CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES' MEETING AT DOVER.
71
Amphipoda, and these De Rougemont would reduce to a single species.1 Two
other forms, however, have been found in recesses of coalpits in Scotland
and Northern England. Mr. Stebbing noticed the blindness and want of
colour characteristic of this subterranean fauna ; also the singular fact that
while its study may be said to have begun in England, almost every discovery
therein during the last 50 years had been made in the wells and caverns of
other countries, whether European or American. He concluded by remark-
ing that it would indeed be extraordinary should Great Britain and Ireland
not yield on investigation a fauna comparable to that found in other parts of
the world. In this research he hoped that some members of our local
scientific societies might take a share.
In answer to a question as to the best way of catching "Well-
shrimps," Mr. Stebbing replied that a good plan was to wait till the well was
nearly empty, then let down a bucket and withdraw it as soon as possible.
Sometimes they were brought up when pumping was going on.
Some discussion then ensued, in which Rev. J. O. Bevan,
Mr. T. Workman, and Mr. Hotblack took part, as to whether
the Bats in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky passed all their
time there. It was hardly a matter that could be decisively
settled, but some presumption that they did not was afforded by
a remark of Mr. Workman's (who had visited the Mammoth
Cave) that they were not found in the depths of the Cave,
though in great numbers near the mouth.
Mr. Hotblack said that a Well-shrimp had been obtained at
Norwich by a member of the Society he represented (Norfolk
and Norwich Naturalists' Society).2 Mr. Mark Stirrup men-
tioned that a few years ago a Society was started in Yorkshire
for cavern exploration, with which a search for underground
fauna might well be combined. Mr. Stebbing had certainly
opened out for them a new field of research.
The Chairman (Mr. Stebbing) added that two gentlemen
had written to him on this subject, Mr. E. S. Goodrich, of the
Department of Comparative Anatomy, Oxford, who would be
glad to have any specimens of blind Crustacea from wells and
caves for experimental purposes, and Dr. Charles Chilton (to
whose work on the underground fauna of New Zealand he had
already referred) who was living in Edinburgh. Dr. Chilton
was collecting information about the English Well-Amphipoda,
and would be glad of specimens. A general hope was expressed
1 In a letter to the Editor, Mr. Stebbing says that the British Well-shrimps are
Niphargus aquilex, Schiödte, N. fontanus, Spence Bate, N. Kochinas, S. Bate, and
Kraangonyx subterraneus, S. B. He adds, "of these the first is most frequently met with in
England."
2 This species is Niphargus aquilex, see "Notes" in the present part of the E.N.—Ed.