous. Macrobiotus. — In this genus the characters which lend themselves for descriptive purposes are : the organs of the mouth (teeth, gullet, and pharynx) ; the claws ; the skin ; the eyes ; the fat-cells ; and the egg. The teeth are slender or thick, more or less curved or bent abruptly, and have a larger or smaller furea where the bearer is attached, the bearer itself, though often mentioned in descriptions, having no specific importance. The gullet is slender or wide, and at the end in the pharynx may have merely a slightly enlarged run, or may be bent out into a flange- more or less wide. The pharynx may be nearly round, or somewhat elongated, The hard rods or nuts which surround the tube may be two, three, or four in each row. The last one in the row is often small and obscure, and is called from its shape the comma. There is often no comma. The more important rods (or nuts when they are so short that the name " rod " would be inappropriate) are never more than three in number. When there are three they are generally nearly equal in length : when there are only two, that nearer the gullet is longer, and often shows obvious traces of the two rods by the joining of which it may be supposed to have originated. Besides the rods there are apophyses attached to the end of the gullet. These are not in line with the rods, but alternate with them. When they are large, however, they may readily be mistaken for rods, and even recent descriptions have not always clearly distinguished the two structures. The claivs vary chiefly in their relative sizes, and in the degree of union of the pairs. They are always united in pairs, if only at the bases. Several types have been recognised, but they are connected by intermediate forms which are difficult to classify. The hufelandi type is commonest. The claws of each pair are united for some way above the base, usually for half their length or more. There is much variation within this type. Usually the claws of a pair are unequal, and the larger one has one or two supplementary points. Sometimes they are equal and placed side by side, but only one has the extra points. In some species they are very thick, and the supplementary point is very strong, and the whole thing makes a distinct approach to the branched claw of Milnesium. The dispar type (or macronyx type) has the claws of each pair very unequal, the larger claw strongly curved and bearing a supplementary point, the smaller claw like a little barb from the base of the larger one. The two pairs are similar, and on the last legs the lesser claw is relatively larger. The Diphascon type (found throughout the genus Diwhascon, and in M. TARDIGRADA 89 oberhciuseri and a few other Macrobioti) has the two pairs dissimilar. One pair has two claws, of which one is longer, united at the base ; the other pair has one very long claw (bristle-like in M. oberhanaeri), which is loosely attached to the middle of the back of a smaller claw. The echinogenitus type has two similar pairs of claws which are united at the base only. The claws of each pair are equal or unequal. This type is not so distinct from the hufelandi type as it seems, and is connected with it by a series of forms having the claws united more or less above the base.* The typical form has the claws very widely divergent. Forms having the pairs unequal lead to the Diphascon type. The skin varies in texture, &c. It may be smooth and hyaline, papillose, or more or less pigmented. Often the young are transparent and colourless, and the older ones increasingly pigmented. The pigment is rarely of specific value, as most of the large old animals become brown, but in M. oberhciuseri it is characteristic. A few'species are papillose (M. annulatus, M. nodosus, &c.), and a few bear processes on the skin (M. ornatus, M. tuberculatus, M. sattleri, M. papillifer, and sometimes M. dispar). The eyes are of doubtful specific value. They are usually dark brown or black, occasionally red. Though it is believed that the presence or absence of eye-spots is characteristic of each species, there is enough variation to make the character unreliable. It should, however, always be noted in descriptions. The fat-cells are generally of no specific importance. In a few species (M. coronifer, M. islandicus, M. rubens, M. occidentalis, &c.) they have a characteristic colour, red, yellow, orange, or brown. The egg varies greatly. It is either smooth or covered with processes which are characteristic for each species. The smooth eggs are never quite spherical, but shortly oval, rarely narrowly oval. They are left in the skin at the moult. The ornamented eggs are spherical, with a very few exceptions (M. coronifer, M. pullari, &c.). The form of the processes should be noted, the distance (if any) separating them, and the nature of the egg-shell where free from processes. In a number of forms the shell is areolate. It is thick, and composed of two layers, the space between which is divided into a number of equal chambers, showing on the surface as hexagons. From some of these the processes spring, at equal distances apart. The turgidity of the processes destroys the regularity of the hexagons, and additional septa in the chambers give rise to a variety of patterns in the " areolation." The spiny eggs are laid free, not enclosed in the cast skin. An intermediate type of egg has the shell ornamented with rods, which are embedded in a hyaline substance, so that the surface is even (M. arcticus, &c.). In M. hastatus these rods have tops shaped like fleurs-de-lis, which project above the general surface. * Prof. Richters informs me, in a recent letter, that he has ascertained that M. echinogenitus and related species have the claws separate, but close together, in embryos in the egg, and that they join afterwards. The adult M. echinogenitus has claws of the hufelandi type, not V-shaped. BRIT. ANTARCT. BXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. N 90 J. MURRAY Many species of Macrobiotus cannot be distinguished with certainty unless the egg is seen. The mere presence of eggs beside the adults is of no use, although there may be a presumptive relationship in such cases. The relation must be demonstrated, and this can be done in two ways : first, by finding in an egg the young so far advanced that the claws and pharynx can be recognised ; second, by finding, in the adult, eggs so far advanced as to show the characteristic processes. The first way is the more generally useful. The second may be of greater use than the beginner would suspect. The eggs are soft till they are almost ready for laying, and the processes, when formed, are still so soft that they are squeezed flat against the shell by the enclosing membrane. If the membrane can be torn, and the eggs released, the processes often stand up and can be recognised. All species of Macrobiotus, and probably other water-bears, may be found in what is called the " simplex " state. They are then devoid of teeth, of rods in the pharynx, sometimes of all the mouth parts. Plate founded the genus Doyeria on an animal in this condition. The simplex state is now explained as a part of the moult, though it does not occur simultaneously with the casting of the skin. Identification of an animal in the simplex condition is difficult, as one of the most important characters is lacking. Many water-bears, perhaps all, encyst themselves. This appears to be a sort of hibernation, in which a quiescent period is passed in a special protective case. Some species, when encysted, undergo a simplification going far beyond the ordinary " simplex," for they lose all recognisable organs, teeth, pharynx, and claws, and afterwards acquire them anew. Diphascon. — The genus differs from Macrobiotus solely in having the gullet elongated between the teeth and the pharynx. As specimens of Macrobiotus are sometimes found which have the gullet elongated, the value of the genus is very slight. Nevertheless, I believe Diphascon to be a natural group. All the species have claws of one type, known as the Dipliascon type, which is also found, but rarely, in Macrobiotus. Many of the species have the pharynx very narrow, but others have it quite round. Most of the known species have no eye-spots. In distinguishing species the chief points to attend to are the diameter of the gullet, which varies extremely, the proportions of the pharynx, and the number and sizes of the rods or nuts in it. In outward form there is little variety. All are very similar except D. bnllatum, which is short, nodose, and papillose, and D. augustatum, which has a heavy body, but tapers to a very narrow head. As a rule the animals of the genus are small, but some very large forms inhabit the arctic regions. The eggs are smooth, and are laid in the cast skin, as in Echiniscus and a large section of Macrobiotus, TARDIGRADA 91 NOMENCLATURE The nomenclature of the Tardigrada is in need of revision. The validity of many of the accepted names, generic and specific, may be questioned, and some of them will certainly not hold. Professor Hay (6) has suggested a number of corrections which must be made. He has shown that the water-bears have no right to bear the name Tardigrada, which is preoccupied (for a suborder of Edentata). The recognition by the earlier naturalists of species having two, three, and four claws may be explained as arising from different interpretations of the claws of Macrobiotus and Milnesium. Macrobiotun may be said to have two forked claws on each foot, or to have four claws united in pairs, just as you please. It is curious that so many good naturalists have recorded a water-bear with three claws, which nobody finds nowadays. Milnesium is commonly supposed to be the same as Schrank's Arctiscon, in which case the earlier name must be used, unless it can be shown to be preoccupied. If Schultze's Macrobiotus hufelandii is accepted as the common water-bear, and the same as Miiller's Acarus ursellus, Miiller's specific name should be used for it. All these points would require a very careful revision of the whole literature of the group, and a comparison of all the early descriptions and figures. The revision is so important that it should be made in a work of monographic character, or at any rate should comprehend the whole group. While, therefore, in perfect agreement with Professor Hay as to the necessary changes, I shall in this paper continue to use the familiar names. By this means the present report will be kept in line with a whole series of others dealing with the water-bears of various countries under the name " Tardigrada." This report has been announced in the earlier numbers of this publication under that title. When changing the name it is desirable that the change should be final, if that be possible. It would require a careful examination of all writings on the subject prior to 1835 to satisfy ourselves that Perty's name Xenomorphidce (22) [which Professor Hay shows to have precedence of Schultze's Arctiscoida (44) ] is really the earliest applied to the water-bears as a family. The name Xenomorphidce is a family name, and the group of the water-bears must be considered as of more than family value. Schultze's name Arctiscoida, although proposed as a family name, might be adopted as an ordinal name for the group, and Xenomorpkida for the only family as yet recognised. ON THE VALUE OF SPECIES OF TARDIGRADA. In the course of this Expedition a great many diverse forms of Tardigrada were collected or observed. Some of these are described in the following papers as species, 92 J. MURRAY one even as of generic rank. Had the early practice been followed, whereby species of the genus Echiniscus were supposed to be sufficiently characterised if they differed by one pair of spines or setoe from the related species, or if even a seta were replaced by a spine or vice versa, a hoat of new species would have been added. I prefer a definition of species in that genus which excludes such forms, and requires species to show peculiarities in other points of structure than the spines (such as claws, or plates, or texture), or to have the spinous armature conspicuously different from that of the nearest relatives. No definition of species can be made which will be universally applicable. In some groups it is necessary to distinguish species by characters so slight that they would not be admitted in other groups. Species corresponds to no entity in Nature — it is a human convenience. We may seek to distinguish by it such races of any organism which have through some degree of isolation and the tendency to vary (under influences of which we are profoundly ignorant) acquired more or less distinct marks by which they may be distinguished from the related races of the same stock, and which we believe to be constant (in the sense that they continually recur, and that we believe the recurrence to indicate community of origin). The amount of distinctness considered necessary to constitute specific value gives an opportunity for the personal element in naturalists to assert itself, and has, incidentally, given occasion for much disputation. Every species throws some light on the biological history of the world, and so we want to discover them all. Such cheap species as the ardent discoverer could so easily manufacture out of the myriad forms of Echiniscus would yield the minimum of light on biological problems. In so far as they are permanent, they are only fortuitous side eddies in the stream of evolution, if such a term can be per- mitted a popular application in science. I mean that the species having two spines and those having three, and not otherwise differing, are not instances of essential adaptation to the conditions of life of the animals, but that one is as good as the other. Further, the probability is that many of these slight forms are really not species in even the widest acceptation of the term, but merely individual peculiarities. Among Echinisci there are forms known, such as E. granulatus and E. quadri- spinosus, var. cribrosus. '[see Murray (12) and (18)] which possess several good charac- teristics, besides their distinctive spines. In colonies of such species, which may be confidently identified by the concurrence of many characters, it continually happens that individuals occur in which one or more of the customary spines is lacking. That it is frequently only one spine of a pair which is absent indicates that these are :nly errors or peculiarities in the development of the individual. Yet by the accepted practice one pair of spines or seta) makes a species. There is next to be considered the case where these slight peculiarities seem to be constant. Admittedly when example after example turns up, having all the trifling TARDIGRADA 93 features identical, the idea of the value of the characters grows. This happens most frequently in colonies got at one place and time. Now a whole brood, or even a whole colony, may possess some little peculiarity which would not be permanent in a race of animals having the sexes distinct, and where cross-fertilisation may occur. The case of the Bdelloid liotifera, which will be discussed in a subsequent paper, is very different, as only females are known. The reproduction being parthenogenetic there seems to be no check to the multiplication «f slightly marked species, and the study of certain groups of forms bears this out. The group of Tardigrada has hitherto been fortunate in that it has not attracted the attention of any too-enthusiastic discoverer of species. Professor Richters has shown a commendable reserve in simply describing and figuring those doubtful Echinisci, without giving them names. This appeal's to be the right course to take, in the present state of our knowledge, and yet these unnamed forms are a trouble to the student. There is nothing to get hold of, and the memory recognises them not — even reference to them is laborious. Since species are a human convenience one is sometimes tempted to wonder whether the convenience of naturalists is better served by describing unnamed forms than by lightly naming them in the good old way, with, however, its accompaniment of burdening the synonymy when we come to know better. In the genus Macrobiotus the species difficulty takes another form. There is little external variability. As few of the species have superficial processes there is little difficulty of the sort we have in Echiniscus. Variability is seen in the coloration — the animal may be colourless when young, and highly pigmented when old ; in the claws — the amount of union of the pairs may vary considerably ; in the rods of the pharynx — the first rod, next the gullet, may be a long one, or divided into two shorter ones, and the " comma " may be present or absent ; in the eyes, which may be present or absent. Some of these differences are known to be dependent upon age. The limits and value of others are not definitely known. Two forms of Macrobiotus may differ in two of the most important characters used in discriminating species (claws and pharynx for example), yet the range of variation of each of these characters, taken separately, is wide enough to embrace both forms. Whether it is likely that two or more characters would vary simultaneously, to the extreme extent, in animals which are of the same species, we cannot tell. If it were so specific distinctions in the genus would to a large extent break down, and we would have only a few species, representing the principal types of claws recognised (hufolandi, oberhiiusem, dispar), or of eggs (the hufelandi type, the hastatus type, and the smooth eggs). Another difficulty with Macrobiotus is that series of species agree so closely in all the characters of the adult that they cannot be distinguished with certainty, and it is necessary to find the egg before a species can be identified. These series of closely 94 J. MURRAY related species only occur in tliu groups which lay spiny eggs, or at least the eggs are only of value in that group. Now the eggs do not show the characteristic processes while they are in the body of the parent, and once they have been deposited there is nothing to indicate their relation to one animal or another. The actual act of deposition can rarely be observed. While the eggs are still soft and their shape readily distorted by the pressure of the enclosing membrane, and of adjacent eggs, the processes are often already formed, and if the membrane be ruptured, the external pressure being removed, the turgidity of the egg causes it to assume its proper shape, and the processes then stand out. The opportunities for completing an identification in this way must be casual and uncertain, and it is oftener possible to find an egg in which the young is so well grown that it shows the distinctive characters of the adult. While many species are only distinguishable by their eggs, the converse occurs. Quite distinct species have eggs exactly similar, or so nearly alike that identification cannot be certain. These facts show the necessity there is for making an exhaustive study of each species whenever the opportunity offers, and the danger there is that species will be multiplied to no good purpose, if such study is neglected. Bibliography. — Throughout the text references to the bibliographical list are made in heavy type enclosed in brackets. Tables of Species. — In the lists of species given to illustrate distribution there was some difficulty in presenting the facts concisely. To classify the records of Tardigrada broadly the world was divided into nine great regions, one for each of the five continents, for Australasia, and for the Antarctic and Arctic Regions. As regards these eight divisions the classification is obvious and natural enough. The ninth division (Oceanic Islands) was introduced to receive a lot of scattered records, not otherwise provided for. This is not satisfactory, as the islands are so scattered. Those which lie near continents are included with them, the others are all slumped together. It is a makeshift which may serve for the moment. Greater accuracy is not called for till a more comprehensive survey of the distribution of all the Tardi- grada is attempted. I have given all the records I could find, but many may have been overlooked. Some discrepancies may be found between the number of species for any one region given in different tables. This is due to the fact that many records were added from time to time after the tables were first compiled, and it could hardly be hoped that no errors would occur in collating so many tables. In dealing with each country the local distribution is treated with more detail, and in addition to the nine main divisions of the earth's surface there may be given a column for such adjacent regions as may be supposed likely to show some relation- ship. Thus with the Antarctic a sub-Antarctic area is distinguished. ANTARCTIC TAEDIGRADA On collecting Antarctic Tardigrada. — The methods employed in collecting the fresh-water organisms in general have been detailed in Part I. of this volume, and need not be repeated here. The water-bears were collected among the vegetation in the lakes, and also among moss. They came next in importance after the Rotifers, but not on account of being numerous in species. They were conspicuous in the lakes from the great abundance of one species (Macrobiotus arcticus), which occurred in numbers comparable with those of the two Bdelloid Rotifers, Philodina gregarict and Adineta grandis. Two species were got in the lakes. The same two occurred among moss, with two others. Priestley collected moss on the west side of Macmurdo Sound, at the Stranded Moraines. It contained three species, one of which was not known at Cape Royds (M. polaris), and one species found on Ross Island (M. oberhtiuseri) did not occur at the Stranded Moraines. All the Tardigrada were collected between 77°30' and 78°S.lat. No Tardigrada were found among the mosses collected by Professor David about 2 degrees farther north. Summary of previous knoivledge. — The water-bears are better known than any other group of Antarctic fresh-water animals. Half a dozen papers on the subject have appeared, most of them by Professor Richters. The first mention I can find of an Antarctic Tardigrade is by Richters, who in 1904 (31), in his preliminary report on the Antarctic Moss Fauna, described a species (Macrobiotus antarcticus) found by the German " Gauss " Expedition on the Gaussberg, a hill on the Antarctic continent, and just within the Antarctic Circle. This was the only truly Antarctic species recorded in that paper, the other ten species being from islands in the southern ocean. In 1906 there appeared the report on the Tardigrada collected in the South Orkneys by Bruce's Scottish Expedition [Murray (15)]. These islands are truly polar in climate, although lying outside the Antarctic Circle and distant from the continent. Fifteen distinct species were found, but owing to the condition of the specimens it was only possible to name six of them, three of which were known and three were new. Richters' full report on the Tardigrada of the Gauss Expedition appeared in 1907 (35). It made no addition to the list of Antarctic species, though it extended the list of species known from the islands of the southern ocean to seventeen. 95 96 J. MURRAY In 1907 (36) Richters published also a summary of all that was known of Ant- arctic Tardigrada, including the results of the work of the German, Scottish, and Swedish Expeditions (although the report on the last had not then appeared). He gives a list of twenty-three species recognised, and mentions fifteen others which had been imperfectly observed, but he does not in that paper discriminate between the Antarctic and the sub- Antarctic species. The Tardigrada of the Swedish Expedition were described by Richters in 1908 (38). In a table at the end of this paper he enumerates ten species from the Antarctic Region proper. Adding one species collected by the Scottish Expedition and one by the German, we have a total of twelve Antarctic species recognised and named, besides many insufficiently studied. Lastly, in 1909 (40), in a short note in the Zoologischen Anzeiger, Richters noted three species found in moss collected by the National Antarctic Expedition, under Captain Scott, in S. Victoria Land. Only one of these was sufficiently studied, \ and was found to be a new species, and described as Macrobiotus meridionalis. There were thus thirteen species recorded for the Antarctic. We collected only four species, but ,of these three were new to the Antarctic and one was new to science. The full list of the Antarctic species, with their relation to sub- Antarctic and other regions, will be given in tabular form at the end of this paper. LIST OF SPECIES Macrobiotus arcticus, Murray. M. oberhauseri, Doy6re. M. polaris, sp.n., Murray. Diphascon alpmum, Murray. Diphascon or Macrobiotus^). NOTES ON THE SPECIES GENUS — Macrobiotus, Schultze (42) Macrobiotus arcticus, Murray (19) (Plate XIV. Figs. 2a—2f) Specific characters. — Large : young hyaline, adult pigmented. Teeth strongly curved ; gullet narrow ; pharynx shortly oval, with two short rods, the second shorter, and no comma. Claws large, of the Diphascon type, one pair with nearly equal claws, united for some way above the base, the other pair with a very long claw springing from the back of a shorter thick one. Egg oval or round, thick- shelled, studded with short rods which are embedded in a hyaline substance. Dark eyes. ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADA 97 As M. arcticus was originally described from an egg containing the young ready to hatch, and the adult had never been seen, it is here redescribed from adult examples. The principal differences are that the rods in the pharynx are longer in the adult (they are nearly round or quadrate in the young), and that it acquires a brown pigment like that of M. hnjelandii. Detailed description. — Length 500 /u. and upwards. The young is perfectly hyaline, and has the long claws as slender and bristle-like as those of M. oberhciuseri. The long claws become a little thicker in the adult. They are strongly curved towards the tip, which is not the case with oberhauseri, The gullet is narrow, and is expanded at the end in the pharynx into a prominent thickened flange. In the adult the rod nearest the gullet is between three and four times as long as broad— the second rod is a little shorter, three times as long as broad, or rather less than that. The stomach is voluminous : about a dozen of its component cells are visible in dorsal view. They are filled with large granules of a brownish colour, and there are deeper brown patches. About the middle of August many were observed which had the stomach green or deep blue. Macrobiotus with blue stomach has been noticed in Scottish lochs and in the Arctic. Four unripe eggs have been seen in the body at once. The eggs are spherical or very shortly oval, 96 p. in diameter. The thickness of the shell is about 5 or 6 n, but varies considerably. The eggs often appear to be viscous, and have much adherent material : some are quite clean and don't seem viscous. It may be that they are viscous when first laid, and become hard afterwards. Habitat. — In nearly all the lakes about Cape Royds and Cape Barne, extremely abundant. It was the first water-bear which we found. On March 15 we obtained it, and also eggs, among dried vegetation on the ground. This had doubtless originated in a lake. It was most abundant in Coast Lake, where we could always get great quantities. In Blue Lake on July 17 it was found alive at the bottom, on a thin pellicle of vegetation under 1 5 feet of ice. In the experiments made to test the vitality of rotifers, many water-bears of this species were present with the rotifers. They endured equally well exposure to the greatest Antarctic cold, and repeated freezing and thawing, at weekly intervals, for months. They were not subjected to heat. After being kept dry for a year, and conveyed on a voyage through the Tropics ' to England, no adult animals revived, but the eggs retained their vitality and some jx<* hatched out, and were exhibited at the Quekett Microscopical Club by Mr. >• Scourfield. M. arcticus appeared to be a thorough pond-dweller, and was never found among mosses at Cape Royds. Nevertheless, in mosses which Priestley brought from the BEIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL I O 98 J. MURRAY Stranded Moraines, on the west side of Macmurdo Sound, they were plentiful, and there were many eggs. These eggs differ from those got in the lakes, but not enough to cause us to regard it as a distinct species. They are smaller and much thinner-shelled. The shell is so thin that the rods which traverse it are scarcely longer than broad. They do not seem viscous. The animal does not differ at all. The thinner-shelled eggs may be summer eggs. The distribution of M. arcticus is peculiar. As far as our meagre knowledge goes it is confined to the polar regions, but an egg of the thin-shelled form has been got in a Scottish loch, and a similar egg, but smaller, in tropical Africa. In various countries visited on the homeward voyage (New Zealand, Australia, Canada) an animal was found which is almost certainly this species, as it has all the characters of the adult, but as no eggs were found there is a certain doubt about the identification. M. arcticus has only one near relative, M. hastatus, Murray (18), an inhabitant of peat-bogs. Several Macrobioti are now known which have claws of the Diphascon type, but only these two species have the peculiar eggs, studded with rods. Macrobiotus polaris, sp. n. (Plate XIV. Figs, lo-le) Specific characters.— Large, hyaline, or old examples somewhat pigmented. Gullet of intermediate width : teeth curved : pharynx shortly oval, with apophysis, and three short rods and comma in each row. Claws slender, of hufelandi type, very unequal, and united less than half-way. Eggs spherical : processes from polygonal bases, varying from round to acuminate, separated by polygons of equal size to their bases. Dark eyes. Detailed description. — Length, up to 800 /x- The egg measures 75 M in diameter, exclusive of the processes, and about 85 M over the rounded processes, or 95 M over the pointed ones. A young one squeezed out of an egg was 250 /JL in length, which is a very large animal to come from such a small egg, but it may have been slightly elongated by pressure. The animal is somewhat narrow and elongated. The gullet is about 4 n wide, with parallel sides, and bent out to form a narrow flange at the end in the pharynx. The pharynx measures 36 M by 30 M- The three rods are of nearly equal length and are rounded at the ends. They vary in length, according to age, from 1^ to 2|- times as long as broad. The stomach is narrowed at both ends, and consists of numerous cells, about twenty being in view at one time. The fat-cells are small, 5 or 6 M in diameter. The body-fluid in old animals is pale yellow, the stomach sienna-brown. The claws are unusually slender for a large animal of the hufelandi group. The lesser claw of each pair is little more than half as long as the larger one. Only one supplementary point could be seen on the long claw. ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADA 99 The egg is extremely variable. It is one of the "areolate" type (see M. areolatus, p. 167). The shell appears to be double, and the enclosed space is divided into a number of equal cells or chambers by septa which appear on the surface as a hexagonal reticulation. From certain hexagons, at equal distances apart, the processes spring. They are separated by one hexagon. They vary greatly in form. Some are rounded at the top and appear as semicircles in optical section : others are conical and acute : others again acuminate, with slender points. The turgidity of the processes causes pressure upon the surrounding hexagons, and thus interferes with the regularity of the reticulation. Sometimes the processes appear wrinkled or shrunken at their bases, when they may become smaller than the intervening polygons. . Habitat. — Among moss collected by R. E. Priestley at the Stranded Moraines on the west side of Macmurdo Sound, very abundant, eggs also numerous. After being dry for more than a year, several adults were found alive when the moss was moistened on February 15, 1910. Some eggs were hatched, thus completing the life- history of the animal. M. polovris has affinities with a great many species forming what may be called the hufdandi group. Most of the species are characterised by eggs having very distinctive characters, but it must be admitted that several of them could not be recognised with certainty, unless the egg were found, and its relation to the animal demonstrated by hatching or otherwise. It is not one of the species nearest to M. hufelandii, which have very wide gullets. It is only necessary here to point out the characters in which it differs from those species which have somewhat similar eggs. The nearest relative is perhaps M. ineridionalis , Richters (40), with which I at first identified it. Professor Eichters' figure does not give all the details necessary to separate the species, but he informs me in a letter that the processes of the egg are hemispheres with a small discoid projection on top, and that the surface is not reticulate in the manner described above. This form of egg I know as occurring on Scottish mountains, and it is quite different from M. polaris. M. echinogenitus and M. areolatus have the claws joined near the base only : the former has not a reticulate shell, and the latter has a much larger egg and no comma in the pharynx. M. montanus (nee p. 116) has the processes hemispherical, almost touching at their bases, and the surface not reticulate. M. harmsworthi has the processes acuminate, and close together on the shell, which is not reticulate. Macrobiotus oberhciuseri, Doyere (2) As an Antarctic species this is only known from a single example, found in moss from the High Moraines at Cape Royds, January 1909. A photograph of the animal from life is shown in Part 2 of this volume, Plate III. Fig. 11. 100 J. MURRAY The animal is strongly pigmented, of the characteristic colour, and is smooth all over, not papillose as in many examples from tropical regions. GENUS — Diphascon, Plate (23) Diphascon alpinum, Murray (14) (Plate XIV. Fig. 3) It has been pointed out by Professor Richters that the southern representative of D. alpinum is not precisely like the type as found on Ben Lawers in Scotland. The Antarctic form has a comma in the pharynx, in addition to the three rods. The comma is not noticed in the original description or figure, but at that time I do not think the comma had begun to be taken notice of as a serious character. In the Antarctic examples the three rods do not increase in size so much from first to third as in the type, and the claws appear to be relatively larger and more slender. All these differences do not justify the separation of a new species without fuller study. At Cape Royds D. alpinum was much less common than M. arcticus. It was present in a good many of the lakes and ponds, but was never abundant, perhaps most so in Terraced Lake, Cape Barne. It was first found in Blue Lake on March 27, 1908, and in that lake, on July 17, a skin with three smooth oval eggs, very probably of this species, was got at a depth of 15 feet, on a thin film of vegetation which covered the stones on the bottom. One example measured 200 /j. in length, but that was undoubtedly a small one, though I have no measurements of any larger. The type was 250 /* long, and some examples from the South Orkneys were 360 /x in length. At Cape Royds it was never found among moss, but at the Stranded Moraines it did occur. There also three eggs were found in a skin. It is now recorded for Spitsbergen and Canada. There are no notes as to the " comma " in these countries. Diphascon (?), sp. (Plate XIV. Fig. 4) A small animal, of which only one example was found, is referred doubtfully to the genus Diphascon, to which it technically belongs, having a slightly elongated gullet, and claws of the Diphascon type. The animal is smooth and hyaline. It measures 300 M in length. The teeth are small, and curved strongly outwards towards the furca. The gullet is of moderate width. It is about twice as long as the teeth. The pharynx is shortly oval and contains two rods in each row of thickenings. The end of the gullet in the pharynx is expanded into a broad flange, to which the apophyses are attached. The ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADA 10] first rod (nearest the gullet) is about three times, the second about twice as long as broad. There is no "comma." The claws are of the Diphascon type, but the longest claw is less in excess of the others than usual. The lesser pair has one claw considerably longer than the other. The eggs are unknown ; eyes were not seen ; there are no notes about the stomach or fat-cells. The animal is not sufficiently studied for identification. Although technically a Diphascon, there is some reason to think that it is a sport of a Macrobiotics. It will be noticed that, apart from the elongated gullet, the teeth and pharynx are very like those of M. arcticus (Fig. 26). As that species also has claws of the Diphascon type, there is little to separate the two. The elongation of the gullet is less than in any Diphascon except angustatum, and the portion between the bearers and the pharynx did not appear flexible. A similar slightly elongated gullet is known in an animal having claws of the dispar type, and therefore certainly no Diphascon. Found among dried vegetation, probably of lake origin, which also contained M. arcticus and its eggs. REMARKS ON THE ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADE FAUNA. The Antarctic is defined for the purposes of this paper as comprising the whole Antarctic Continent, not excepting the small part which lies outside the Antarctic Circle, and such islands lying off the coast as enjoy a similar frigid climate to that of the continent itself. It is a region where the summer temperature of the air is never very far above freezing-point. The sea is for the most part permanently of a tem- perature somewhere between the freezing-point of fresh and that of sea water. It is a desolate and inhospitable region, presenting a remarkable contrast to the North Polar region, which has a relatively genial climate in latitudes several degrees higher than any in which biological studies have been attempted in the south. So far as known there is no life in the Antarctic except on or very near the coast. The remotest living thing recorded for the Antarctic is probably the Lichen obtained by Captain Scott at an altitude of 5000 feet in the Western Mountains. This is a remarkable occurrence. The summer climate there is like the winter polar climate on the coast. The occurrence of Penguins 80 miles from the sea is an altogether different case, as they could not live there. Like the men who saw them they were provisioned and clothed for a journey to a distance from their base. So hardy are the Lichens that one wonders whether there may not be some on the bare rocks of Mount Hope or the Cloudmaker. If one had time on such journeys for such things, and if a keen- eyed lichenologist were of the party, it is not unlikely that he would detect some stains which no one else would recognise for Lichens. 102 J. MURRAY I Tardigrada we would not expect far inland. As far as moss could exist water- bears might be expected. At present none is known south of latitude 78°. So few are the Tardigrada of Victoria Land that it is hardly worth while entering into any discussion of general questions concerning their origin and relationships. Taken in conjunction with the Tardigrada of other parts of the Antarctic, altogether making the modest total of sixteen identified species, it may be better worth while to discuss such questions. The whole circuit of the Antarctic Coast has only been touched (for purposes of biological study) at three points in its many thousands of miles : at Graham Land, at the Gaussberg, and at South Victoria Land. The Graham Land region, including the Islands, lies entirely outside the Antarctic Circle ; the Gaussberg is almost on the Circle ; Victoria Land is far to the south. The region round Graham Land is best known. Some half-dozen expeditions have visited it, but only the Scottish and Swedish have published reports on the Tardigrada. It is hoped that Dr. Charcot's recent expedition will afford material for further study of the Tardigrada of this region. There is undoubtedly a fairly rich Tardigrade fauna in the region lying south of Cape Horn. The other two points of the continent examined are very poor in Tardigrada. In Victoria Land, Ross Island is reckoned as part of the continent. Though technically an island, permanent ice or snow joins it with the mainland. In the following table a list is given of all known Antarctic species, with their distri- bution in the three Antarctic localities, and their general distribution over the world. The list includes sixteen species, but many others are known to exist, at least in the islands. There are three species of Echiniscus, one of Milnesium, nine ofMacroliotus, and three of Diphascon. Seven of these species are known to be widely distributed over the world : they are, E. arctomys (?), M. tardigradum, M. echinogenitus, M. oberhausen, D. chilenense, D. alpinum, and D. scoticum. Three species are not yet known outside the Antarctic, but the adjacent lands are too little known to permit us to build anything on the restriction. The species are E. meridionalis, M. meridionalis, and M. poZorts. Two species are only known in the southern hemisphere. M. furciger is common in the Antarctic region south of Cape Horn, and in the adjacent sub- Antarctic localities of Tierra del Fuego and South Georgia. On the other side of the world it occurs in New Zealand, where it is found in both the principal islands, and in the North Island attains to a sub-tropical latitude. M. asper is only found in the Antarctic to the south of Cape Horn and in the neighbouring South Georgia. Three species appear to have a bi-polar distribution. E. wendti is in both polar regions, and is also recorded for Germany and doubtfully for Scotland.* M. arcticus is in both polar regions, and is also doubtfully recorded for New Zealand, Australia, * It has now been found (September 1910) on the summit of Snowdon, in Wales. ANTARCTIC TARDIGRABA 108 Africa, Scotland, and Canada. M. antarcticus is in the South Polar region, and though not yet known in the Arctic, it comes pretty near to it in Sweden, where it has recently beeii found by Carlzon (1). The other six bi-polar species are cosmopolitan, or very widely distributed. DISTRIBUTION : LOCAL AND GENERAL,, OF ALL KNOWN ANTARCTIC TARDIGRADA. Antarctic Sub-Antarctic a ? rc H CQ Q B o ^ Q o ^ • 43 ^ w ^ « -^ , ^ 'f:. H4 o o u 00 3 J a "^ *£ so that the species evidently, like E. mutabilis, grows after attaining to maturity. The eggs measured 50 ^ in length. The species was described by Richters (37) in the same year (1907) in which we collected it. It was only known in New Zealand till 1909, when I obtained it in Australia, and later a variety in Hawaii. This ^variety (see p. 151 and Plate XIX. Fig. 35) completely links E. novcezeelandice with E. mutabilis, as the dorsal processes on V. are reduced to mere angles on the posterior margins of the plates. The figure (Plate XV. Fig. 5) shows the forked process and little lateral cones (d), although these peculiarities were not observed in New Zealand. The figure is from an Australian specimen. Habitat. — North Island, Waitakerei Range, north-west of Auckland ; South Island, Mount Cook district, elevation 2000 to 3000 feet ; shore of Lake Wakatipu at Kingston. There are only about a dozen species in that section of the genus which has segments V. and VI. separate. It is only necessary to compare E. novcezeelandice with those which have processes on the posterior border of V. (third pair). Of these there are three : E. islandicus and E. borealis have numerous spines and seise, E. imberbis has a long seta at d, and a dorsal spicule over c. A species from the Canary Islands, figured but not named by Heinis (8) has the spines of V. precisely like those of E. novcezeelandice, but it has setse c, d, and e. •B: SPECIES HAVING SEGMENTS V. AND VI. COALESCED Echiniscus gladiator, Murray (12) We did not find the type of the species, but the variety exarmatus, Murray (18), was got in moss brought by Drs. Mackay and Michell from an elevation of about 5000 feet on Mount Wakefield, in the Mount Cook district of the South Island. This spineless variety was previously known only in the Shetland Islands. Professor Richters got the type from Bare Island, close to the coast of the North Island. There is one character, by which E. gladiator and its variety exarmatus may be distinguished from all other species, which has not been referred to in the descriptions J. MURRAY or shown in the figures. The paired plates meet in the middle line only close to the anterior border, and gape behind. A pair of plates, showing the gap, is figured among Canadian Tardigrada below (Plate XX. Fig. 51). Echiniscus velaminis, sp. n. (Plate XV. Fig. 6) Specific characters. — Size moderate ; plates nine, two pairs, two median, surface with fine irregular pits, very large on the last (lumbar) plate ; c, d, and e are setae, d shorter, e very long ; dorsal setse over c and d ; fringe of few large blunt processes ; claws all without barbs. General description. — Length 270 ^ seta a 75 n, c 125 /x, d 80 M, e 250 /* ; setee d has sometimes a short curved spine at its base. None of the plates has the surface markings interrupted by lines or bands. The markings are fine on all the plates except the last, where they are very coarse. They are very unequal in size, and look like perforations. The teeth of the fringe are very few in number (5 or 6), and are large and very obtuse. There is a blunt palp at the base of the fourth leg. Habitat. — Among mosses from the Nun's Veil Mountain, Mount Cook district, elevation about 6000 feet ; collected by Dr. Mackay. Remarks. — E. velaminis belongs to that group of species which have segments V. and VI. (Kichters) united, and which possess one or more long lateral setae in addition to the one (a) at the base of the head, which is present in all known species. Though there are no species in that group so near as to require careful discrimination, it will be necessary to compare it with a considerable number of species, many of which are very insufficiently described. Several species have the same number of lateral setae, but they are differently arranged, and there are other distinctions. E. testudo has the setae a, b, c, and e, the dorsal setae over c is lacking, and the " fringe " has many smaller teeth. E. blumi has'setae a, b, c, and d, and the outer claws are barbed. E. crassus has setae a, b, c, and d, e is a blunt process, the fringe has small blunt teeth, and the surface is coarsely granular. E.filamentosus has setre a, b, c, and e (as in testudo), and on each side, according to Plate, two dorsal spines over the second and one over the third leg. E. muscicola has setae also, a, b, c, and e, and there is a long dorsal seta over c, but none over d. Several species have one lateral seta more than velaminis, besides other differences. E. creplini has small spines near the bases of setae b, c, and d ; E. quadrispinosus and E. scrofa have some of the plates sub-divided, and the fringe with many sharp teeth. A number of species have one seta less than velaminis, and differ in other respects. E. bellermanni has small spines at the postero-lateral angles of the segments ; E. merokensis has the outer claws barbed ; E. longispinosus lacks seta e, and has the fringe of slender spines ; E. meridionalis has d a spine, and a dorsal spine over it ; E. granulatus has the dots real granules. The forked or double seta of velaminis is reminiscent of E. aculeata (23), but TARDIGRADA: NEW ZEALAND 113 according to Plate the forked process should be c, there are no lateral setae except a, and there is no mention of fringe. I do not consider forked processes as of any specific importance. They occur as " sports " in various species, and very often only the process of one side is forked. The lateral processes, c and d, are those most commonly forked. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate 1TV. Fig. 7) Size moderate, 220 ^ in length ; plates nine, V. and VI. joined, two pairs, two median. Lateral processes, a, c, d, e — a a seta 120 M long, c a seta of 90 M, d and e short curved spines of 20 n. Dorsal processes, over c a seta of 90 n. Lack of information about surface texture, fringe and claws, makes identification impossible. Habitat. — Among the moss Thuidium at the Hermitage, Mount Cook. No affinity with any known species can be suggested. There is no species which has c a long seta, and d and e short spines. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XV. Fig. 8) Very small, length 130 M ; plates nine, V. and VI. joined, two pairs, two median. Lateral processes, a, c, d, e — a a curved seta, 50 p. long, with a small blunt "auricle" at its base, c and d short curved spines of 10 and 15 M, e a curved seta of 70 M. The fringe of the fourth legs has short blunt processes. The claws were not seen. The surfase markings were small and regular, but could not be definitely stated to be either pits or papillae. The posterior borders of the second paired plates and of plate VI. between the slits, showed an undulation like that of E. perarmatus (20) so that in all likehood the dots are papillae. This little animal has a very distinctive form. The paired plates have an anterior narrow portion forming a distinct roll, which shows on the outline, and the posterior edge diverges widely laterally. No other species besides perarmatus shows the dots on the edge of some of the plates. It is very probably a distinct species, but the small size indicates that it may be a larva, and as the claws were not seen the study cannot be completed. Habitat. — Among New Zealand moss, note of the locality lost. There is no close relationship to any known species. In this section of the genus there is none which has a and e long setae, and c and d short spines. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XV. Fig. 9) Small, length ISO/*; plates nine, V. and VI. united, two pairs, two median. Lateral processes, a, c, d, andV- « a curved seta of 70 M, c a long slender spine of 50 M with bulbous base, d a short curved spine of 25 /&, e a seta of 65 /*• Dorsal BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. Q J. MURRAY processes — over c a broad -based curved spine of 35 /j. — over d triangular process 12 /a. long and 6 M across the base. There are no notes as to surface markings, fringe, or claws, and so the species cannot be identified. Habitat. — Among moss from the hills at Lyttelton, South Island. The animal has a certain resemblance to E. oihonncB. The relative proportions of the processes a, c, d, and e are similar, and the dorsal processes correspond. It differs in lacking process b and the small spicules at the angles of the plates. Milnesium tardigradum, Doyere (2) Found in several localities in the three principal Islands (North, South and Stewart Island). The short claws of several examples which were studied had three points each, except those of the first legs, which had two points each. The cyst was found in Mount Cook district. It was of oblong form, with rounded ends, and measured 230 ^ in length. The gullet and pharynx were present, but no claws or other recognisable organs. One specimen from the Lyttelton Hills had the thick claws of the first legs unbranched, those of the last legs three-pointed, and of the second and third legs some with two and some with three points. Ascends to an altitude of 5000 feet on Mount Wakefield, Mount Cook district. Genus — Macrobiotus, Schultze (42) A: SPECIES WHICH LAY ROUGH EGGS, FBEE Macrobiotus hufelandii, Schultze (42) The commonest species in New Zealand, as in most other countries. It occurred in all three islands. Wherever I have recorded M. hufelandii it is on the authority of Professor Richters, who has established Schultze's name for the water-bear which is commonest in Europe, and apparently almost everywhere else. Schultze's own description is insufficient to allow of the identification of the animal with any certainty. The characteristic egg has been regarded as the best character for identifying Richters' hufelandii, but it is now known that other species have similar eggs (M. hufelandioides, see p. 138). Macrobiotus furciger, Murray (15) Habitat. — Near Auckland, North Island; shores of Lake Wakatipu, South Island. Identified by the eggs. TARDIGRADA: NEW ZEALAND 115 This is one of the most interesting species found in New Zealand. Its distribution is peculiar. So far as our knowledge goes it is solely a southern species. It is found in a number of islands in the Cape Horn region, from Tierra del Fuego to the Antarctic Continent at Graham Land (Richters, 38). It was discovered by the Scottish Expedition in the South Orkneys. New Zealand is the lowest latitude recorded for it. Its known range is from about 36'30° S. (near Auckland, N.Z.) almost to the Antarctic Circle. It has been considered as a southern representative of M. hufelandii. In most of the localities it is not associated with that species — it takes its place — only in New Zealand and Tierra del Fuego have the two species been found together. A peculiarity in its distribution is its absence from the Victoria Land region of the Antarctic, though it is so abundant on the other side of the continent. Macrobiotus echinogenitus, Richters (27) In the South Island only. As we learn more about Tardigrada it appears that there are several species which have stellate eggs, more or less resembling those of M. echinogenitus, some of them probably not to be distinguished from them unless they contain well grown embryos. The separation of some of these (for example, M. areolatus and M. harmsivorthi) makes it easier to understand M. echinogenitus itself, which formerly seemed to vary to such an extent that it was difficult to get a clear conception of it. M. areolatus, and some related species not yet described, have eggs the surface of which is reticulate. The shells are double-skinned and the space between is divided by septa into hexagonal chambers. From these hexagons the processes spring, at such distance apart that they are always separated by the width of one cell. M. harmsivorthi has the egg processes close together, and the claws united as in M. hufelandii (Richters). The true M. echinogenitus has the egg-shell without reticulation, the conical processes almost or quite close together, and the claws joined at the bases only. Further study is necessary to clear up the whole group satisfactorily (see p. 89, footnote). Macrobiotus harmsworthi, Murray (19) South Island and Stewart Island. The egg cannot be distinguished from some forms of those of M. echinogenitus. In examples from the Mount Cook district the identity was established by finding eggs in the body, which, when freed from the enclosing membrane, showed the dose-set acuminate processes. 116 J. MURRAY Macrobiotus montanus, sp. n. (Plate XV. Figs. lOa-lCkZ) Specific characters. — Large, brown ; gullet wide ; pharynx with three short rods and a " comma " ; claws of hufelandi type, united for half their length, those of each pair equal and placed side by side, but only one with a strong supplementary point ; egg spherical, covered with hemispherical processes, which almost meet at their bases. Detailed description. — Length about 500 M and upwards : diameter of egg, over the processes, 75 to 80 M. Old examples are deeply coloured with a dull brown pigment similar to that of M. hufelandii. The claws are thick and strong, and are nearly equal : in most species of the hufelandi group they are more or less unequal, often markedly so. The gullet is wide, and the teeth strong and curved ; the end of the gullet in the pharynx expands into a prominent flange, beyond which the apophyses are fixed. The three thickenings in the pharynx are just about equal in size ; they are twice as long as broad, and are rounded at the ends ; the " comma " is rather an obscure one. Habitat. — Among moss gathered by Dr. Mackay on the Nun's Veil Mountain, in the Mount Cook district, South Island, at an elevation of about GOOO feet, on the occasion when that peak was ascended for the first time, December 1907. Remarks. — M. montanus is one of a large group of species, closely related to M. hufelandii. All of them possess wide gullets and strong teeth. The pharynx has either three distinct rods, or the two next the gullet are united, usually showing traces of their component rods. The claws are united for a considerable distance, usually half-way or more, and one of each pair has one or two supplementary points. The eggs are spherical and are ornamented with processes of various form. The majority of the species have eggs very different from those of M, montanus. It is only necessary to compare it critically with one or two species which approach it very closely. Those are M. meridionalis, Richters (40), and M. polaris, Murray (see the preceding section on Antarctic Tardigrada in this paper, p. 98). According to Professor Richters, M. meridionalis has the processes on the egg nipple-shaped, which he explains in a letter as being a hemispherical base surmounted by a narrower portion. This form of egg I know from the Scottish mountains, though we did not find it in the Antarctic. The egg of M. polaris differs markedly from both. The surface of the shell is reticulate, like that of M. areolatus (see Canadian Tardigrada, p. 167 of this paper). The double shell encloses a series of compartments, showing as polygons at the surface. From certain polygons arise the processes, at such distance apart that they are separated always by one polygon. The processes vary from round to acuminate. The polygons are relatively much smaller than in M. areolatus. M. polaris has moreover, much more slender and very unequal claws, and the gullet is relatively narrower. M. montanus was found to be alive after the moss containing it had been TARDIGRADA: NEW ZEALAND 117 dry for two and a half years. Only a small proportion of the individuals revived when the moss was moistened. The relation of the egg to the animal was demonstrated by the presence in some of them of young in which the pharynx and claws could be seen. Eggs of Macrobiotus having close-set processes, nearly or quite hemispherical, have been figured by Richters and myself. In his " Eier der Tardigraden " (32), Plate V. Fig. 4, Richters figures one such as apparently a variety of M. echinogenitus. In "Scottish Alpine Tardigrada" (14), Plate IH. -Fig. 10, I show an egg which in all probability is that of M. nwntanus. A similar egg occurred in Nova Zembla, and is figured in "Arctic Tardigrada" (19), Plate XLV. Fig. 4. According to Doyere (2), confirmed recently by Richters in a letter, M. ober- hiiuseri has an egg of similar form, with rounded processes. Macrobiotus intermedius, Plate (23) In many localities in the South Island ; Hills at Lyttelton, Otira Gorge, near Lake Wakatipu ; Mount Cook district, at an altitude of 5000 feet on Mount Wakefield ; near Auckland, North Island. The eggs were found near Lyttelton. They had not the typical top-shaped processes, expanded upwards. They were narrower at the top, like truncate cones, of a height equal to the breadth of base, and with a very slight indication of expansion at the top. The processes were separated by spaces rather greater in diameter than their bases. The exposed surface of the shell between the processes was finely papillose. Professor Richters informs me in a letter that he knows a variety of M. inter- medius which has processes very like those of M. hufelandii. This variety I have also seen (see Australian Tardigrada, p. 139, in this paper). The variety from Lyttelton is like it, but the processes are shorter, and not expanded into a disc above. Macrobiotus dispar, Murray (16) Habitat. — Many localities in the South Island ; a pond on the Moraine of the Miiller Glacier ; on the Vegetable Sheep (Haastia), Mount Wakefield, elevation about 5000 feet; on the Nun's Veil peak, elevation 6000 feet (collected by Dr. Mackay) ; among tree-moss from the moist bush of the west coast. The simplex condition also occurred. It is curious that, though usually dwelling in ponds, the species occurred only once in a pond in New Zealand. In all other instances it was got among moss, or moss-like vegetation (Haastia). The examples from the Nun's Veil had the two dorsal processes of the type, which are often lacking. 118 J. MURRAY B : SPECIES WHICH LAY THICK-SHELLED EGOS, WITH EMBEDDED RODS Macrobiotus an- liens, Murray ? (19) Habitat. — Mount Cook district, South Island. In the absence of the egg there is some doubt about the identification. The claws are of the Diphascon type. Apart from M. oberhduseri, which is easily distinguished by the colour and the pharynx, there are very few species having claws of this type, and M. arcticm is the commonest of them. C : SPECIES WHICH LAY SMOOTH EGGS IN THE CAST SKIN Macrobiotus nodosus, Murray (20) Habitat. — Near Gisborne, North Island ; Macquarie Islands. The species was collected by the expedition in the Macquaries, but it had been previously found in moss from Gisborne, given to me by Mr. D. J. Scourfield. Its distribution is peculiar. It is known in Africa, New Zealand, the Macquaries, and Fiji. Macrobiotus sattleri, Bichters (26) Habitat. — Hills beside Lake Wakatipu, South Island. Macrobiotus papillifer, Murray (12) Habitat. — On Myriophyllam in a torrent fed by melting snow, Black Birch Creek, Mount Cook district, South Island. Macrobiotus ornatus, Richters (24) Habitat. — Among bog-mosses, near Birch Hill Creek, and Myriophyllum, Black Birch Creek, Mount Cook district. In the latter place a cyst was found. Macrobiotus annulatus, Murray (12) Habitat. — Birch Hill Creek, and in the bush of the west coast, near Westport, South Island. At Birch Hill Creek it was abundant, but it was never seen carrying the eggs in the characteristic way. The examples from Westport had the papillae very small. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XV. Fig. 12) Macquarie Islands. A large species with claws of the Diphascon type. It could not be identified because it was in the condition known as simplex (i.e., it had no TARDIGRADA: NEW ZEALAND 119 teeth and no rods in the pharynx). It is pretty certain that it is distinct from all known species. The position of the pharyngeal bulb indicates that it is a Macrobiotus, not a Diphascon. There are only a few species having claws of the Diphaacon type, and none of them have such strong claws as this animal. They more resemble those of some of the larger northern species of Diphascon, such as D. spitzbergense (27). The length was 550 /*. Diphascon chilenense, Plate ? (23) (Plate XV. Figs. 11«, lib) This species is noted from the Mount Cook district and from Stewart Island. It is recorded as doubtfully D. chilenense on account of the characters of the claws, which appear to be intermediate between the true Diphascon and the hufelandi types. The two pairs are not very unequal in size, and the claws of each appear to be united for some distance above the base. As the animal was a very small one, and the claws relatively very small, it could not be satisfactorily determined whether the structure of the larger pair was essentially that of the Diphascon type, which is shown in Fig. 12 on the same plate. The pharynx (Fig. lla) has four round nuts in each row of thickenings, besides the apophyses on the end of the gullet. This seems to be one more than in any other Tardigrade, unless we regard the fourth nut as homologous with the " comma." Plate figures four nuts, but does not show the apophysis. The example here figured was obtained by Dr. Mackay from a height of about 6000 feet on the Nun's Veil, a peak nearly 9000 feet high. Diphascon alpimtm, Murray (14) South Island only (Otira Gorge). Though discovered in Scotland, the species is best known as a southern and Antarctic species. It occurs on both sides of the Antarctic, on the Continent at Graham Land, on the adjacent islands, and also in Victoria Land. Diphascon scoticum, Murray (11) In Stewart Island only. The species is found in both Polar Regions and in several places between. In the north it attains a high latitude in Spitsbergen and Franz- Josef Land. In the south Richters has found it in Possession Island (recorded as D. crozetense), and in the South Shetlands. It is also in Australia, Hawaii, and Canada. REMARKS ON THE TARDIGRADE FAUNA OF NEW ZEALAND Its composition. — For a country of such extent, so isolated, and offering such a variety in climate and conditions, the Tardigrade fauna appears poor in species, and 120 J. MURRAY remarkably deficient in peculiar forms. It cannot, of course, be supposed that our knowledge of the fauna is nearly adequate to permit of definite conclusions on such points, but it might be expected that in an examination extending over two months, during which a great variety of localities were visited, we would have detected signs of a rich fauna or of peculiar forms, if the fauna were rich or peculiar. Further work may yet bring such forms to light. Altogether 25 species were observed, of which 21 were identified. These were 4 species of Echiniscus, 13 of Mctcrobiotits, 1 of Milnesium, and 3 of Diphascon. The unidentified species were 3 of Echiniscus and 1 Macrobiotus. Two species, an Echiniscus and a Macrobiotus, are described as new species. About one-half of the species are common and widely distributed. The others are in varying degrees local, and several have a very peculiar distribution. The accompanying table of local and general distribution shows the relation of the Tardigrade fauna to that of other parts of the world. DISTRIBUTION : LOCAL AND GENERAL Australasia New Zealand 05 5 OQ HI 02 03 t— t m Ed d 3 j Ed , 0 0 o d H *""* E-i K JH w AH «jj o s w o EC M tf o Ed Ed H K EH I O H 0 Si Ed ). In Honolulu the eggs were found. Skins with eggs were even smaller than the Australian examples, so it may be supposed that these were full-grown. The peculiar faceting of the lumbar plate, so well marked in Canada and Hawaii, was not observed in Australia, but the two specimens studied were not in favourable condition for observing such characters. The species may be easily distinguished from all others yet known by the small size, large seta a, divided median plates, lack of red colour, and of trefoil. The name intermedius does not indicate that the animal is supposed to be truly intermediate between the two great divisions of the genus (those having V. and VI. fused, and those having them separate). It shares some of the characters of both, without being genetically intermediate. E. intermedius belongs to a small group of species which have no dorsal or lateral processes after the seta a at the base of the head. There are about a dozen forms in TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 131 the group. All of them differ conspicuously and need not be compared in detail. It is enough to say that no one of them has the median plates transversely divided, except the variety exarmatus of E. gladiator. That has large barbs on the inner claws of the fourth leg, the paired plates gape behind, and there are other points of difference. Echiniscus spiniger, Richters (28) (Plate XVII. Fig. 24) Habitat. — Among moss from the bush at Eumundi, Queensland. This Australian animal is identified with Richters' species, despite some small differences, which do not appear to be very important. Richters' type has the four lateral spines, b, c, d, and e, nearly equal, and from 30 to 36 p. in length ; the dorsal process over c is a seta of 51 M, and that over d a curved spine of 48 M. The Australian form has the spine b shorter, of 8 to 10 /j. in length ;. c, d, and e of about 30 M ; the dorsal spines over c and d are short, of only 10 to 15 /«. The dorsal processes vary greatly in size, and may be absent. Many species vary in the same respect. The teeth or spines of the fringe on the fourth legs are obtuse. The barbs of the inner claws of the fourth legs are very strong, and are placed farther from the base than in most species, resembling those of E. gladiator. The plates are marked with very fine pellucid dots. Richters says nothing as to the granulation. Unfortunately Richters gives no figure of his species, but his description is such that the positions of the spines and setse can be definitely known, and a diagram of the animal can be constructed from it. Echiniscus duboisi, Richters (25) (Plate XVII. Figs. 19-20) Two varieties of this species occurred in Australia, neither of them agreeing closely with the type. That has the four lateral spines, b, c, d, and e, short, nearly equal, and finely spinulose ; the dorsal spines smooth. Description of the Australian varieties. Variety 1 (Fig. 19). — Size moderate, length about 250 M, exclusive of the legs. Seta a is 80 ^ in length, and the " auricle " at its base is elongate (about 15 n in length). The four lateral spines are of different lengths — b is 25/u long, c 46 n, d 50 M, and e 40 M, but they vary considerably in different individuals. The dorsal spine over c is very short (12 M), and is smooth. It is inserted nearer the median line of the body than the postero -dorsal angle of the plate. The spine over d is 50 M long, flat, and serrate on both margins. There are two median plates, and a dotted band behind the second pair, which may be reckoned as a plate or not. The dots on the plates, which Ricliters describes as coarse granules, seem in our specimens to be pits or perforations, irregular in size, and some very large. Each plate of the pairs is divided into two parts by a broad plain baud, ou which there are no dots. The spines of the fringe on the fourth leg J. MURRAY are narrow, acute, curved, and are separated at their bases. There are no outer or inner barbs on the claws. Variety 2. — Smaller, length 190 M. Seta a not seen (only dead skins were examined). The three lateral spines (b is absent) are nearly equal, of 30 to 40 M. They are usually strongly curved, and they bear few (three or four) large spinules, which are also curved. The dorsal spines over c and d are of similar length to the lateral spines. They are broad and flat, and are irregularly serrate or merely erose on the margins. The dots on the plates are like those of variety 1. There is no note of the crossing of the paired plates by a plain band. Fringe and claws were not seen. The middle lobe of the trefoil of the lumbar plate seems marked off from the anterior portion by a narrow band, interrupting the granules. This may be merely optical, as it often happens, when this part of the plate forms a panel set at an angle to the rest of the plate, that the thickness of the plate is seen in optical section, marked by two parallel lines. Habitat. — Variety 1 common in the Blue Mountains and in Queensland ; variety 2 Queensland. The Australian varieties differ from the type in having the dorsal processes also serrate. Variety 1 is nearer the type ; variety 2 lacks spine b. Echiniscus blumi, Eichters (27) (Plate XVI. Fig. 14) Habitat. — Australian Alps, several examples. Agreeing in the main with Eichters' figure, there are some small differences of no great importance. I saw no third median plate, but that may often be hidden by :he pair in front. The dots, which appear to be granules, are smaller and closer. Che lumbar plate is not divided right across, as in Eichters' figure, but simply divided by two slits into a trefoil. In this respect I believe Professor Eichters now agrees with my interpretation. Some of the setae in the example figured have little curved branches, which I have seen in no other species except an undescribed Antarctic one. The straight spines on the outer claws of the fourth legs vary from one to three in number, as I have previously observed in E. granulatus. The largest example measured 400 M in length, exclusive of the fourth legs. Echiniscus oihonnce, Eichters ? (27) (Plate XVII. Fig. 21) There are several points of difference from Eichters' type which render this identification more than doubtful. The lateral process c is reduced to a long spine : the dorsal process over d is elongated into a sharp spine of moderate length ; the spicules at the bases of b, c, d, and e, were not observed. In the aggregate these characters are of some weight, but the most important one (the lack of spicules) is TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 133 very difficult to be sure about, and I do not feel justified in separating a new species on a mere difference in the relative proportions of two processes. In a subsequent chapter in this paper, on Canadian Tardigrada (p. 163) another form is recorded doubtfully as E. oihonnce. Its divergence from the type has taken quite another direction. On any estimate of specific values these two extreme forms (the Canadian and the Australian) cannot be regarded as one and the same species, but we must learn more about the extent and the^ limits of variation among Ecliinisci before we shall know what to make of them. Description. — Length 250 ,«, exclusive of legs; seta a 130 M, & 36 M, c 50 M, d 60 M, e 150 M. Mouth cirri long and palps large. Dorsal processes, over c a seta of 120 M, over d one of 30 n. Plates nine, two pairs, two median. The dots are of moderate size, and appear to be pits. They are uniform in size and regularly spaced. The lumbar plate is trefoliate and divided into four facets, of which the posterior one shows obscure subdivision into two. The spines of the fringe are triangular and acute. The claws are large (actual measurement not noted) and the inner ones have de- curved spines (barbs) a little way above the base. Habitat. — Among moss, Australian Alps near the southern border of New South Wales, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XVI. Fig. 18) A large red animal (the figure is drawn from a small individual) with no dorsal processes. Plates nine, V. and VI. united, two pairs, two median. Lateral processes four setse, a, c, d, and e, each 100 M to 150 M or even more in length. Auricle at base of seta a exceptionally long (about 15 M), palp near mouth very large. The markings on the plates are larger and smaller dots, which look like perforations. Each of the paired plates is divided into two dotted areas, separated by a plain undotted band. The fourth legs have a fringe of sharp spines, and the inner claws have small decurved barbs. The texture of the plates, and the interruption of the paired plates by a plain band, are exactly as in E. duboisi (Plate XVII. Fig. 19) and E. spinulosus (Plate XIX. Fig. 38). These characters may be common to many species of Echiniscus, but species have not usually been examined with sufficient attention to the markings of the plates. The absence of dorsal processes is probably not a constant character. Habitat. — Australian Alps, New South Wales, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. The lateral setse are the same in number as in E. testudo and some related species, but they are ft, c, d, e, instead of a, b, c, e. E. velaminis has exactly the same seta; (Plate XV. Fig. 6), but differs in having two dorsal setoe at each side, in not having the paired plates divided into two dotted areas, in having the auricles small, and no barbs on any claws. J. MURRAY EcUniscus sp. ? (Plate XVII. Fig. 25) A small animal resembling that figured on Plate XVI. Fig. 18, and having the same number of lateral processes, but having also one dorsal seta on each side. The lateral setae are a, c, d, and e. They differ greatly in length. The seta a is 50 /x in length, c is 30 n, d 150 M (equal to the whole length of the body), e 70 /*. The dorsal seta is over c and measures 50 M. The plates are marked with obscure dots, the nature of which could not be made out. The fourth legs have a fringe of sharp spines, and the inner claws have decurved barbs of moderate size, which are farther from the base than usual. Colour pink. Habitat. — Australian Alps, New South Wales, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. This animal has some resemblance to E. oihonnce, but it lacks the process b, and it has c a spine and d a long seta, whereas oihonnce has c the seta and d the spine. It also lacks the lateral spicules of oihonnoe,. EcUniscus, sp. ? (Plate XVII. Fig. 22). A large animal with two very long setae on each side, in addition to seta a on the head. There are nine plates, V. and VI. united, two pairs and two median. The dots are large circles of uniform size and close together. The lateral setae are a, b, and c ; b and c are about 170 /x in length. Over c there is a dorsal seta also of 170 n ; over d there is a flat spine of 25 M in length by 6 to 9 M across the base. An empty skin measured 270 /u in length by 140 M in breadth. The fringe has six to eight blunt rounded processes. There are no barbs on any claws. This animal may be compared with E. muscicola, Plate, and E. spitsbergensis, Scourfield. Plate's description (23) is very meagre, and takes no account of the fringe, the barbs of the claws, or the surface texture of the plates. The setae are a, b, c, and e, and over c there is a long dorsal seta. Our animal lacks seta e, and has an additional spine over d. Eichters (35) adds to Plate's description, noting the nature of the granulation, and that the inner claws are barbed. His description of the granulation fits our animal. When you focus high on the dots they appear as circles with central points ; when you focus deeper they become hexagons. Scourfield's description of E. spitsbergensis (45) is better, and he gives a figure. It has four seise, a, b. c, and d ; it has a flat triangular process over d ; the inner claws are barbed, and there is a fringe of rounded processes. This Australian animal stands near to both E. muscicola and E. spitsbergensis, from the latter of which it only differs by one pair of setfe and the lack of barbs on the inner claws. Habitat. — Australian Alps, New South Wales, altitude 5000 to GOOO feet. TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 135 Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XVI. Fig. 1C) Small; plates nine,V. and VI. joined, two pairs, two median. Lateral processes — a a curved seta of 50 /x ; d, a strong curved spine of 50 n. Dorsal processes — over c a strong curved spine of 30 /*. Dots of moderate size, regularly spaced. Fringe dentate, with few small points. Inner claws with somewhat strong decurved barbs. The length is 200 ju, exclusive of the legs. - The nature of the dots is not apparent, whether granules or pits. The colour is red. Habitat. — Australian Alps, New South Wales, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. It is unlike any known species, but it is probably immature and might acquire other processes as it grows. Echiniscus, sp. ? — larva (Plate XVII. Fig. 23) Description — Small, length 120 p., exclusive of legs. Plates 9, V. and VI. united, two pairs, two median. Dots of moderate size, very regular, and appearing to be granules. Lateral processes — a and e, a a seta of 36 p., e a curved spine of 18 M. Dorsal process — a short curved spine of 8 M over d. There is a fringe of small triangular teeth, and the claws of the fourth legs have large decurved barbs. Habitat. — Among moss from the bush at Eumundi, Queensland. It is usually impossible to assign a larva of Echiniscus to the species to which it belongs, although when a species occurs abundantly, without admixture of other species, and larvae are found with it, there is a presumption that they belong to it. Some larvae of species having very distinct characters (such as E. gladiator and E. reticidatus) can be recognised without difficulty. In this case no suggestion can be made as to the species. Oreella, gen. nov. (Plate XVIII. Fig. 26) Generic characters. — Head with ten processes, as in Echiniscus ; body soft, not protected on back and sides by plates ; teeth, pharynx, and claws as in Echiniscus. Oreella has the soft body of a Macrobiotus, with the teeth, pharynx, claws, and processes on the head as in Echiniscus. Minor differences from typical Echiniscus may be of merely specific value, and will be noted in the description of the only species at present known. Oreella mollis, sp. n. (Plate XVIII. Fig. 26) Specific characters. — Small, hyaline, back and sides papillose ; setae at base of head long, springing from the summits of large narrow conical processes, which also bear a little below the summit long narrow palps ; cirri near mouth with small conical bases ; anterior pair of processes narrow cones ; the palps reduced to small 136 J. MURRAY hemispherical papillne ; no eyes ; trunk terminating posteriorly in little median process ; legs long, obscurely three-jointed ; without fringe ; claws all similar, without barbs ; stomach brownish. General description. — Length, up to 230 M ; the teeth are very short, and the pharynx nearly as broad as long. The processes on the head and mouth correspond in number and position with those which characterise Echiniscus, but they differ in several respects. In Echiniscus each of the principal sette (or horns) of the head has at its base a separate triangular or oblong palp (or auricle). In Oreella this palp is borne near the summit of the papilla from which the seta springs. In Echiniscus the four processes near the mouth are all alike cirri, with minute conical bases ; in Oreella the anterior pair are not cirri, but narrow cones. The palps seen in dorsal view between the two pairs of cirri are here reduced to very small papillae. The body papillee are low and rounded. They might be regarded as the rudiments of the armour-plating, but they are not confined to definite areas, except that they do not extend on to the ventral surface. Each leg consists of three joints, of which the first and third are short, and the middle one longer. The feet are slightly webbed, a membrane joining the bases of the claws. Beneath the skin an obscure irregular areolation is seen. The stomach consists of a few large cells, which contain darker brown spots. No mature eggs have been seen, but in some examples there appear to be two very young eggs, with granular contents. Though in all essential features except the armour-plates very close to Echiniscus, there are several little points in -which it differs from all known species of that genus. These are, the modification of the anterior pair of processes near the mouth, the elevation of the auricle on the same papilla which bears the seta a at the base of the head, the absence of eyes, and the little median " tail" which terminates the body. Its movements are very slow. Habitat.— Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, altitude about 3000 feet. It was found in moss which had been dry for about a year. When moistened about fifteen examples were found, of which only a few regained activity. Most of the genera of Tardigrada are closely related to the genus Echiniscus. Though no other genus may have the elaborate armour-plating which protects Echiniscus, all of them but Macrobiotus and Diphascon possess some of the numerous palps and cirri which adorn the head of Echiniscus. Several genera (Halechiniscus, Battilipes, Oreella) have the armature of the head almost identical with that of Echiniscus. Other genera have the processes more or less modified, or reduced in number (Microlyda [ = Lydelld], Echiniscoides, Tetrakentron, Milnesium). Milnesium, which departs furthest from Echiniscus, has eight palps on the head which may be regarded as homologous with eight of the ten processes of Echiniscus. In Echiniscus itself the processes may be reduced in number, though any departure from the normal number is very rare. All the exclusively marine genera, five in number, are related to Echiniscus. All TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 137 of these have some spines on the body which may be homologous with the lateral and dorsal processes, especially two at the posterior extremity which appear to be the most constant, and are probably homologous with seta e of Echiniscus. Even in the genus Macrobiotus certain species (M. dispar, M. aculeatus, and perhaps the group of species related to J/. tuberculatus) have dorsal processes in pairs, which may be homologous with those of Echiniscus. Oreella is nearer to Echiniscus than any of_the other genera. It has all the ten processes occupying the same positions, and only slightly modified in detail. The teeth, pharynx, and claws are all as in Echiniscus. The only important difference is the lack of the armour-plates. GENUS — Milnesium, Doyere (2) Milnesium tardigradum, Doyere (2) Common in all the districts visited, in New South Wales and Queensland. Milnesium is the most thoroughly cosmopolitan of all Tardigrada. In the Australian Alps a skin was found which contained ten eggs, each measuring 104 n in length. GENUS — Macrobiotus, Schultze (42) A : SPECIES WHICH LAY ROUGH EGGS, FREE Macrobiotus hufelandii, Schultze (42) The commonest Tardigrade here as in most other places. Found in all the localities visited ; eggs equally common. Macrobiotus echinogenitus, Richters (27) (Plate XVIII. Fig. 30) At Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, elevation 2000 to 3000 feet. Macrobiotus areolatus, Murray (19) At Katoomba in the Blue Mountains ; only eggs seen. This species, which was regarded as a variety oi'M. echniogenitus, is described as a species among the Canadian Tardigrada in this paper, as in Canada material was got for a study of the egg, the young, and the adult. It can be identified from the egg alone. Macrobiotus harmsworthi, Murray (19) (Plate XVIII. Fig. 31) In the Australian Alps, near Mount Kosciusko, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. Not to be identified with certainty from the adult alone or from the egg alone. It is necessary to find an egg containing a well-grown young, or an adult with ripe eggs in the body. In this instance the young was found in the egg. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. T 138 J. MURRAY Macrobiotus hufelandioides, sp. n. (Plate XVIII. Figs. 29a-29c) Specific characters. — Small. Claws of hufelandi type, very thick, the larger one of each pair with two strong supplementary points. Teeth slender, curved or bent. Gullet slender. Pharynx shortly oval, with three short rods in each row of thicken- ings. Egg-processes conical with expanded discoid tops. Detailed description. — Length, 350 /" and upwards. No figures noted for larger examples. The teeth are slender, and taper very gradually. They are bent at a very obtuse angle just after emerging from the guides, and again more abruptly near the furca. The gullet is scarcely more than one-third of the relative width of that of hufelandii. The three rods in the pharynx are about twice as long as broad, and have rounded ends. They are of nearly equal size. The first one, though clearly distinguishable from the apophysis, is apparently closely attached to the end of the gullet. There is no comma, or a very small and obscure one. The stomach is brown, with darker brown patches. The fat-cells are 8 to 10 M in diameter. There are two dark eyes. The claws are very stout and strong ; the lesser one considerably shorter than the other. Eggs were found in the body which, when squeezed out and freed from the surrounding membrane, were found to have processes like those of the typical hufelandii egg. The processes taper from a broad base, which is surrounded by a circlet of dots, and are abruptly expanded at the summit into flat discs. No eggs were found which contained embryos, but the establishment of the relation of the egg to the animal was made in the more satisfactory way. If an embryo with a slender gullet were found in an egg, apparently of hufelandii, it might be supposed that the young of that species had the gullet more slender (although I believe this is not so). When the eggs are got in a mature adult, however, there is no such doubt. The species occurred in two localities in the same district, confirming the first observations. Habitat. — Australian Alps, near the southern border of New South Wales ; at the Creel, altitude about 3000 feet, and on the summit of a peak near the Hospice on the road to Mount Kosciusko, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. The combination of an egg exactly like, and claws sufficiently like, those of M. hufelandii, with slender teeth and gullet, distinguishes the species from all others. It is impossible to say whether it is really very close to M. hufelandii, or has acquired the characters in which it resembles it independently. All the closest relations of M. hufelandii have very wide gullets and thick powerful teeth. One form of M. inter- medius, which is not at all closely related to M. hufelandii, has similar egg-processes. It has been known that some forms of M. hufelandii could not be positively distinguished from allied species, and the egg had to be relied upon for their separation. It was supposed that the egg, with its disc-topped processes with their basal circlets of dots, was unmistakable. TARDIGIiADA: AUSTRALIA 189 There must now be added this additional worry to the troubles ot the student of water-bears, that when he finds an egg of the hufelandi type, he must get an embryo in order to complete the identification. Macrobiotus occidentalis, Murray ? (Plate XXI. Figs. 54a-54e) (See Canadian Tardigrada, p. 169 in this paper) In the Australian Alps there occurred, at an- elevation of between 5000 and 6000 feet, an animal closely related to that which is described under the above name in a later section of this paper, if it is not identical with it. It is a large animal of yellow colour, with dotted skin. The skin is double, with a clear fluid circulating between the layers. In the type this fluid contains numerous thin, hyaline rectangular plates, which are absent from the Australian form. There is a comma in the pharynx. The species was described among the Canadian Tardigrada, as the eggs were found there, and the stud)' completed. No eggs like the Canadian ones were found in Australia. An identical water-bear was got in Hawaii (see p. 155 and Plate XIX. Fig. 39.) The curious distribution will be discussed in the Canadian section of this paper. Macrobiotus intermedius, Plate (23) Habitat. — Eumundi, Queensland. This species is one of a group of three, very closely related, and most readily distinguished by their eggs. M. intermedius has an egg with short blunt processes. In the typical form these are expanded from narrow bases, and are thus somewhat top-shaped. Another form of egg is like a miniature of that of M. hufelandii. The processes taper from the base and are surmounted by disc-shaped or saucer-shaped expansions. The egg of M. crassidens has very long slender processes, that of M. aculeatus has somewhat similar, but thinner and more scattered, processes. That animal is distinguished by the dorsal processes. Sometimes the processes of the variety having eggs of the hufelandi type are irregularly furcate at the tips, recalling those of M. furciger and M. orcadensis. Macrobiotus crassidens, Murray (20). At Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, altitude 2000 to 3000 feet. Macrobiotus aculeatus, sp. n. (Plate XVIII. Figs. 27a-27e) Specific characters. — Size moderate ; old examples densely pigmented ; skin bearing 2-6 soft white conical dorsal processes in pairs on the segments over the 140 J. MURRAY second, third, and fourth pairs of legs; teeth slender, curved, gullet narrow, expanded in the pharynx ; pharynx nearly round, containing apophysis, three very broad nuts, and an obscure "comma" in each row. Claws of the hufelandi type, slender, unequal in each pair, and united for half the length of the longer one. Egg small, covered with very slender undulate or curved processes, which spring from small conical bases, and are separated by interspaces greater than their own diameter. General description. — Considered as one of the smaller Macrobioti, though individuals occasionally attain to a very considerable size. Length of an ordinary example about 300 /u. Only the very large individuals are strongly pigmented ; those of moderate size are generally nearly colourless except in the stomach. The pigment is not in bands. There are usually two small dark eyes, but they are sometimes absent. The nuts in the pharynx are often broader than long. The first appears to be closely united to the gullet, though distinct from the apophysis. The dorsal processes can be seen in the young squeezed out of the ripe egg. M. aculeatus is very closely related to M. crassidens, Murray (20), and to M. intermedius, Plate (23). The spines distinguish it from these species. It has no close affinity with M. papillifer, Murray (12), and M. sattleri, Eichters (26), which have somewhat similar spines. They belong to a different section of the genus. The close relationship to M. crassidens is further indicated by the similar egg. They are of almost identical size, but that of M. crassidens, which has been recently discovered in Africa, has spines with larger bases and no spaces between them. Habitat. — Among moss ; the type with six spines in the Australian Alps near Mount Kosciusko, at an elevation of 5000 to 6000 feet ; a variety with only the last pair of spines (Fig. 27e) at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Macrobiotus dispar, Murray (16) Habitat. — Ponds in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney. One of the two aquatic species obtained, the other being M. augusti. B: EGGS WITH THICK SHELLS, ENCLOSING EODS Macrobiotus arcticus, Murray? (19) Habitat. — Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains. Without the egg the identification of M. arcticus cannot be absolutely certain, but the animal agreed in all other characters with this species. It measured 300 P. in length, the claws were of the Diphascon type, the gullet was slender and expanded in the pharynx, which contained two rods of nearly equal length and about 2|- times as long as broad, and no " comma." TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 141 C : SMOOTH EGGS LAID IN THE CAST SKIN Macrobiotus sattlcri, Richters (26) Habitat, — Tree-moss, Eumundi, Queensland. Professor Richters neither describes nor figures the pharynx of this species. He probably found it in the " simplex " condition. The structure of the skin is very distinctive, and taken in conjunction with the divergent claws there would seem to be little difficulty in recognising the species, without considering the pharynx. There is reason, however, to believe that more than one form has skin like sattleri and also divergent claws. One of them is figured in Scottish Tardigrada (18) Plate IV. Fig. 2G/;. The Australian form has a different pharynx. There are two rods — the one next the gullet about two and a half times as long as broad, and slightly constricted in the middle, making two equal lobes ; the second about twice as long as broad. There is no " comma." The claws are unequal, and are joined at the bases only. They diverge at less than a right angle. The long claw of one pair is longer than that of the other, and has a small supplementary point. Eyes are present. Macrolnotus papillijer, Murray (12) Habitat. — Among moss from the Australian Alps, altitude 5000 feet, New South Wales. Macrobiotus rubcns, Murray (17) Habitat. — At Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, altitude between 2000 and 3000 feet, abundant. It was not seen alive. The fat-cells still retained the red colour. The largest example measured 450 ju in length. No comma was seen in the pharynx, but it is often difficult to see in dead animals. The distribution of the species, so far as known, is peculiar. Discovered in India (17) at an elevation of 6000 feet, Professor Richters afterwards found it in Ascension and Sumatra (39). It now reappears in Australia, where the eggs as well as the adults were found. Macrobiotus augusti, Murray (18) Habitat. — Ponds in the public parks, Sydney 142 J. MURRAY D : EGGS UNKNOWN Macrobiotus virgatus, Murray ? (Plate XVIII. Fig. 28) See description in Canadian Tardigrada, p. 173, and figure (Plate XXI. Figs. 55a-55c). The Australian form is not fully studied, but it agrees with the type in the important characters of the pharynx and claws. The teeth are straight for three- quarters of their length, then very abruptly bent outwards. There is some individual variation in this respect. The pharynx possesses a minute comma, which is not noted for the type. There are no eyes, while the type has eyes. There are no notes as to the colour of the Australian examples. Habitat. — Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XVIII. Figs. 32o-32c) Description. — Large, 450 M in length. Gullet slender ; teeth slender, abruptly bent towards the furca. Pharynx shortly oval, with two rods in each row, and no comma. The first rod is twice as long as the second, and about four times as long as broad. The claws are V's, or more properly U's, united at the base only. The pairs are unequal, and one claw of each pair is longer. The longer claws have two fine supplementary points. Each foot has a prominent boss near the extremity. The skin is finely granular. Habitat. — Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales. This appears to be a very distinct specieSj but till more specimens are examined, and the eggs found, it is not desirable to name it. Plate figures such bosses on the legs of M. oberhauseri. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XVIII. Figs. 33a-33c) A small animal, resembling M. hufelandii in claws and pharynx, yet with several points of difference. Description. — Very small ; the example studied measured only 120 /m in length. The gullet is wide, and has a very prominent rim on the end in the pharynx. The teeth are strongly curved. The pharynx is shortly oval, and has two rods in each row and no " comma." The rod next the gullet is about three times as long as broad, the second rod about twice as long as broad. The claws are slender, and are united for rather more than half their length. The two claws of each pair are slightly unequal. Eyes are present. Habitat. — Eumundi, Queensland. Although very similar to M. hufelandii, the characters of the pharynx are 01 some value. It would be necessary to find the egg in order to settle the position of the animal. TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 143 Genus — Diphascon, Plate (23) Diphascon chilenense, Plate (23) In the Australian Alps near the borders of New South Wales and Victoria, altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. Diphascon scoticum, Murray" (11) Synonym. — D. crozetense, Richters (35). At Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, elevation 2000 to 3000 feet, frequent. REMARKS ON THE AUSTRALIAN TARDIGRADE FAUNA Its composition. — Thirty-one species have been recognised and named, but a good many others have been observed, though they could not be named. The list includes eleven species of Echiniscus, one of Milnesium, two of Diphascon, sixteen of Macrobiotus, and Oreella, a new genus. This Tardigrade fauna shows many peculiarities. It is, of course, very imperfectly known, but taking the facts as they stand, the following are points of interest. Though much less carefully worked than New Zealand, the Australian list is longer than the New Zealand one. It presents much greater peculiarity. Only about half the species are common or widely distributed. There is one interesting generic type, somewhat intermediate between Echiniscus and Macrobiotus, at present unknown elsewhere. There are six new species, of which five are as yet only known in Australia, and there are several the distribution of which is very restricted or very peculiar. The list is the longest one compiled for any one country during the expedition. In Australia we got 38 species, of which 31 were identified. Canada comes next with 31 species (23 identified), then New Zealand with 25 species (21 identified). The subjoined table shows the distribution of the Australian water-bears over the world, in 13 columns, 4 for the principal localities visited in Australia, and 9 for the rest of the world. The local distribution is remarkable on account of the very little indication there is that the species are to any extent generally distributed in Australia. No fewer than twenty-three out of the thirty-one species occurred in only one of the four localities visited. Those localities certainly offer very different climatic conditions. The contrast between the cool moist mountain-tops of the Alpine region at elevations of from 5000 to GOOO feet above the sea, and the low-lying parched bush of sub- tropical Queensland, is very great. The Blue Mountain region is of intermediate character, and it was in it that the greater number of the species, and the most peculiar species, were obtained. That the distribution is very local, even in any one district, is clearly shown by our experience in washing the moss. For a long time 144 J. MUMRAY DISTRIBUTION : LOCAL AND GENERAL Australia a Q SH •4 H £ '{, 5 s J o M 0 ti 4 o d H M J^ ^ 3 3 en M 3 CM ^ o o Q X 0 g 1 m H a H t— i o X ™ i o BD -rj o 9 H 2 02 <} H ^, z ^ H "s M M < b 9 * 5 "A co 5 O Echiniscus mutabilis X X X X X X — — X X X X — E .Tjiovcezeelandice .... X X — — • X X — — — • — • — — — E. pufoher ; — — • X — — — — — — — — — — E. arclomys '(?)*. • — • X — — — X • — • — X X X X X E. kerguelensis .... — — X — — X — • — — — • — — — • X ^_ E. intermedius .... — X — X — X X . — . — — — — — E. spiniger ..... — — — X — — — — X — — — — E. duboisi — X — X — — • — — — X X • — — E. blumi ..... — — X — — — — — X — — X — E. oihonnce ..... — — X — — — X — X — — X — f\ 77 77 * Ureeaa tnowis ..... Milnesium tardigradum . X X X X X X X X X X X X. X Macrobiotus hufelandii -. X X X X X X X X X X X X — • M. echinogenilus .... — X — — X X X X X X X X X M. areolatus ..... — X — — — X X — X X X X — M. harmsworthi .... — X X — X X X — X — X X — M. hufelandioides .... — . — X — — — — . — — — — — — jl/. occidentalis .... — — X — — X X — — — — — — J/. intermedius .... — X — — X X X X X X X X X J/. crassidens . . . . , . — X — — — X — — . — — X — — M. aculeatus ..... — X X — — — — . — — — — — — JJ/. dispar ..... X — — — X — — X X X — X — 3/. arcticus ..... — X — — X — X X — X X X J/. sattle>-i ..... — - — — X X X X — X X — — — .J/. papillifer ..... — — X — X — — — X — — — — jTf. rubens ..... — X — — — X — — — X X — — .if. august! . . . X — — — — — — — X — — X — M. virgatiis (?) .... — X — — — — X • — — — — X — Diphascon chileneit&e — — X — X — X X X X — X X D. scolicum ..... ~ X ~ ~ X X X X X ~ ~ X X there was very little got in the Australian moss, and then, a year after gathering some little tufts proved very productive. About a, dozen of the species are widely distributed or cosmopolitan. These occur in six or more of the principal columns in the table. Some are more local, and a few have a very restricted range. E. novcezeelandice is at present only known from Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii, E. kerguelensis occurs only in Australia and Kerguelen. Two species, E. intermedius and M. occidentalis, are on both sides of the Pacific, in Australia and British Columbin, and also on islands in mid-Pacific. E. bin-mi is found in Australia, Europe, and the Arctic, E. oi/io/titfr in the same three * All the records of E. arctomys are wrong, except for Australia (see p. 120 and footnote). TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 145 regions, and also in Canada. M. crassidens is only known in Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Africa ; M.papillifer in Australia, New Zealand and Europe ; M. virgatus in Australia and Canada ; M. rubens in Australia, India, and some islands. The list of Australian Tardigrada corresponds with those of other regions in the following proportions: Of the 31 species, 18 are known also in Europe, 16 in the Oceanic Islands, 15 in the Arctic, 14 in N. America, 13 in New Zealand, 12 in Asia and Africa, 7 in S. America and the Arctic. That there is so nearly the same degree of correspondence with such diverse regions as New Zealand, Canada, Asia, and Africa, is an indication of how little proximity counts in determining relationship, and the number of rare species which are common to Australia and various distant countries gives some idea of the com- plexity of the problem of the origin of the Tardigrade fauna of any one land. One-sixth of all the species are peculiar to Australia. This is a large proportion, but a greater number of species, and a much higher proportion of them, are peculiar to Canada. The degree of peculiarity is much higher in Australia than in Canada, as the list includes one new genus, and the species are more strongly marked ones. It is evident that at the present time we know far too little to come to any definite conclusions as to the origin of the Australian Tardigrada, and their interrelationships with those of other countries. BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPBD. 1907~9. VOL. I. TARDIGRADA OF SOME PACIFIC ISLANDS FIJI : ISLAND OF VITI LEVU On collecting in Fiji. — The collecting in Fiji was done tinder unfavourable conditions. The steamer stayed only for a few hours, and there was no time to get advice as to the most suitable localities in the neighbourhood of Suva. It was oppressively hot, and everything seemed burnt up by the sun. I first tried the shore road, skirting a mangrove swamp for some distance, but found no moss or similar plant. Then I made a short tour inland, passing through some banana plantations, and visiting the reservoir. No moss was found in all this round, although some patches of wood were examined. Then, returning disappointed by one of the main roads, I came on a little ditch and a small trickle of water connected with it. A few tufts of unpromising moss, silted up with gritty mud, were got alongside the ditch, and in some scrubby bush bordering the streamlet there were some mosses on fallen trees. This last was the only likely moss for the kind of animals I was seeking, and it was very little in quantity. The moss from the ditch was very different from the " dry " moss which is the happy hunting-ground of the student of " Moosbewohner " (moss-dwellers) ; it was likely to contain only those truly aquatic species which are not accustomed to being dried up periodically, and which were therefore unlikely to survive the long journey which had to be made before they could be examined. Nevertheless, when moistened and examined some months later, these unpromising mosses were found to harbour a considerable number of microscopic animals. These were chiefly Bdelloid Rotifera ; of these were about as many species as we got in Hawaii. There were very few Tardigrada, only two species being identified. The Fiji Islands are situated in the Tropics, 16° south of the Equator, and due north of New Zealand, which is distant about 1200 miles. The nearest part of Australia is about 1500 miles distant. Though so far separated from these nearest considerable masses of land, there are numerous intervening islands which would assist migration, so that some correspondence with the microfauna of Australia and New Zealand would not be surprising. The Tardigrada of Fiji are almost unknown. We identified only two species, the cosmopolitan M. areolatus (a doubtful identifica- tion), and M. nodosus, a species found in New Zealand. Previous knowledge. — I can learn of no previous work on the Tardigrada of Fiji. 147 148 J. MURRAY LIST OF SPECIES Macrobiotus areolatus, Murray ? M. nodosus, Murray. Macrobiotus, sp. ? Macrobiotus areolatus, Murray ? (19) (Plate XIX. Fig. 40) See description of M. areolatus on p. 167 of this paper The identification rests on the egg only, and as the egg is by no means typical there is much room for doubt as to the species. The egg is considerably smaller, measuring only about 70 /* in diameter, exclusive of the spines. M. areolatus measures about 100 n without the spines. The processes also differ in form, being ovate and subobtuse, while those of areolatus type are conical and acuminate. They measure only about 12 n, while those of the type attain to 50 n in length. The surface of the shell, between the processes, is marked by chambers or areoltc like those from which the type was named, but these are more rounded and scarcely polygonal at all. It is on this character that the provisional identification is made. It is more probable that the egg belongs to a related species not yet recognised, perhaps to that found associated with it, and described below (figured on Plate XIX. Fig. 43). Macrobiotus nodosus, Murray (20) The only abundant species in the collection from Fiji. Young and old were seen, and skins containing the reddish brown eggs. One of these, containing three eggs, measured 400 n, the eggs 68 /". The largest animals were as large as African specimens (500 n and upwards). The claws were 30 A* in length. The newly hatched young of 160 ju in length were hyaline and colourless, or very faintly yellow. The characteristic knobs were not developed, and the papillae were wide but very obscure. The pharynx has the thickenings much shorter than in the adult. They are as broad as long, and somewhat quadrate. The empty skins lose the papillae, but show their position by a regular reticulation. Seven eggs were seen in one skin. The occurrence of M. nodosus in mid-Pacific is very interesting. The species is at present known in Africa, New Zealand, and the Macquarie Islands. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XIX. Figs. 43a, A fairly large animal, nearly 500 n in length. It is pigmented with a dull brown colour like that of M. Imfelandii. The teeth are stout and the gullet wide. The pharynx is shortly oval, and contains, besides the apophyses, three short thick rods in each row, and a large comma. The middle rod is a little shorter than the two TARDIGRADA: PACIFIC ISLANDS 149 others. The claws are in pairs, united at the bases only. One claw of each pair is larger. No supplementary points were seen. There are no eye-spots. The pharynx is 40 /* long by 30 /u wide. Having points of affinity with several species (M. echinogenitus, M. areolatus, &c.), the recognition of the egg is necessary for its identification. The strong comma distinguishes it from areolatus, but, as Richters has pointed out, we are not yet sure of the constancy of the "comma." The slight shortening of the middle rod may show some degree of relationship to M. virgatus, a Canadian species (see p. 173 and Plate XXI. Fig. 55). HAWAII: ISLAND OF OAHU Collecting in Ilaivaii. — At Honolulu we remained for twenty-four hours, so that there was a much better opportunity for collecting than we had in Fiji. As, how- ever, we arrived at 5 P.M. it was impossible to get clear of the town before sunset, and serious collecting had to be deferred till next day. The remaining daylight of the first evening was occupied in making a journey by street-car to the Aquarium. On the way some irrigation ditches were seen, and these were visited, and a net thrown in to collect the aquatic rotifers, with lively hopes of getting Trochosphcera, and who knows what else ? A few sweeps of the net filled it with a delightful green slime, of endless possibilities, but alas ! in drawing it out it caught on some spiny twig and was torn, and the contents lost. Next day a start was made in the cool of the morning, before sunrise. Even at that early hour (5 A.M.) a cafe was found open, and by the time breakfast was over the street-cars were running. Knowing nothing of the geography of the country, an electric tram was boarded, which, as luck would have it, conveyed me five miles out, to the foot of a valley on the east of the city. For a mile or two the road ran through the level valley, among farms. A very little stream ran in this valley. It would be only two or three feet across and a few inches deep. None of the water was wasted, each farm or garden using it for irrigation, and letting the overflow pass on to the next. No mosses were seen in this valley till the last of the houses was left behind, when some tufts growing on clay were got on the banks of the stream. The stream was now left and I began to climb up a long spur rising gradually towards a ridge which formed the watershed at the head of the valley. The country was open, with deep grass and occasional bushes. Here, at some little elevation, moss of a likely kind began to appear, first on stones, then on the stems of trees and bushes. Everything was dry and scorched by the sun. As I advanced the bushes became denser and rather troublesome. The moss also became quite abundant and my pockets were bulging with it. There were many kinds of it, but one was dominant. It formed large sheets of a vivid green, with rich autumnal browns in the withered parts. It had all the habit of a pleurocarpous 150 J. MURRAY moss, but the hairy calyptra of the capsules showed it to be a relative of the Ortho- tricum family. It was my intention to go on to the top of the ridge, which seemed but a little way in front, and to descend into the Pali road, which I knew was only a little way down on the other side. Nature did not permit this. As I advanced the bushes became very dense and I got into a zone of ferns. The spur had become high and narrow, with very steep sides and scarcely walking room on the summit. Though there were few prickly bushes the long trailing branches of some of them were very tough and difficult to negotiate. The fern got so dense that it was difficult to part it. This innocent-looking fern appears to be a bracken, not unlike the British kind, which can be obstructive enough on a hill-side. It was all dry and withered, and the pinnules were mostly broken off, leaving only about an eighth of an inch of the base. These fragments of pinnules were strong and_hard, and with their ragged edges they caught and tore the clothing as Smilax prickles would do. At last, not many hundreds of yards from the ridge towards which I was making, the fern was so dense that I never set foot to ground at all, but walked on the entangled fern, a yard or more above ground. It was evident that, at the rate at which I was progressing, if I held on till I gained the Pali road I would miss the steamer, so I turned back by the way I had come. On descending from the spur I struck the stream at a point farther up the valley than where I had left it, and crossed some boggy places where there were plenty of bog Hypna and even Sphagnum. Had it been possible to examine these while fresh there would doubt- less have been interesting additions to the list of species. The trip was successful, judging by the quantity of moss collected, and for more than a year afterwards it continued to yield plenty of microscopic animals. Among them there were more than a dozen species of Tardigrada. The Sandwich Islands are situated in the Tropics, Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu, being 22° north of the Equator. It is the most isolated land visited. The nearest land mass is N. America, the nearest point being 2000 miles distant. Although the numberless islands of Polynesia lie to the southward, there are few islands near the Hawaiian group which could facilitate migration. The microfauna of the group may thus be expected to be of great interest. Previous knoidedge of Haivaiian Tardigrada. — The only reference to Hawaiian Tardigrada with which I am acquainted is in Richters' " Moosfauna Australiens " (37). In moss from Oahu and Hawaii, collected by Professor Schauiiisland in 1896-7, Richters found E. arctomys and M. hufelandii, both in Oahu, the latter also in Hawaii. We found the Macrobiotus again, but not E. arctomys, unless the record of that species refers to the same animal which I identify as E. mutabilis. The matter requires clearing up, TARDIGRADA: PACIFIC ISLANDS 151 LIST OF SPECIES Echiniscus mutabilis, Murray. Macrobiotus hufelandii, Schultze. E. novazeelandice, Richters. M. occidentalis (?), sp. n. E. intermedius, sp. n. M. intermedius, Plate. E. viridis, sp. n. M. crassidens, Murray. E. spimdosus, Doyere. M, oberMuseri, Doyere. E. perarmatus, Murray. Diphascon scoticum, Murray. Milnesium tardigradum, Doyere. Three species not identified (1 Echiniscus, 2 Macrobiotus) Genus — Echiniscus A : SEGMENTS V. AND VI. SEP ABATE Echiniscus mutabilis, Murray (12) The commonest species in Hawaii. The form of Echiniscus recorded below as E. novcezeelandioi has the characteristic dorsal processes so reduced in size that it may be questioned whether it should not rather be regarded as a form of E. mutabilis. At any rate it is a transitional form from the one species to the other, and indicates how closely related they are, although their types differ so conspicuously. Echiniscus novazeelandice, Richters (37) (Plate XIX.) Fig. 35 The form of this species which occurred in Hawaii differs from the typical examples found in New Zealand and Australia in the extreme reduction of the dorsal processes on the third pair of plates. They are mere knobs or sometimes only angles of these plates. Only a few examples were seen. They measured about 240 /* in length, exclu- sive of the legs. The setse a were more widely spreading than usual, and were 60 n long. B: SEGMENTS V. AND VI. UNITED Echiniscus intermedius, Murray (Plate XIX. Figs. 36c, 36d) See description in Australian Tardigrada, p. 129 of this volume, also in Canadian Tardigrada, p. 161 This most interesting little species occurs in Hawaii as a peculiar variety. The type as found in Queensland and the variety found in Canada differ so much that they would be considered as distinct species, were it not for the Hawaiian variety, which is intermediate between them. The type has the plates marked with large but very faint hexagons, the Canadian variety has very fine pellucid dots ; the Hawaiian form has markings of intermediate size, but they are depressions like those of the 152 J. MURRAY type. It is a question whether all three are not distinct species. There is no other Echiniscus which shows such a range of variation of the surface texture. Description. — Small, length about 190 to 220 M. Plates ten, two pairs, three median. All the median divided by transverse lines into two nearly equal portions. Both parts of the first median are dotted. In the second and third median only the front portion was seen to be dotted. The posterior half of the third median is only separated by a faint line from the lumbar plate. The plates of the pairs are each traversed by a transverse furrow, separating anterior and posterior convex portions. It is uncertain if the dots cease in the furrow. The lumbar plate is not trefoliate. It is faceted, having a median and two lateral panels. The surface of the plates is marked with a fine reticulation, regularly hexagonal. This is formed by the margins of contiguous shallow pits, as in E. reticulatus. These are much smaller than in the Australian form of the species. It must be understood that these pits are extremely difficult to observe. To show them by lines in the drawing exaggerates their apparent importance. The seta a, at the base of the head, is relatively long. The smallest example observed, 190 M in length, contained two nearly round eggs 40 p. in diameter. An example of 21 0 i« contained one narrow egg of 50 n by 32 /*. Echiniscus viridis, sp. n. (Plate XIX. Figs. 36a, 366) Specific characters. — Large, stout ; plates ten, three median, two pairs, V. and VI. joined ; colour of plates olive-green, dots darker green, regularly spaced, largest in the centre of the body, and diminishing to the sides ; seta a very short, springing from large conical papilla ; fringe of small teeth ; claws very large, inner with small barbs ; small spine on first leg. General description. — Length, 250 M, exclusive of the large stout legs, claws 25 n long. The plates are very distinct, with clearly marked edges. Only the plates are coloured green ; the interior of the body is of the usual Eclviniscus red. The colour does not affect the bands of skin connecting the plates, but it does extend into the fourth leg as far as the fringe ; beyond that is clear. The dots do not appear as either pits or papillae, but simply as darker patches. They are very regularly spaced, and are separated by spaces of about the same diameter as themselves. None of the plates is distinctly subdivided, but each plate of the pairs is divided into three bands, the anterior and posterior darker, and the one between lighter, with smaller dots. The first median is far separated from the shoulder plate, and near the first pair. The third median is somewhat obscure, being little more than a dotted area with obscure margins, close to the second pair. The claws are unusually large, being about one-tenth of the length of the body, but there are species in which they are still longer (relatively). There is a palp near the base of the fourth leg, and a very short spine on the first leg. TARDIGKADA: PACIFIC ISLANDS 158 E. viridis has been known for many years. The first specimens seen were empty skins, and it was considered unsafe to put any importance on the colour of the dead animals. The colour alone could not be considered of specific value, as it might be due to disease, and could only be regarded as having any weight if the animal showed other peculiarities. These we find in the nature of the dots, the very short head setae, and the very large claws. The animal was first found alive in Hawaii, and it was seen that the plates had the distinctive colour in life, and possessed the other peculiarities which had been noticed in the green skins previously observed. It appears, then, to be a good species, and the olive colour seems to be constant and characteristic. Disregarding the green colour there is no species with which it could be united. There are but few species having V. and VI. joined, and no processes after seta a. E. wendti and E. reticulatus have the seta a very long, and the latter has the surface reticulate and the spine on the front leg very long. E, arctomys has no fringe. E. kerguelensis and E. sylvamis have very fine dots on the plates. E. macronyx (38), which has similar large claws, has the surface finely punctate, and there are no barbs on the claws. The other species of the group differ conspicuously, and need not be compared. Habitat. — Among moss from the bush near the City of Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Sandwich Islands. Previously found at the margins of two Scottish lochs (Ness and Morar). The dots on the plates vary somewhat in size, though always large ; the figure shows them of the largest size. Echiniscus spinulosus, Doyere (2) (Plate XIX. Fig. 38) Although differing from Doyere's species in one important point, viz., that the two dorsal processes, over c and d, are small spicules instead of long spines, I do not feel justified in making this Hawaiian form a distinct species. The dorsal processes vary more than any others in relative size. In a large series of specimens of E. duboisi, a species closely related to this one, and like it having only spines on the body, I have seen the dorsal processes vary from spicules to long spines. As the Hawaiian examples have some distinct characters, not noticed in Doyere's description, a full description is here given. These are in the surface texture of the plates, and have been insufficiently attended to in descriptions of species. Description. — Size moderate, length 250ft exclusive of the legs. Plates nine, two pairs, two median. The surface texture is very striking. The dots appear very distinctly as perforations, some large and some small, with irregular wide spaces between. On each plate of the pairs the dots are confined to two areas, separated by a plain band on which there are no dots. The anterior area, along the border of the plate, is narrow, the posterior area occupies more than half the plate. BK1T. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. X 154 J. MURRAY In front of the second median plate, from which it is separated by a plain band, and close to the edge of the first pair, there is a narrow dotted band. There is a similar band behind the second pair of plates, which I have not considered as a median plate. These bands, and the separate dotted areas on the paired plates, recall the intercalary plates of Bichters' E. scrqfa and E. quadrispinosa (26) and are doubtless of similar value. The lumbar plate is trefoliate and faceted, having four principal panels of which the posterior one is obscurely divided in two. The spines of the fringe on the fourth leg are short triangles. The decurved spine of the inner claws is somewhat large and far from the base of the claw. The oval eggs are about 80 M long, by 60 f* wide. Two or three are laid in the skin. Australian varieties of E. duboisi have precisely the same surface texture, and the same subdivision of the dotted area of the paired plates. This confirms the close affinity of the two species. Such peculiarities of surface texture must not be given too much weight in separating new forms from old, as there can be little doubt that they have been generally overlooked. Echiniscus perarmatus, Murray ? (20) Identified from a mutilated skin, having none of the spines or setse. The plates with dots of two kinds, the broad plain band at the posterior margin of the paired plates, and the papillae showing on the very edge of the lumbar and median plates, are all characters unknown in any other species, or at any rate not combined in any species. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XIX. Fig. 37) A small animal, probably immature, which could not be identified. Several examples were seen. Description. — Length 125 p, exclusive of the legs. Plates nine, two pairs, two median ; dots fine, regular, nature doubtful. Lateral processes — a and e, a a seta of 50 , e a curved spine of 12 n, sometimes lacking. Dorsal process — over d a short curved spine of 6 /*. On fourth leg a fringe of small blunt teeth. All claws without barbs. Lumbar plate trefoliate. It is needless to make any comparison with other species, as the animal appears to be young and incompletely developed. Genus — Milnesium, Doyere (2) Milnesium tardigradum, Doyere (2) The branched claws had, some three, some two points. TARDIGRADA: PACIFIC ISLANDS 155 Genus — Macrobiotus, Schultze (42) A : SPECIES HAVING KOUGH EGGS Macrobiotus intermedium, Plate (23) Identified from an egg which contained a well-developed young. The egg had the typical top-shaped processes. It was, however, not spherical but shortly oval, measuring 60 by 50 n over the spines. The pharnyx contained three quadrate nuts in each row, the first apparently united to the gullet, but distinct from the apophysis. Another elliptical spiny egg occurred in Hawaii (Plate XIX. Fig. 416). Macrobiotus crassidens, Murray (20) As the egg was not found there is some little doubt about this record. It is distinguished from the preceding by the greater relative breadth of the nuts in the pharynx, which are even broader than long. Macrobiotus oberhduseri, Doyere (2) The Hawaiian form of this species was papillose all over, as in Central African examples, but the papillae were smaller. The bands of colour were faint. The pharynx contained two nuts in each row. It is likely that this all-papillose species will prove to be distinct from Doyere's type. The eggs of the various forms of this species are not yet sufficiently known. Macrobiotus occidentals (?), Murray (Plate XIX. Figs. 39a-39c) This Macrobiotus, differing in some respects from the type of M. occidentalis, and probably a distinct insular race or species, cannot be assigned its final place till the egg is known. Description. — Small, hyaline or very pale yellow. Length 300 /*. Skin thin, dotted. In all the examples seen there was never the double skin, enclosing a clear fluid filled with thin hyaline rectangular plates, as in the type. Teeth small, not widely spreading, abruptly bent outwards beyond the middle. Gullet narrow ; pharynx with apophysis and two short rods in each row, the first (next the gullet) more than twice as long as the second, which is shortly oval ; a small comma. Small black eyes. Fat-cells very large, 10 to 15 ^ in diameter, hyaline. A large (old) example measured 450 /j. in length, and was pigmented like M. hufelandii. The claws are slender, and united less than half-way. The points of difference from the type are : the smaller size, lack of colour in the fat-cells, lack of double skin, abruptly«bent teeth, and comma in the pharynx. These are points of unequal value, in the aggregate of considerable importance. The pale 156 J. MURRAY colour might be associated with youth, but even the eggs of the type have dull reddish contents. The double skin, with enclosed fluid and plates, is not regarded as a specific character, although all the Canadian examples had it. It is possibly pathological. The comma is also of uncertain value, though I believe generally constant in a species. It remains for the discovery of the egg to decide the position of the form. Although pretty abundant no eggs were found which might belong to it. An almost identical form was found in Australia. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XIX. Figs. 41a, 416) An elliptical egg, with processes of the hufelandi type, and containing a young with well-grown pharynx. The egg measures 90 M by 65 M over the processes, which are about 6 /u in length. The processes are of the typical hufelandi form, but many of them are divided at the ends, as in furcigir, orcadensis, and a variety of intermedius. Teeth slender, curved outwards about the middle ; gullet of moderate width ; pharynx shortly oval, with apophysis and two rods in each row, the first twice as long as the second. The claws were not seen. B : EGGS UNKNOWN. MacroUotus, sp. ? (Plate XIX. Figs. 42«, 426). A hyaline form, of which the egg is unknown. The claws are of the hufelandi type, but they are only joined for a short way above the base, and one of each pair is much shorter than the other. The gullet is narrower than in hufelandii and has a prominent rim at its end in the pharynx. The pharynx is shortly oval and has two rods and a comma in each row of thickenings. The first rod is more than twice as long as the second, and has a rounded projection near its base. The comma is very small. The apophysis was not observed. Eyes present. Length 350 M- Without the egg the species cannot be identified. It has some affinity with hufelandii, but has the claws united for a shorter distance, narrower gullet, and weaker teeth. The form of the first rod seems distinctive. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XIX. Figs 43«, 436). Pharynx like that of M. virgatus (p. 173), but with a comma. Claws different, united at base only, unequal. REMARKS ON THE TARDIGRADE FAUNA or THE PACIFIC ISLANDS The interest of the Tardigrade fauna of these islands is chiefly geographical. They have not yet yielded any peculiar insular -forms in this group, although in some cases varieties may indicate peculiar insular races. TARDIGRADA: PACIFIC ISLANDS 157 Our knowledge is as yet far too scanty to permit of any useful discussion even of geographical distribution. All the collections have been hurriedly made in the most unlikely localities, viz., in the immediate neighbourhood of the various ports of call. The entire interior of the islands, with all their variety of climate and physical features, is untouched. No doubt the right kind of work would result in greatly extending the number of species. The great apparent difference in the productiveness of Fiji and Hawaii is doubtless due to nothing else than the fact that there was no suitable collecting- ground within reach at Fiji. All that can at present be done is to indicate the general distribution of the few species yet collected. In the following table I have included Professor Richters' records for Samoa and the Hawaiian group (37). These include one species (M. samoanus) which we did not get, and the only species which is not known anywhere else than in the Pacific Islands. It exhibits the distribution in four columns for the islands, and nine for the rest of the world. DISTRIBUTION : LOCAL AND GENERAL Pacific Islands Q b £ i-l H IH SAMOA. OAHU. HAWAII. USTRALIA. w ZEALAN EUROPE. en AFRICA. . AMERICA AMERICA. ARCTJC. NTARCTIC. ^ •^3 m ^ oj <3< X Echiniscus mutabilis — X — X X X X X — — . X E. noi-cezeelandia — X — X X — — — — — — E. arctomys (?) * — X — X — X X X — — X X E. intermedius — X — X — — — • — X — - — — E. viridis — X — — — X — — — — — — E. spinulosus . — — X — — — X — — — • — X — E. perarmatus — X — — — — — X — — • — — Milnesium tardiyrudmn — X — X X X X X X X X X Jfacrobiottis hufelandii — X X X X X X X X X X — M. areolatus . X — — — X — X X X X — X - — M, occidentalis — — X — X — — — — X — — — M. intermedius — — X — X X X X X X X X — M. crassidens . — — X — X — — — X — — — — M. oberfuiuseri J.YL > SUlTtfOCt/TtlfiS , — X — — — X X X X X X X M. nodosus X X X , Diphascon scoticum — — X — X X X — — X X X X Nineteen species were collected in the islands, 3 in Fiji and 16 in the Hawaiian group (Sandwich Isles), but only 15 were identified. Adding M. samoanus, * All these records, except the Australian one, are wrong ; the animals recorded as E. arctomys are either E. iiiutabilis or E. suillus (see p. 126 and footnote). 158 J. MURRAY discovered by liichters in Samoa, and E. arctomys, recorded by him for Oahu, we have 17 species known from the Pacific Islands. The only instance of a species known to be common to two islands is M, hufelandii in Oahu and Hawaii. This fact is of no importance, as only Oahu is at all well known. There are 7 species of Echiniscus (besides 1 not identified) all from Oahu. No Echiniscus is known in the other islands. There are 8 identified species of Macro- biotus, 5 from Oahu, 2 from Fiji, and 1 from Samoa, the ubiquitous Milnesium, and Diphascon scoticum. There are eight of the species which are almost cosmopolitan in distribution, and which are therefore of little importance in the study of island faunas. They indicate that migration to these remote islands is not difficult. The other nine species are of very restricted range. None of them is known in more than three of the regions, though only M. samoanus is confined to the islands. E. novcezeelandiai occurs in Oahu, Australia, and New Zealand ; E. intermedius in Oahu, Australia, and Canada ; E. viridis in Oahu and Scotland ; E. spinulosus in Oahu, Europe, and the Arctic ; E. perarmatus in Oahu and Africa ; M. occidentals in Oahu, Australia, and Canada ; M. crassidens in Oahu, Australia, and Africa ; M. nodosus in Fiji, New Zealand, and Africa. The proportion of the island species found in other countries is as follows : Of the 17 species, there are 11 in Australia, 10 in Europe and Africa, 9 in the Arctic, 8 in N. America, 7 in New Zealand and Asia, 5 in S. America, and 4 in the Antarctic. While the indicated affinity is closest with Australia, it is scarcely less with the distant Europe and Africa. The presence of so many species in common with such diverse and distant lands, and the scarcity of peculiar species, show the population of these islands to be a heterogeneous lot, recruited by casual immigration from all sorts of places. Our information is too scanty to allow of even this conclusion being made with any confidence, as it is quite possible that further work may bring to light a peculiar insular fauna of water-bears. At present there is no indication of such, except the solitary M. samoanus. CANADIAN TARDIGEADA Collecting in Canada. — The only opportunities which offered for collecting in Canada were the pauses in a hurried journey across the continent. At Victoria, British Columbia, where the steamer called for a few hours, plenty of moss was found on the sea-shore, close by the wharf. This proved afterwards to be the most productive got in Canada. At Vancouver a whole day was spent, but the time available was not sufficient to go farther afield than the Stanley Public Park. This park, in its half-wild state, and everywhere clothed in moss, was very suitable for the collection of microscopic animals. Thereafter, right across the continent, there was nothing to be looked for but chance collecting at any stations where the train stopped for more than a few minutes. Through the Selkirks and the Rockies, at all the stations where the train stopped long enough to allow time for meals, I generally managed to get my pockets filled with moss. Accident assisted science. Twice on the journey the train was held up for some time. At Sicamous, floods had destroyed a little bridge, and a heavy engine had got overturned. While a new loop of railway was being built round the obstruction there were two days available for collecting. It was a beautiful spot, on the shore of a lake, and moss was abundant, but somehow it proved very unproductive. We were afraid to make long excursions up the neighbouring hills, as we did not know when the train might go on. A few days later, after crossing the Prairies and just after passing the Lake of the Woods, there was a train-wreck in front of us, on a high bank between two lakes. This delayed us for several hours. The microscope was again got out, the dry moss was washed in the lake, and the sediment examined. This time we were luckier, and got many interesting things. Half a day was spent in Ottawa, and much moss was collected in the public parks and roadsides. This also proved good. The only records of Canadian Tardigrada with which I am acquainted are in Richters' " Moosfauna Australiens, &c.," 1908 (37). He records three species from Vancouver : Echiniscus gladiator, Milnesium tardigradum, and Macrobiotus hufe- landii. For the whole North American continent I only know one other record, Packard's insufficiently described Macrobiotus americanus (21). Some half-dozen species are recorded for South America. 159 160 J. MURRAY LIST OF SPECIES COLLECTED Hchiniscus gladiator, Murray. M. oberJtauseri, Doyere E. sylvanus, sp. n. M, intermedius, Plate. E. intermedius, Murray. M. articus, Murray? E. canadensis, sp. n. M. sattleri, Richters. E. oihonnce, Richters ? M. tuberculatus, Plate. E. bisetosus, Heinis? M. canadensis, sp. n. Milnesium tardigradum, Doy6re. M. virgatus, sp. n. Macrobiotus hufelandii, Schultze. Dipfiascon chilenense, Plate. M. echinoyenitus, Richters. D. alpinum, Murray. M. areolatus, sp. n. D. scoticnm, Murray. M. harmsworthi, Murray. D. canadense, sp. n. M. occidentalis, sp. n. Eight species not identified (8 Echiniscus, 5 Macrobiotus). NOTES ON THE SPECIES Genus— Echiniscus, Schultze (43) The eight species collected all belong to that section of the genus in which segments V. and VI. are completely fused into one plate. It is rare to find a district possessing so many species without including one in which V. and VI. are separate. E. nmtabilis is the commonest species in that section, but it is not yet recorded from either North or South America. Echiniscus gladiator, Murray (12) (Plate XX. Fig. 51) Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia. Professor Richters had previously found it in moss from Vancouver (37). The British Columbian form differs from the type in that the plates are covered by wide but very low bosses. The figure, in which these bosses are indicated by black lines, inevitably exaggerates their prominence, but it shows their size in relation to the plates. The paired plates of E. gladiator and its variety exarmatus differ from those of all other known Echinisci in that they only touch in the middle line for a short distance near the anterior border, and diverge behind, as shown in Fig. 51. This character has not been indicated in previous figures. Echiniscus sylvanus, sp. n. (Plate XX. Fig. 49) Specific characters. — Size moderate ; colour yellow ; plates nine, two pairs, two median ; V. and VI. joined ; seta a thick, short ; no other dorsal or lateral processes, other than those on the head ; dots of moderate size, and seeming to be perforations ; each plate of the pairs divided in two by lines ; lumbar plate faceted and trefoliate ; fringe on fourth legs ; inner claws barbed. Detailed description, — Length 275 /*, exclusive of fourth legs. The palps at the TARDIGRADA: CANADA 161 mouth are prominent and the cirri short. Seta a measures about 50 M in length. It is thicker than in any known species except E. cornutus, Richters, but it scarcely tapers at all, and has a blunt rounded end. The " auricle " at its base is large and of triangular form. The first median plate is separated from the plate in front of it by a broad space. The second median is divided into two dotted portions by a transverse plain band. Each plate of the pairs is divided into two unequal parts by a line which runs parallel with its anterior border, the narrow part in front forming a prominent roll which continues round the side and shows in the outline. The granulation is of the sort which makes the plates seem cribrose. The dots seem to perforate the plate ; they are unequal in size and are separated by irregular spaces. The lumbar plate has four facets, the posterior one obscurely divided into two. The processes of the fringe are few (about eight to ten) ; they are narrow and acute, and are separated by small spaces. The claws are large, about 25 /u in length. The inner cla,ws of the fourth legs have small decurved barbs near their bases. Habitat. — Among dry moss from the woods on the shore of the Lake of the Woods, Ontario. E. sylvanus belongs to a group of species of which E. arctomys may be taken as the type. These have nine or ten plates, segments V. and VI. have completely coalesced, and there are no processes, dorsal or lateral, on the body, after seta a. This section of the genus includes ten forms previously known, and three others, in addition to E. sylvanus, are described in this paper. Two of these forms (macromastix and exarmatus) were described merely as varieties. Most of these species differ in conspicuous characters from E. sylvanus. The thick seta a alone separates it from all of them. Other distinguishing points are here given briefly. Four species have seta a extremely long (macromastix, wendti, reticulatus, tessellatm], four species have no fringe (elegans, intermedius, arctomys, exarmatus), two species have totally different surface markings (spiculifer, bigranu- latus). There remain three species which bear a closer resemblance to E. sylvanus. E, viridis and E. macronyx have, like E. sylvanus, very large claws. E. viridis has the surface dots very large, and seta a very short and fine. E. macronyx has extremely fine and close dots, no barbs on any claws, and only the fourth legs have large claws. E. kerguelensis is nearest to E. sylvanus. It has shorter claws and seta a is slender. It is also considerably smaller (165 n, according to Richters, but Australian examples larger, 225 n; sylvanus, 275 /"). Echiniscus intermedius, Murray (Plate XX. Figs. 52a, 526) Characters of Canadian variety. — Small, hyaline or greyish. Mouth cirri with large conical bases ; seta a long, no other processes on body. Three median plates, first and second divided into two equal portions by transverse lines. Plates finely BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. T. Y 162 J. MURRAY dotbad with pjlluiid d)ts. Lumbar plate not trefoliate, faceted in three panels, the lines separating the lateral from the median panels going right up to the third median plate. No fringe on fourth legs, or barbs on claws. Red eyes. Larva with two claws, otherwise like the adult. General description. — Length 175 M, exclusive of the legs, larva 100 M, seta a (of adult) 60 n. The anterior portion of the head is rounded, and more like a head of Macrobiotus than Echiniscus, lacking the lateral knobs and the beak usual in the genus. The base of the head is wider than the front of the next segment, so that there is a slight neck, rather more pronounced in the larva. The first and second median plates are each divided into two portions, as is common in that section of the genus which has V. and VI. separate. The third median often appears to be divided in exactly the same manner, but the second portion is closely joined to the lumbar plate. Both parts of the divided median plates are dotted. The plates of each pair appear to be divided into two by a broad band, which is, however, dotted. E. intermedius is a very distinct species. It has V. and VI. united, yet has the median plates transversely divided, which is only usual in species having V. and VI. separate. It appears to consistently lack the normal red colour of Echiniscus, though that is not a safe character. The faceting of the lumbar plate is unusual in that the angle of junction of the three facets continues to the anterior edge of the plate. The absence of a trefoil on the lumbar plate is very unusual. I know of no other species where this character is so distinctly marked. Some have been figured without the cuts which make the trefoil, but unless the authors emphasise the absence it is likely that they have been overlooked. The eggs have only been seen in a form, probably of specific value, from Hawaii (see p. 151). Habitat. — Among moss from the sea-shore at Victoria, British Columbia, June 1909, abundant. This variety, with fine pellucid dots, is not known anywhere else, but in Queens- land there occurs the type in which the plates have a broad reticulation instead of the pellucid dots (see p. 129). Curiously enough, there is a form linking these extremes in Hawaii. It is reticulate, like the Queensland form, but the reticulation is smaller, and is formed by the edges of shallow pits (see p. 151). Echiniscus canadensis, sp. n. (Plate XX. Fig. 47) Specific characters. — Large, red ; plates nine, two pairs, two median, V. and VI. fused, dots round, regular, close ; no lateral processes except seta « ; dorsal processes — a long setse over c, sometimes a shorter seta over d ; fringe of sharp spines on the fourth leg ; inner claws with decurved, outer with straight, spines near the base. Detailed description. — Length 300 M and upwards, exclusive of the fourth legs ; TARDIGRADA: CANADA 163 seta a about 75 n, dorsal seta over c about 100 to 150 M. Body very thick dorso-ventrally. The dots on the plates are of moderate size. They are circles which touch at their edges, and which often show a central dot. They look like very flat granules. The paired plates are each divided by a furrow into two parts. It could not be seen whether the dots ceased in this furrow. Most of the specimens, even very large ones, had no processes on the body except the dorsal seta over c ; only a few had the smaller one over d. The lumbar plate is obscurely trefoliate. The spines of the fringe are triangular, and are usually separated a little at their bases. The two-clawed larva has been seen, and from two to four shortly oval eggs in the cast skin. The barbs of the inner claws are fairly large and high up on the claw. The outer claws have not been seen with more than one straight spine near the base. Habitat. — Among moss growing on the sea-shore, but little above the high-water mark, Victoria, British Columbia. Very abundant in some pieces of the moss. It is not necessary to compare E. canadensis with very many species in order to discriminate it. There are very few species known which have straight barbs on the outer claws. Among them there are none which are destitute of lateral processes (other than a). Indeed it is very rare for any species to have dorsal and no lateral processes. The Echinisci with straight barbs on the outer claws are four in number — E. granulatus, E. blumi, E. oihonnce, and E. merokensis. The types of E. granulatus and E. oihonnce are not described as having outer barbs, but the barbs have been observed in Scottish examples. All of these species have from two to four lateral processes (exclusive of seta a), while E. canadensis has none. The dots of E. granulatus are distinct papillse. E. merokensis and E. blumi have, according to Richters' figures, much coarser dots. E. oihonnce has four lateral spicules, over b, c, d, and e, in addition to the larger spines and setae. Echiniscus oihonnce, Richters ? (27) (Plate XX. Fig. 48) This is a very doubtful identification, and the Canadian animal is only provisionally united with oihonnce because we know so little as to the limits to the variation in the length of the setse and spines. There are points of striking resemblance to oihonnce, as well as important differences. This form differs from oihonnce in lacking seta b, and in the great elongation of process d (which is a spine in oihonnce). It resembles it in having all the correspond- ing processes except seta b, in having the dorsal process over d a broad triangle, and in the little spicules near the bases of the lateral seta3. Description. — Of large size ; length 300 p- exclusive of head and foot. Plates nine, two pairs, two median. Surface punctate with large dots, which appear to be perforations, and are separated by spaces wider than themselves. The three lateral 164 J. MURRAY setae c, d, and e are nearly equal to one another and about 200 p. in length. The dorsal seta over c is about 120 /x long. The fringe on the fourth leg consists of short triangular teeth. The claws measure 30 /t in length. The inner ones have small decurved barbs, which are placed very high, little below the middle of the claw. Habitat. — Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia. In Scottish examples of oihonncc, which are typical in all other respects, the outer claws of the fourth legs bear straight spines near their bases, although Professor Richters makes the absence of such spines one of his specific characters. Although the presence of these spines may be of some positive value, since they are possessed by very few species, their absence cannot be relied upon as a specific character. In E. granulatus (or the animal which I identify as that species) the young which have j>assed the two-clawed stage have no outer barbs, which are acquired at later moults, and increase in number to three in large examples. The same progressive develop- ment of the outer barbs occurs in E. blumi, which may also have as many as three of them on one claw. The character is thus shown to be a mark of age, but as the great majority of the species do not have them at any age, when present they make a good confirmatory character. The Canadian examples, though of large size, had no barbs on the outer claws, in this respect conforming to Richters' type. It differs mainly in lacking seta b, and in the equalisation of the lateral processes c, d, and e. Echiniscus bisetosus, Heinis ? (7) (Plate XX. Fig. 50) This is a somewhat doubtful identification, though the animal is certainly very near Heinis's species. The differences are not very serious, and as our animal was small, and therefore probably immature, the processes which it lacks might be acquired later. Description. — Colour red; length 175 M, exclusive of legs. Plates nine, two pairs, two median, dots obscure. Lateral process one, the seta a, 50 M in length. Dorsal processes — over c a seta of 60 M, over d a small curved spine of 8 /*. Fringe of small triangular teeth on fourth leg. No barbs seen on any claws. Habitat. — Among moss from the sea-shore at Victoria, British Columbia, one example only. According to Heinis, E. bisetosus has also a short spine c, and decurved barbs on the inner claws. His figure shows a minute lateral spicule d, of which I find no mention in the text. It might be suggested that this small animal could be a young example of E. canadensis (Fig. 47) which was found abundantly at the same place. That species has, however, at all ages conspicuous barbs. TARDIGRADA: CANADA 165 Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XX. Fig. 44) Description. — Large, red; length 300 /u, exclusive of legs. Plates ten,V. and VI. united, two pairs, three median. Lateral processes four — a a seta of 80 p., c a seta of 120 /u, d a seta of 70 n, e a seta of 90 M. Dorsal processes — over c a curved spine of variable length, 10 to 25 /a and upwai'ds — over d a small spicule. The mouth palps are large and stout, and the cirri short. The auricle at the base of a is small and rounded. The fringe on the fourth leg is crenate. The inner claws of the fourth leg have decurved barbs of moderate size. The dots on the plates are very fine, and appear to be granules. An example of 210 M in length had claws of nearly 25 M. Skins with two eggs have been found. The larva with two claws, found associated with this animal, had only the setae a and c. All the dorsal processes may be lacking. Habitat. — Among moss from the sea- shore at Victoria, British Columbia, several examples, larva, and eggs. It rarely happens that an Echiniscus with V. and VI. united has three distinct median plates. Sometimes the skin between IV. and V. is dotted, but there are no lines marking the boundaries of a plate. In this animal, and another figured on the same plate (Fig. 46), the third median is distinct. The lateral setaj are the same in number as in E. testudo, E. muscicola, E.fila- mentosus, &c., but they are differently arranged. E. velaminis has the same number of setae, and their positions are the same, but it has the dots of a totally different character, no barbs on the claws, and much larger processes on the fringe. Although the finding of eggs shows that the animal is mature, it cannot be positively identified with any known species, nor yet accepted as distinct. The variability of the dorsal processes confirms what has been already stated as to the unreliability of that character. It is a good example of those forms which may be regarded as distinct species, but which lack sufficiently good characters, other than the arrangement of the spines and setae. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XX. Fig. 46) Desertion. — Small, red ; length 180 M, exclusive of legs. Plates nine, V. and VI. united, two pairs, three median. Lateral processes four — a a seta of 80 M, 6 a seta of 40 M, c a seta of 100 p., d a seta of 100 /". Dorsal processes — over c a seta of 40 /u, over d a spine of 15 p.. Mouth palps relatively large, and cirri long. Lumbar plate trefoliate. Fringe of few large blunt processes. A blunt palp at the base of the fourth leg. The inner claws of the last legs with small decurved barbs. Dots on the plates small and uniform, apparently granules. Habitat. — Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia. In the number and the surface texture of the plates this animal resembles that 166 J. MURRAY figured on the same plate (Fig. 44). It has the same number of lateral setae, but they are a, b, c, and d, instead of a, c, d, e. It has a close resemblance to E. blumi, Richters (27.) The lateral setae are the same in position and relative sizes. The differences are — the lack of barbs on the outer claws, the finer granulation, and the blunt processes of the fringe. The absence of barbs on the outer claws is of little importance as a negative character, since it varies with age. There is no indication that our animal is mature. Richters figures E. blumi with very coarse granulation, and with the fringe of sharp spines. Many examples had no dorsal processes. Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XX. Fig. 45) Description. — Size moderate; length 212 /x. Plates nine, V. and VI. united, two pairs, two median. Dots small, some appearing as perforations, irregular, of two sorts, a larger dark, a smaller pellucid. Lateral processes four — a a curved seta of 70 /« ; c, d, and e long, broad spines of 50, 50, and 80 M respectively. Dorsal processes — over c, a flat spine of 40 /x — between this spine and the lateral one a spicule. The lateral and dorsal spines are all rough. There is a fringe of obtuse processes on the fourth leg. It was not ascertained if there were barbs on any claws. Habitat.-^-Among moss from the sea-shore of Victoria, British Columbia, one example only. This appears to be a distinct species, but it is not sufficiently known, as only one example was observed, and that might not be mature. There is no species known with similar roughened spines. In E. duboisi they are spinulose, not rough, and the animal is otherwise very different. Genus — Milnesium, Doyere (2) Milnesium tardigradum, Doyere (2) This, the most generally distributed of all water-bears, was only observed in Ontario, where it occurred in two localities, near the Lake of the Woods and in Ottawa. Length, up to 800 M. Four eggs seen in the body. Genus — Mctcrobiotus, Schultze (42) A : SPECIES HAVING ROUGH EGGS Macrobiotiis hufelandii, Schultze (42) Abundant in all the Canadian localities visited ; eggs also plentiful. In the Rocky Mountains it attained a length of 1200 /.-, being the largest water-bear I have measured. TARDIGRADA: CANADA 167 Macrobiotus echinogenitus, Richters ? (27) This identification, being made from the egg alone, is somewhat uncertain. The egg (Plate XXI. Fig. 58) is like that of M. areolatus (Fig. 53d), but is smaller, and the spines are not separated by any space. Habitat. — British Columbia and Ottawa. For a discussion of the affinities of this species with M. areolatus and other related species, see below, under M. areolatus. Macrobiotus areolatus, sp. n. (Plate XXI. Figs. 53a-53e) Synonym : M. echinogenitus, Richters, var. areolatus, Murray (19) Specific characters. — Large, dark brown ; gullet wide ; teeth strong, bent near the furca ; pharynx shortly oval, with apophyses, three narrow equal rods, and no comma ; egg large, bearing very large conical processes, which are separated at their bases, the surface between marked with irregular polygons which form a symmetrical pattern. General description. — The largest example measured was 700 ^ in length. The egg measures about 100 /u. without the spines, 200 n over the spines, which, however, vary considerably in length. Old individuals, as in most large species of the genus, are strongly pigmented with a dingy brown colour, which is not disposed in such regular bands as in M. oberhciuseri, but which still falls into obscure bands, prob- ably caused by the disposition of the muscles and other structures in the skin. The young are colourless and transparent. The gullet is somewhat constricted towards the mouth and enlarged towards the pharynx, and bears the usual apophyses on its end. The three linear rods are slightly curved and are nearly equal in length. The stomach consists of few large cells. There is a pair of dark eyes. The claws are in two similar pairs, which are united at the bases only, and diverge widely. One claw of each pair is longer, and has supplementary points. Four unripe eggs have been seen in the body together. The shell of the egg is thick, and of two layers. The reticulation which appears on the surface is produced by the edges of septa which cross the space between the two layers. The areolation appears to be originally regular hexagons, of which alternate ones bear processes, The intermediate hexagons are each divided by a transverse septum, producing two irregular pentagons. The turgidity of the processes further distorts and obscures the regularity of the original hexagons. The areolation varies considerably. In one variety (Fig. 53f) the intermediate hexagons are undivided and equal the processes in basal area. Some forms have all the areolue rounded, and circular or elliptical. Owing to imperfect understanding of M. echinogenitus this species was at first 168 J. MURRAY united to it as a variety. Subsequent experience of the animal in many parts of the world established confidence in the constancy of its peculiarities. The absence of a " comma " in the pharynx cannot be considered an important specific character, but when we find it constantly associated with an areolated egg, while M. echinogenitus has a conspicuous comma, and non-areolated egg, the character adds weight to the other specific distinctions. Habitat. — Among moss, Kooky Mountains, British Columbia, and Ottawa, June 1909. Widely distributed over the world — recorded from Spitsbergen, Scotland, India, Tropical and South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, &c. Richters (39) has recorded it from Ascension and Comoro. Arctic examples have attained to a larger size, but the Canadian eggs are the largest yet seen. The rods in the pharynx are relatively shorter and broader in the young (Fig. 53 is drawn from a young hyaline example). In the adult they are linear and curved. The characters of the egg sufficiently distinguish the species from all others hitherto described. There are some species, not yet described, which have the surface areolate in the same manner, but the processes of different form. If the egg is not found, the identification is less certain. The presence of three equal linear rods, without a comma, and of divergent claws, united at the base only, differentiates it from the typical forms of hufelandii, harmsworthi, and other related species. According to Richters, however, M. hufelandii may have three equal rods, and the claws may be joined at the base only. The other species probably vary in the same manner. Since Richters' original diagnosis of M. echinogenitus was evidently too compre- hensive, and included several forms which we are now, after extended experience, enabled to separate, it will be well to take a review here of the group of related species. Richters, in his description, recognised two forms which he distinguished as a and b, but he did not bestow separate names on them ; a has three " bacilla " and a " comma " in the pharynx, l> has two equal bacilla, and a comma. Both have V-shaped claws and the eggs are exactly similar in form, but that of a is much larger. M. harmsworthi was at first separated from echinogenitus on account of the form of the claws alone, which were joined for about half of their length, as in M. hufe- landi. Richters considers that the claws vary in the amount of union, just as those of hufelandi do, but assents to the separation of M. harmsworthi, which he supposes to be his echinogenitus a,* on the characters of the pharynx. M. areolatus is also supposed by Richters to be included in echinogenitus a, but * See Richters' "Tardigraden aus den Karpathen," Zool. Anzeiy., Bd. 3C, July 1910, p. 7. This paper appeared after our Bibliographical List was completed, so could not be included in its proper place. TARDIGRADA: CANADA 169 that has a " comma " in the pharynx, and the egg is figured with the processes close together at their bases, so that there is no room for the " areolation." There remains M. echinogenitus b, which, with the separation of a, becomes the type of the species. It has the two bacilla equal, a not very common arrangement, and the claws united at the base or for a short way above the base ; the surface of the egg is not " areolate." A great many of the records of this species must be regarded as doubtful. Many of these were made before the related species areolatiis and harmsworthi were discriminated, so that unless details of the pharynx are given it cannot be known to which form a record refers. It was till recently supposed that the eggs of echinogenitus and harmsworthi could be distinguished. The original specimens of the eggs of harmsworthi had processes much more shortly acuminate than those of the typical echinogenitus, but some have recently been seen with points almost as long. Records of echinogenitus have been commonly made (at any rate in my papers) on the strength of finding the egg alone. Although the eggs with short points may be usually harmsworthi and those with long points echinogenitus, there will always be doubt about these records unless the eggs are so ripe as to show pharynx and claws (see p. 89, footnote). M. polaris has the surface of the egg "areolate " in the same manner as in one form of areolatus (Fig. 53e), and the processes may be of the same form. It is, nevertheless, a totally different egg, being much smaller, and with the polygons relatively much smaller, and therefore more numerous. Macrobiotus harmsivorthi, Murray (19) Habitat. — Near the Lake of the Woods, and in the public parks, Ottawa. The identification was made from eggs which contained young in which the pharynx and claws could be seen. The egg measured 60 /a. without the processes, and 80 n over the processes. These were even shorter than in the type, being considerably broader than long. The claws of a pair were unequal, and united for about half the length of the larger one. A very similar egg, but of larger size, was got in Ottawa. It measured 80 /*, without the spines, and 120 n over the spines. The pharynx and claws were not seen. Macrobiotus occidentalis, sp. n. (Plate XXL Figs. 54a-54e) Specific characters. — Large, orange-red ; stomach and eggs darker red ; skin hyaline, dotted ; gullet narrow ; teeth moderately slender, curved ; pharynx shortly oval, with apophyses and two rods, the second shorter, and no " comma." Claws of hufelandi type, united half-way. Egg spherical, covered with slender tapering curved processes, which are separated at their bases. General desertion. — Total length up to 800 p, pharynx of small example, BRIT. ANTARCT. EXPED. 1907-9. VOL. I. 7, 170 J. MURRAY 42 fi long, claws 20 M- Eyes dark. The dots on the skin are irregularly placed, but at very nearly equal spaces. They are not pigment spots, but appear to be minute elliptical pieces of the same nature as the skin, set into it like buttons in a cushion, and looking dark from the different refraction of the light. The reddish colour is confined within the body fluid, and is resident chiefly in the fat-cells, though the fluid is also more or less coloured. There are two layers of skin, between which there is enclosed a colourless fluid, in which float numerous thin hyaline oblong plates. This may be a pathological condition, but it is noteworthy that it occurred in all the individuals examined, old and young, and in none of the other species present. The claws are like those of hufelandii, but more slender. Those of each pair are unequal in length, and are united for half the length of the larger one, which bears the usual two supplementary points. The basal ridge, which in M. coronifer bears the " corona " of little spines, is in this species irregularly dentate. The processes of the egg are separated by interspaces greater than their own diameter at the base. They have narrow conical bases, and taper to slender points which are curved over. The gullet is about 4 n in width, but is rather narrower below and expanded towards the pharynx. The rod next the gullet is about three times as long as broad, the second about twice as long as broad. Habitat. — Among moss from the sea-shore, little above high-water level, at Victoria, British Columbia ; very abundant, eggs also abundant. M. occidentalis appears to have its closest affinities with that group of northern species of which M. coronifer may be regarded as the type. Several of these species have a spinose ridge in front of the claws, most distinct on the fourth legs. In M. coronifer and M. granulatus the ridge bears spines — in M. crenulatus it is wrinkled — in M. harms^vorth^ it is crenate or plain. In large examples of M. occidentalis the ridge is dentate (Fig. 54d). Several of the northern species have distinctive colouring, resident in the fat-cells. M. coronifer and M. islandicus are bright yellow. The colour of M. occidentalis is more inclined to red. As in M. coronifer, the colour is present even in the egg. In the egg it is darker, and more distinctly red. It cannot then be resident in the fat-cells. The body fluid itself is in old animals of a yellowish colour. The processes of the egg have some resemblance to those of M. coronifer and M. islandicus. The egg of coronifer is elliptical, and the spines are straight ; that of islandicus is round, but it has two sorts of processes, spines like those of coronifer and processes like those of granulatus. M. occidentalis has longer and more slender spines than either, and they are variously bent and turned over at the ends. The pharynx is quite like those of coronifer and islandicus. On the whole the TARDIGRADA: CANADA 171 species is nearest to islandicus, from which it is distinguished by the ridge without spines, by the different egg-spines, and by the dotted skin. In Australia and Hawaii there is a form, apparently belonging to this species, agreeing with it in most characters, but not yet fully studied. The colour is a paler yellow. The skin is dotted as in the type, but the specimens lacked the clear fluid circulating between two layers of skin, and containing numerous hyaline plates. The eggs were not seen in these countries. Macrobiotus intermedius, Plate (23) Habitat. — Near the Lake of the Woods, Ontario. The egg had the typical top- shaped processes. It measured 50 ^ without the processes, 58 n over them. The young squeezed out of the egg was 120 n in length, and the round pharynx was 15 n in diameter. The processes of the egg were separated by spaces greater than their own diameter, and the surface between them was covered with regular pellucid dots. Macrobiotus oberhauseri, Doyere (2) Habitat. — Vancouver, British Columbia. American examples were not papillose, as is so often the case in Africa. B : SPECIES HAVING THICK-SHELLED EGGS WITH EMBEDDED RODS Macrobiotus arcticus, Murray ? (19) Habitat. — Vancouver, Rocky Mountains, Lake of the Woods. No eggs were found in Canada, and without them there is some doubt about the identification. The animal found in three of the localities visited agrees with M. arcticus in having a narrow gullet, two short " bacilla " in the pharynx, and claws of the Diphascon type. The only other species known which has similar eggs is H. hastatus, Murray (18), v.'hich was not observed in Canada. C : SPECIES HAVING SMOOTH EGGS Macrobiotus canadensis, sp. n. (Plate XXI. Figs. 6la-6ld) Specific characters. — Small, hyaline ; gullet slender ; teeth abruptly enlarged about the middle ; pharynx nearly round, with three short nuts, increasing in size from first to third, comma very obscure or none ; claws widely divergent, but approaching the Diphascon type ; one claw of each pair is longer and thinner than the other, and that of one pair is very long and slender; eggs narrowly oblong, smooth, laid in the skin at the moult. General description. — Length 225 M. A pair of small dark ejes. The teeth are 172 J. MURRAY straight for somewhat more than half their length from the points. They are then enlarged and curved outwards to the furca. The pharynx is a little longer than broad. The end of the gullet bears the apophyses. The nut next the gullet is scarcely longer than broad ; the second is a little longer, and the third a little longer still. The first is nearest the middle line, and the second and third diverge successively farther from it. The stomach is oblong and very slightly coloured. Its separate cells are not conspicuous. One egg measured 70 M by 36 M, but others were rather shorter. The newly hatched young was 100 /u. in length. There are few species with which it is necessary to compare M. canadensis very carefully. The Macrobioti which lay smooth eggs are not so numerous as those which lay rough eggs. There are two principal groups of them, one comprising species which have warts or spines or distinct papillae on the body, the other species which are smooth or very finely papillose. In the former group there are several which have three short nuts in the pharynx ; in the second group, to which M. canadensis belongs, there are only two which have the pharynx of this type. M. tetradactyloides, Richters (35), and M. schaudinni, Richters,* are very similar to M. canadensis. Both are, however, much larger and more robust animals. Richters himself considers the size important in distinguishing M. tetradactyloides from M. tetradactylus. M. schaudinni is nearly twice as long as M. canadensis, and M. tetradactyloides is larger still. It is pretty certain that M. canadensis is really a small animal, although some water-bears vary greatly in size. It was very common in some parts of Canada, and yet it was uniformly small. The largest measured was only 225 n in length, and many mature- looking animals, with eggs in the body, were less than 200 M. M. canadensis may be distinguished from M. tetradactyloides by the unequal pairs of claws and by the greater inequality of the claws of each pair. It is more difficult to separate from M. schaudinni, which has the pairs unequal. Richters figures his species with much robuster claws. In M. canadensis the claws are intermediate between the Diphascon type and the V type. The long claw of each pair is very slender, and that of the larger pair is almost bristle-like, as in M. oberhauseri. The bristle-like claw is set on to the lesser claw of the same pair in the same manner as in Diphascon, but nearer to the base. The two claws diverge very widely. While usually smooth, it sometimes happens that the body is finely papillose on the posterior half, or more than half, though never all over. The nuts of the pharynx are only slightly rounded at the ends, not enough to destroy their quadrate character. Habitat. — Victoria, British Columbia, and the Rocky Mountains, abundant. * " Tardigraden-Studien," Ber. Senckbg. Nnturf. Ges., 1909, p. 32. TARDIGRADA: CANADA 173 Macrobiotus tuberculatus, Plate (23) Habitat. — Victoria, British Columbia. The examples were rather larger than the average, but not so large as M. nodosus. They were colourless, and the knobs did not show on the outline in dorsal view. Macrobiotus sattleri, Richiers (26) Habitat. — Rocky Mountains. M. sattleri is either variable in the characters of the pharynx, or there are several forms which have the same peculiar skin-markings. One form has three short rods in the pharynx. The Australian form (see p. 141) has two unequal rods. The Canadian form has two equal rods, each about four times as long as broad. No comma was seen. The pairs of claws are unequal, and the claws of the larger pair are united for a short distance above the base. Macrobiotus, sp. ? Four eggs in a skin of 200 M in length. Eggs smooth, of about GO n by 45 M. Claws Vs, equal pairs of equal claws, joined at the base only. Without knowledge of the pharynx identification is not possible. It is certainly different from any of the species recognised. The claws prove that it is not a Diphascon. D : EGGS UNKNOWN Macrobiotus virgatus, sp. n. (Plate XXI. Figs. 55a-55c) Specific characters. — Large and robust ; pigmented with a warm brown colour arranged in longitudinal bands ; gullet very wide, and teeth strong ; pharynx shortly oval, with apophysis, and two rods and a nut in each row, the nut between the two rods ; dark eyes ; claws very thick, of the hufelandi type, very unequal, united for half the length of the longer one, which bears two thick supplementary points. Detailed description. — Length, up to 750 /j.. The colour is a warm brown, not unlike that of M. oberhciuseri, but less inclined to purple. It is arranged in three principal longitudinal bands, one median and two lateral. These latter may be subdivided into narrower bands, and there are some thin transverse bands. The gullet is as much as 9 or 10 M in diameter. The teeth penetrate its wall at about the middle of its length. The end of the gullet in the pharynx has a slight projecting rim. The rods are of unusual proportions — the first and third are about four times as long as broad, the second varies from little longer than broad to twice as long as broad. 174 J. MURRAY The claws are quite like those of hufelandii, but they are more unequal and even thicker. The egg is unknown. Habitat. — Victoria, British Columbia ; Ottawa, Australia (?), Franz- Josef Land (?). The records for Australia and Franz-Josef Land are very uncertain, as they depend on the characters of the pharynx only. There were claws on the only specimen from Franz-Josef Land, but as they were only seen in profile, little can be said about them. They do not appear to be so thick or so far united as in M. virgatus. If the Franz-Josef Land specimen is M. virgatus, then the eggs are smooth and are laid in the skin. Judging from the characters of the teeth, gullet, and claws, it might be expected that the animal would prove to belong to the hufelandi group, with rough eggs. There are very few species which combine the characters of smooth eggs and hufelandi claws. M. rubens is the best instance known to me. The peculiar proportions of the " bacilla" in the pharynx, one short between two long, distinguish M. virgatus from all related species. Only M. augusti, which is not closely related, has a rather shorter middle rod. It is rarely permissible to describe a Macrobiotus of which the egg is unknown. In this case the association of so many distinct characters — the colour, the pharynx, the claws — seemed to justify a breach of the rule. When the eggs are found there should be no difficulty in demonstrating their connection with this species. Macrobiotus sp. ? (Plate XXI. Fig. 60) Description. — Size moderate, length 300 M. Colour grey ; no eyes. Gullet of moderate width. Teeth strongly curved, with large furca. Pharynx shortly oval, with conspicuous apophysis, and two "bacilla" in each row. The first, next the gullet, is three times as long as broad. It is divided by a constriction into two equal parts. The second is not quite twice as long as broad. There is no comma. The claws resemble exactly those of M. canadensis (Fig. 61c). The pairs are unequal and diverge widely. Each pair has one claw longer than the other, and the long claw of the larger pair is very slender, almost bristle-like. The long claw is attached to the shorter claw near its base, showing a slight approach to the Diphascon type. The association of several distinct characters marks this as a distinct species, but as only one example was seen, and the egg is unknown, it is left in the meantime unnamed. Habitat. — Rocky Mountains TARDIGRADA: CANADA 175 E : UNIDENTIFIED EGGS. Macrobiotics, sp. ? (Plate XXL Fig. 57) A large egg, measuring 105 n over the processes, which are low cones, rounded at the ends, and papillose all over. The processes stand close together, without any interspaces. This closely resembles an egg figured by Eichters in the " Moosrasen des Gaussbergs " (35), Plate XX. Fig. 7, as probably related to M. echinogenitus. It is probably a distinct species. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XXI. Fig. 56) A large egg, measuring 100 M over the processes, 80 M without the processes. These are narrow conical pegs, rounded at the ends. They are separated by spaces about equal to the diameter of the pegs at the base. A similar egg is figured in " Tardigrada of the South Orkneys " (15), Plate IV. Fig. 14, as perhaps a form of M. echinogenitus. Another somewhat like it is figured in "Arctic Tardigrada" (19) Plate XLV. Fig. 2, as perhaps M. islandicus, Richters. The processes are not rounded, but many are a little expanded at the tip, showing an approach to hufelandii. The Canadian egg is probably a distinct species. Macrobiotus, sp. ? (Plate XXL Fig. 59) A small egg, 80 M over the spines, 68 /« without them. The processes are small cones, slightly acuminate, acute. They are separated by spaces rather less than the diameter of the processes at the base. The surface exposed between the processes is marked by regular pellucid dots. Several species have eggs like this, and they cannot be distinguished with any certainty unless they are found containing young. M. dispar has such an egg, but rather larger ; that of M. pullari is somewhat smaller. The egg of M. ascensionis is considerably smaller, and has the processes more closely set. Genus — Diphascon, Plate (23) Diphascon chilenense, Plate (23) Habitat. — Rocky Mountains. Diphascon alpinum, Murray (14) Habitat. — Rocky Mountains : near the Lake of the Woods, Ontario. 176 J. MURRAY Diphascon scoticum, Murray (11) Habitat. — Stanley Park, Vancouver : Rocky Mountains. Diphascon canadense, sp. n. (Plate XXI. Figs. 62o-62c) Specific characters. — Small, without eyes, hyaline. Gullet long, slender. Pharynx round, with apophysis, two rods and a " comma " in each row, the first about twice as long as broad, the second about as long as broad. Claws typical for the genus. Detailed description. — Length up to 250 M. Form narrow and elongate. Pharynx 25 M in diameter. Gullet 50 to 60 p. in length, very slender, little over 1 /* in diameter. The largest pair of claws is about 12 to 15 M in length. The long claw is very slender, the short one somewhat thick. Both claws of the smaller pair are slender — they are unequal and joined at the base only. The eggs were not seen. Habitat. — Moss from the sea-shore at Victoria, British Columbia, fairly abundant. Among species having the gullet slender and the pharynx short it is only necessary to compare D. canadensis with D. oculatum (13), to which it is closely related. It was at first supposed to be a blind form of oculatum, till other slight differences were noticed. D. oculatum is larger, and has a pair of dark eyes. The pharynx is not so nearly round, and the two thickenings in each row are equal, and scarcely longer than broad. The claws of the shorter pair are shorter and thicker. The eye-spots are not considered to be trustworthy as specific characters, though I know of no variation in the genus Diphascon. When, however, we consider the slight but constant differences in the pharynx and claws, the species appears sufficiently distinguished from D. oculatum. REMARKS ON THE CANADIAN TARDIGRADE FAUNA Its composition. — Of the 31 species studied 23 were identified — the other 8 require further study. There are 9 species of Echiniscus, 17 of Macrobiotus, 4 of Diphascon, and 1 Milnesium. Seven species are considered to be new to science (2 Echiniscus, 4 Macrobiotus, and 1 Diphascon}. The list is such a one as might be expected as the result of a very limited amount of work on any continental area. The different genera arc represented in about the average proportions, and there are no very peculiar forms. The most curious fact in the composition of the list is the total absence from it of species of Echiniscus of that section of the genus which has plates V. and VI. quite separate. As E. muta- bilis is one of the most cosmopolitan water-bears the absence from our collections must be considered as accidental. TARDIGRADA: CANADA 177 In the accompanying table the distribution of the Canadian species, both in Canada and over the world, is shown in thirteen columns. DISTRIBUTION : LOCAL AND GENERAL Canada. 02 pa a a P H *i fe 5