gallons. The smallest is placed four feet from the window, and the largest, which has been most successful, is placed seven feet from the window. The temperature has ranged from 41° to 65° F.
The bottom of the large tank is covered with a yellow layer of the finest river sand well washed. A little rockery consisting of quartz, limestone, and fluorspar crystals, is arranged at the end. The plants consist of one Vullisneria spiralis, three water violets, (Haltonia palustris,) and three water milfoils (Myriophyllum spicatum.) The last named plants are arranged as much as possible along and under the surface of the water.
The Melicerta is particularly fond of Myriophyllum and duck weed (Lemna minor.) There are also in the tank two smooth newts, (Lissotriton punctatus,) and of Mollusca there are six Planorbis corneus, three Sphærium cornceum, (to be sate put in no Limnea,) and plenty of Daphnia and Cyclops. The water is very clear and sweet.
On the 4th September Mr. Bolton sent me a tube containing two specimens of the beautiful grouped Rotifer. Lacinularia socialis, which I put at once into my aquarium, and new there are five more groups.
My aquarium is now a source of the greatest pleasure to myself and friends. I will not name all the wonderful forms to be met with; but the following list of some of my treasures will, perhaps, be interesting: Melicerta ringens, Floscularia cornuta, Linnias ceratophylli, Pterodina patina, Rotifer vulgaris, Stentor Mülleri, Epistylis, Vorticella, Cothurnia imberbis, Actinosphærium Eichornii, and Actinophrys sol. If these observations should be the means of Inducing others to enter heartily into the study of Melicerta ringens and other rotifers my object in writing will be accomplished.
Meteorology of the Midlands.
The Weather of August, 1878.
By W. Jerome Harrison. F.G.S.
A wet month indeed, the rein mostly falling during thunderstorms, of which those on the 4th, 6th, 16th, 2ith, and 20th may be specially noted. The storm of the fifth was accompanied in North Leicestershire by hail, which did much damage. At Dalby Hall some of the "lumps of ice" measured one inch in diameter; at Belvoir Castle they were "the size of filberts." At Matlock Bath 24 inches of rain fell during this storm in "less than two hours." From Nottingham. Mr. Lowe writes: "The monthly fall here (8.76in.) was the largest for the past thirty-nine years." Mr. Davis, of Tenbury, states that the "rainfall for the month (7.81in.) was excessive, and has only been exceeded twice in the last forty-eight years; in July, 1884, 9.23 inches of rain were registered, and in November, 1832, 8.22 inches."
Temperature was very uniform and about the average, although there was little sunshine. The crops suffered much from standing in the fields, and were not half secured at the end of the month. Thw barometer ruled rather low. Fogs prevailed on the 25th and 26th.
