j. murray on gastrotricha. 21> 



Historical Sketch. 



As a history would be little more than the bibliography 

 arranged chronologically, it need not take up much space. 



So far as my knowledge goes, the first notice of an animal of 

 this order is by Joblot (32) 1718, who figures (Plate 10, fig. 22) 

 his " poisson a la tete en trefie," which is the animal now known 

 as Ichthydium. 



Corti 1774 (10) speaks of an " animaluzzo molle," and figures 

 it, which Ehrenberg thinks may be a Chaetonotus. 



Eichhorn 1781 (20) figures (Plate 2, fig. R) what may have 

 been a Chaetonotus. 



These were the pioneers, who bestowed no binomial desig- 

 nations, but, before either Eichhorn or Corti, Miiller had in 1773 

 (42) given three such names, the first, Cercaria podura, still 

 persisting as Ichthydium podura. 



Many of the pre-Ehrenbergians bestowed various names on 

 Gastrotrichs, usually only in attempts to classify, not describing 

 supposed new species : Schrank 1776 (53) Brachionvs pilosus ; 

 Lamarck 1815 (34) Furcocerca ; Bory 1824 (3) Leucophra, 1826 

 (4) Diceratella ; Ehrenberg's first attempt, Hemprich and Ehren- 

 berg 1828 (29) was Diurella podura (= Ichthydium). 



Ehrenberg did not notably advance the knowledge of this 

 order, but he described two new species besides others, which are 

 not now recognised as Gastrotrichs. 



After Ehrenberg came a rather barren period leading on to 

 quite modern times: Dujardin 1841 (16), Gosse 1851 (23) and 



1864 (24), Schultze 1853 (55), Schmarda 1861 (52), Metchnikoff 



1865 (41), Tatem 1867 (61). The only works of any importance 

 in this period are Gosse's and Metchnikoff's. 



Modern times may be said to begin with Daday in 1882 (11), 

 and the principal workers have been Daday 1897 (12), 1905 (14), 

 1910 (15); Collin 1897 (8), 1912 (9); Stokes 1887 (57) (59); 

 Zelinka 1889 (71); Voigt 1904 (68); Lauterborn 1893 (35); 

 Griinspan 1908 (26); Marcolengo (40) (72). 



Classification. 



The classification of the Gastrotricha is in an unsatisfactory 

 condition. They are difficult animals to classify. I sympathise- 

 with the efforts authors have made to introduce order into the- 



