GENUS LOXOPHYLL UM. 527 



capacity to engulf organisms of considerable size it surpasses the ordinary repre- 

 sentatives of the genus. Among the figures given by Claparede and Lachmann 

 an example is delineated that has thus devoured a Peridinium whose diameter was 

 nearly equal to its own previous to the ingestion of its prey. 



Amphileptus gutta, Cohn. 



Body elongate-pyriform, rounded and widest posteriorly ; the anterior 

 extremity pointed, uncinate, curved towards the ventral aspect ; the dorsal 

 margin convex, the ventral one concave ; oral aperture situated on the 

 ventral surface at a distance of about one-third of the length of the body 

 from the anterior extremity ; pharynx taking the form of a smooth, conical, 

 corneous tube ; cuticular surface striate longitudinally, densely clothed 

 with short, fine, even cilia, no differentiation apparently exhibited by those 

 clothing the anterior or oral regions; contractile vesicle single, postero- 

 terminal ; endoplasm enclosing numerous large, spherical water-vacuoles ; 

 numerous refringent, nucleus-like corpuscles scattered throughout the 

 cortical layer ; movements constant in a forward direction, rotating on its 

 long axis. Length 1-200". HAB. Salt water. 



In general contour this species would appear to closely resemble Ehrenberg's 

 Trathelius (Amphileptus) vorax. 



Amphileptus sphagni, Ehr. 



Body depressed, linear-lanceolate, the rostrum or trunk-like portion cari- 

 nate, truncate, one-quarter the length of the body ; posterior extremity tail- 

 like, acutely pointed, the median region of the body coloured green, with 

 enclosed spheroidal corpuscles, elsewhere transparent ; cuticular cilia form- 

 ing spiral series. Length 1-576" to 1-144". 



HAB. Bog water, amongst Sphagnum, near Berlin. 



This species, imperfectly described by Ehrenberg under the above title,* is 

 possibly referable to one of the other several genera into which his generic group 

 Amphileptus has been more recently divided. 



Supplementary Species. 



Among the species that must be referred with some degree of doubt to the 

 genus Amphileptus, and which are not sufficiently well characterized for exact 

 identification, are the Dileptus granulosus, Acineria incurvata et acuta, and the 

 Trachclius falx of Dujardin, and also the Amphileptus papillosus of Ehrenberg. 

 The Amphileptus fasdola of this last authority, referred by Claparede and Lachmann 

 to the genus Loxophyllum, will be found under the generic heading Litonotus. 



GENUS III. LOXOPHYLLUM, Dujardin. 



Animalcules free-swimming, flattened and leaf-like, flexible, finely and 

 entirely ciliate ; the anterior extremity usually more attenuate and elastic ; 

 oral aperture opening on the ventral border, the anal aperture situated 

 close to the posterior extremity; contractile vesicle single or multiple, 



* 'Bericht Akad. Berlin,' 1853. 



