202 THE ENTOMOSTRACA OF EPPING FOREST.
but in other localities, and still more in other countries, especially
Germany, fresh-water fishes are systematically reared in large
quantities, and by adopting the methods used abroad it would
not foe impossible for us, even in this neighbourhood, to greatly
increase the importance of our fresh-water fisheries. Now these
methods of fish-culture depend very largely upon a knowledge of
the value of Entomostraca as food for fishes. It has been proved
over and over again that many fishes, even in the adult state,
feed almost exclusively upon Entomostraca, while it seems
certain that the fry of nearly all species are directly dependent
upon these little crustaceans for the bulk of their nourish-
ment.
It is always useful to illustrate one's statements if possible
by examples taken close at hand, and that must be my excuse
for giving here the results obtained by examining the contents of
the stomachs and intestines of a few little fishes caught in the
Forest area.
Three specimens of the Three-spined Stickleback (Gaste-
rosteus aculcatus) gave the following results. The first, taken in
Higham Park in August, 1893, had been feeding almost exclu-
sively on Entomostraca, of which no less than 70 individuals
were counted. The majority of these were Cyclops viridis
(brevicornis), but there were also representatives of nine other
genera, none of which, it may be remarked, were essentially
bottom forms. The only other food noticed consisted of a few
statoblasts of Plumatella and some fragments of Algae. The
second, from a ditch running into Connaught Water, also taken
in August, 1893, had in its stomach about a couple of dozen
Entomostraca (all Chydorus Sphaericus) and a very good assort-
ment of other interesting objects, e.g., 1 Rotifer, 3 Rhizopods, a
few insect larvae, parts of an Asellus, numerous Desmids and
Diatoms, &c. The third, caught in a little pond near Snares-
brook, in January, 1894, unlike the first, had been specialising
on mud-loving Entomostraca, for its stomach contained such
species as Ilyocryptus sordidus, Leydigia quadrangularis, Alona
quadrangularis, Canthocamptus staphylinus, &c. In all about 65
Entomostraca were counted, and there were also remains of
Insect larvae (? Chironomus), Nematodes, Diatoms, Desmids, and
pieces of Algae.
Three specimens of Roach (Leuciscus rutilus), all from the
Eagle Pond, Snaresbrook, yielded the following results. The
first, taken in July, 1896, had its stomach and intestines filled