34 



HA RD WICKE' S SCIENCE- G OSS I P. 



leaves the first cry of success came from my friend- 

 one specimen. I then found two, next one more to 

 each of us, after that a long futile search of half an 

 hour ; but when the darkness compelled us to stop the 

 search we had each found five specimens. We were 

 both satisfied with the result, considering the time of 

 year, [although my friend had been far more successful 

 a few weeks before ; but now a frost of several days' 

 duration had intervened, and no doubt sent most of 

 these snails into winter-quarters. During our search 

 we found Vitrina pellucida very abundant, also 

 Cochlichopa tridens (one specimen), Helix arbustortim 

 var. flavescens, Clausilia rugosa and CI. laminata, 

 Carychium minimum, and many of the common 

 Zonites, which altogether made up a good bag, and 

 shows that a conchological ramble, even within a 

 week of Christmas-day, is not altogether unproductive. 

 Since writing the above, and on the 26th December 

 last, my friend and I were again tempted by the mild- 

 ness of the weather to pay another visit to our 

 fnsca ground, and were far more successful than 

 on the former occasion, taking about twenty 

 specimens each of this little Helix, which we found 

 crawling about the campion leaves and deadnettle- 

 stalks, and in many instances a foot or more above the 

 ground, showing the hardiness of the mollusc. On 

 this occasion we also took the following in addition 

 to what I have mentioned before : — Balia perversa, 

 Bulimus obscurus var. alba (one specimen), Helix 

 concinna var. albida (three specimens), Helix 

 pulchella, Pupa unibilicata, Vertigo edentula, besides 

 numerous Zonites and the commoner Helices, Limax 



arborum, Sec. 



John R. B. Masefield. 



Rosehill, Cheadle, Staffordshire. 



SOME NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN 

 ROTIFERS. 



By W. Barnett Burn, M.D. 



NO. 6. — FURCULARIA TENUISETA (Fig. 22). 



CHARACTERS.— Body cylindrical, front round ; 

 head separated by a strong constriction ; eye 

 wanting ; toes very long, thin and flexible. 



This is a large rotifer, being one fortieth of an inch 

 long, of which nearly half is taken up by the long flexible 

 toes, which apparently are of little use to the animal, 

 dragging after it in swimming like threads, sometimes 

 one twisting round the other. They seem only brought 

 into activity when they are widely separated, almost 

 at right angles to the body ; they then become stiff, 

 and catch against small particles, and acting as a 

 break, stop the animal suddenly. The body is very 

 transparent, it has a loose glassy integument ex- 

 tremely flexible. Under the head there is a clear 

 space with only the oesophagus and lateral canals 

 running through it, recalling the similar arrangement 

 in Copeus caudalus ; at this part the body is being 



continually bent about, backward, forward and 

 sideways. 



Although so delicate in appearance, it burrows 

 through dense flocculent masses with ease, being 

 like a little mole in this respect. No sooner than it 

 has made a way through one portion than it goes 

 to work on another, not so much with the object 

 of finding food, as for the purpose of hiding itself 

 in dark places. 



This species clearly belongs to the family of the 

 Notommatadse. Like many others, it does not fall 

 readily into any of the genera. The resemblance to 

 Copeus caudalus has been mentioned, but it has no 

 affinity with the genus. In its large size, hyaline 

 transparency, and probab'.e want of auricles, it 



Fig. 19. — Diplois propatula. 



approaches Notonunata theodora ; the absence of the 

 eye and opaque brain masses precludes admission 

 into that group. In bulk it may be compared with 

 the larger Diglennse, but the lack of eyes and the 

 form of the trophi prevent its being considered one. 

 It has a considerable likeness to Furcularia cceca in 

 its outline and in the fold beneath the head ; they are 

 also companions in misfortune in being blind ; it also 

 in some points resembles Furcularia eoa. 



This rotifer was found in water from a pool on 

 Tooting Common that had been collected some days. 

 Two were brought up with the dipping tube at once 

 to begin with, then about forty dips were made 

 before another was captured ; six or seven others were 



