10 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



Melicerta ringens are absent ; but there are two 

 tentacles armed .with setse, and attached in the 

 usual manner. The pellet with which the animal 

 builds its tube is formed in a kind of sac, situated 



ng. 3. Melicerta socialis 

 (dorsal view). 



-^z-T^rrr^ 



Fig. 4. Ditto, when out of 

 its tube. 

 a, Pellet, b, Cloaca. 

 c. Egg and ovary. 



Fig. 5. Floscuhiria trilohuiii. 

 a. Cloaca, with long canal 

 leading from {!>) ovary, &c. 

 c. Position of tlie jaws. 



Fig. 6. 



«, FIdhcuH just liatched. 



h, ditto, thirteen hours after. 



at the lower extremity of the abdomen, below the 

 intestines and ovary ; it is discharged through the 

 cloaca, the creature raising itself, before expelling 

 it, so as to bring the cloaca to a level with the rim 



of the tube. The Ggg is 

 deposited in the tube, 

 and remains there until 

 the young is hatched. 

 Length of the adult, 

 about „5_ of an inch. 

 Found in shallow ponds, 

 usually attached to moss. 

 Named Socialis because 

 groups of four or five are 

 often found attached to 

 the same leaflet. 



fi 



its name), somewhat similar in appearance to those 

 of Floscularia campanulata. The dorsal lobe is 

 frequently much larger than the other two ; and 

 when such is the case, it is commonly curved for- 

 wards over the funnel-shaped mouth, and presents 

 a somewhat hooded appearance. The setse are not 

 only much shorter than in other floscules, but they 

 are also differently arranged, being placed between 

 the lobes as well as on their summits, forming a 

 kind of unbroken fringe along the entire margin of 

 the disc ; the interlobular setae are, however, much 

 shorter and finer than those on the summits of the 

 lobes. Two cervical eyes are present only in the 

 young. Vibratile cilia are seen distinctly along 

 the course of the pharynx, as far as the maxillary 

 apparatus, which latter organ, occupying the same 

 position as in other floscules, is armed with three 

 pairs of teeth. The ovary is large. The egg, when 

 expelled, remains attached. The cloaca is situated 

 unusually high in the body, and there is a long 

 canal leading from the intestine and ovary to it. 

 The foot is of great length, and much wrinkled. 

 This is the largest of the floscules ; its total length 

 is about the 4V of an inch. It is very rare, being 

 found iu only one small pool in the parish of Sand- 

 hurst during the years 186i, '65, and '66. It is 

 usually attached to moss. 



Floscularia trilohata. — Tube generally absent ; 

 rotatory orga';i divided into three lobes (whence 



Fig. 7. Floscularia edentutit. 



Floscularia eclen/aia.— This is a doubtful species,, 

 and perhaps not a true floscnle, but more nearly 

 allied to that genus than to any other. It has no 

 tube. The disc or rotatory organ has a few fine seta; 

 attached to it ; it is irregular in form, and is not 

 divided into lobes. The creature has no maxillary 

 apparatus, nor has it any teeth. Its food passes 

 directly through the throat into a very capacious 

 stomach, where a variety of the lower fonus of life 

 (some of large size) may be seen undergoing the 

 process of digestion. The foot is short, but of 

 variable length; in one specimen a good deal 

 wrinkled. This form of rotifer is very rare ; I have 

 seen only two specimens. Each laid an egg while 

 under observation, which remained attached, but 



