116 NOTES ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
Pond Life in the Forest.—Just now (May) the forest ponds are very
prolific in all forms of lowly life. Hydras, Rotifers, Volvox, Pundorina, are very
abundant in the ponds near the "Forest School," and Volvox, especially in some
parts, may be found in thousands. Those put in a bottle have increased very
much in a few days.
Among the captures was a green Hydra without arms. When taken it had all
the appearance of having recently had a full meal, but had not the vestige of any
tentacle. Fastened as it was by its foot to a weed, it looked like a diminutive
green beer bottle, the top part being gorged and distended. I carefully removed
the animal to a small bottle, and kept it under observation for some days. At the
end of twelve hours from the first examination, arms began to grow. At the end
of thirty-six hours two arms were grown, but were short, and the stump of a third
was visible. In six hours more four arms were grown a good length, and another
was visible. At the end of eighteen hours more it had only five arms, but a bud
commenced growing out of its side. In forty-eight hours after this the bud had
grown considerably, but still the animal had only five arms. After another forty-
eight hours the bud had dropped off, and the creature had now six arms. After
this it disappeared, being very likely devoured by some other animal.—A. P.
Wire, Leytonstone.
Neottia nidus-avis at Hazeleigh.—On June 5th, as Mr. Fredk. Spalding
and I were walking through Hazeleigh Hall Wood, he called my attention to two
fine spikes of the Bird's Nest Orchis. This is the first time I have seen it in this
locality, but on the next day I found two other spikes about 100 yards further
down the wood. The only record Gibson ("Flora of Essex," p. 308) gives for his
district No. 6 is "Woodham Ferrers—Rev. T. Benson."—Edward A. FlTCH,
Maldon.
Vicia lutea at St. Osyth.—On June 5th, I found two or three good-sized
patches of the yellow vetch (Vicia lutea) under the martello tower on St. Osyth
shore. This plant is not included in Gibson's "Flora," but I do not think I can
be wrong in my determination of the species.—EDWARD A. FlTCH, Maldon.
Epping Forest Flora.—The July number of "Natural Science" contains
the following remarks :— In the pamphlet on the 'Organisation of Science' the
author empties the vials of his contempt upon the compilers of county floras,
which he calls 'a kind of drivel over which life, and time, and print are wasted.'
The author seems to forget that if naturalists are born, not made, it is collecting
that has a good deal to do with the bearing : most men begin as collectors, and if
this work is to be discouraged as waste of time, the next generation of naturalists
is likely to be much smaller than the present. Except with those who agree with
the writer of that pamphlet, we think that most naturalists would strongly disap-
prove of the planting of wild plants from one district in the few small tracts of
virgin land we have. We notice in the January number of the ESSEX Naturalist
that Damasonium has recently been found in a very well-known pond of Epping
Forest.
'The thing is neither so very fine nor rare;
But the question how the devil it got there'
is a problem that is seriously puzzling the botanists of the Essex Field Club.
There can be no doubt that such a plant as Damasonium could not possibly have
escaped notice, while it is difficult to see how its introduction can have been